A switching mechanism is utilized in a heating appliance, such as a toaster, that includes a bread support that supports a food item to insert and remove the food item from a cooking cavity of the appliance. The appliance includes an electronic circuit that controls operation during a heating cycle. The switching mechanism includes a switch having a first terminal adapted to receive a power signal and a second terminal coupled to the electronic circuit. The switch operates responsive to an applied switching force to couple the first terminal to the second terminal and thereby apply power to the electronic circuit. A switch actuator has a first end, a second end, and a retaining member near the second end. The second end is attached to the appliance to rotate about an axis. The switch actuator operates responsive to a force being applied to the bread support to rotate about the axis to a first position and apply the switching force to the switch so power is applied to the electronic circuit. A retaining force is applied to the first end of the actuator to secure the actuator in the first position responsive to power being applied to the electronic circuit and the retaining member engages the bread support to hold the bread support with the food item positioned in the cooking cavity when the actuator is in the first position. The switch actuator operates responsive to the retaining force being removed to rotate about the axis to remove the switching force and thereby remove power from the electronic circuit to terminate the heating cycle. Various other aspects of the present invention are directed, for example, to contacts formed on a printed circuit board and switch blades formed separate from the printed circuit board, heat-staking of the switch blades, and crimp details on the switch blades that eliminates the need for wire terminals.