Primula (or toothpaste cheese as I knew it). It’s Good.
I always called it toothpaste cheese growing up. not that I ever bathed me teeth in it or anything – more the fact that it came in this weird tube.
Somewhere along the way I gained the impression that Primula was a Bad Thing, and it stopped making an appearance in my fridge years ago.
So when I was asked to make a sandwich with it for National Sandwich Week (that’s THIS WEEK people. I hope you’ve been doing your bit), I was torn between mad nostalgia (oh how I loved the cheese & ham flavour) and mild suspicion.
What badness was I about to inflict upon my children?
Well…
Primula actually contains the lowest salt, fat, calories and highest cheese and calcium content of any branded spreadable cheese on the market.
I know!
Who knew?!
So – I’m proud to say that vintage Primula now has a rightful slot on my fridge door again.
Well, not actual vintage Primula. Because clearly feeding my children 30-yr-old cheese is never going to be a good thing.
Also – double pride; first thing my daughter said when she saw it? “Oh! it’s just like cheese toothpaste!”. She’s her mother’s girl, that’s for sure.
For me, there was only one combination to show you. This is the very best Primula sandwich you can possibly create – I call it the Summer of 1979.
I give you: Primula, Cucumber and Marmite.
Glamourous it’s not. Fancy-shaped or creatively-coloured it’s not. On a delicious Focaccia with pesto & mozzarella it definitely isn’t.
It’s plain, simple, easy… and traditionally it’s cut into fingers.
But just one delicious bite, and you’ll be back on the old blue blanket under the tree in the back garden, a bottle of warm orange squash, a hard boiled egg and a packet of Monster Munch waiting beside you. Or maybe that’s just me.
But trust me anyway. It’s delish.
If you fancy trying it for yourself, may I suggest you head on over to Tots100 and enter their sandwich competition? Just photograph your favourite Primula sandwich and tweet or Instagram the filling details to @tots100 with the #PrimulaSandwich hashtag, and you could be in to win a luxury two night hotel break!
The new Primula Kids Mild Squeezy Cheese also contains no artificial colours, flavours or preservatives – that makes it a winner in my book. Primula Kids Mild Squeezy Cheese is available in Tesco stores nationwide from just £1.15.
21 May 2014
Although I wasn’t around for this Toothpaste Cheese tubing craze, I remember incredible cheese and cucumber sandwiches from when I was little too. They’re like a blast from the past, and I’ll definitely be whipping one up some time this week thanks to this post! :-)
25 December 2020
I miss the Primula with Pineapple flavour . It was my absolute favourite ever soft cheese. I’ll never forgive Primula for not making it any more, but I am addicted to the Ham flavour now instead. I just unscrew the lid and squeeze straight into my mouth. Addicted much? But it’s the best way to get the full flavour hit. Its so moreish too.
20 August 2021
I AGREE WITH YOU WHOLE HEARTEDLY PINEAPPLE IS THE BEST EVER WHY DONT THEY BRING IT BACK!!!!?
13 December 2023
I’m very disappointed with primula cheese, not having bought it for a few years, due to not being able to get it locally, it used to be lovely and thick, quite solid, now it’s more like a watery sauce, please bring back the proper primula, I used to love it, now it’s just a watery mess there’s no body to it anymore!!!