Ask the FMI Librarian: Grilling Season

By Sue Wilkinson, Senior Director, Information Service & Research, Food Marketing Institute 

Around this time of year, a lot of food retailers are focused on grilling season and want to know what the latest trends and facts are. Here’s a summary of the who, what, where, when and why on the grilling season:

• Who’s grilling? About 30% of Americans say the spend time barbequing during the year. [ProQuest Statistical Abstract of the United States. Arts, Recreation, and Travel: 2014] Thomas Jefferson started the tradition at the White House and it’s been a bipartisan effort to keep the custom alive. [Hearth, Patio & Barbecue Association]

• What’s grilling? The most popular foods for cooking on the grill are: burgers (85 percent), steak (80 percent), hot dogs (79 percent) and chicken (73 percent). [Hearth, Patio & Barbecue Association] Half of US grill users cook veggies on the grill, compared to just 6 percent who prepare fruit that way. [Mintel.com]

• Where do Americans grill? Thirty-seven percent of consumers have a large moveable grill system on a modest patio/deck, with some outdoor furniture and an informal place to eat. [Hearth, Patio & Barbecue Association]

• When do we grill? Traditional summer holidays top the list of the most popular grilling holidays: the Fourth of July (68 percent), Memorial Day (52 percent) and Labor Day (51 percent). [Hearth, Patio & Barbecue Association]

• Gas or charcoal? About half of Americans own a gas grill, while 36 percent prefer the charcoal variety. [Mintel.com]

• Why grill? More than half (53 percent) of American grilling fans believe food prepared this way is healthier than other cooking methods. [Mintel.com]