July marks National Grilling Month in America, but according to a new Harris Poll many Americans are firing up the grill no matter what month it is. Just over half of U.S. adults (52%) say they use a grill to cook outdoors at least a few times a month, with 27% (up from 23% in 2008) saying they get their grill on at least once a week. And while three-fourths of Americans (76%) – including 73% of women – believe more men grill than women, in fact there's little difference between men's (53%) and women's (51%) likelihood to say they grill a few times a month or more.
Seven in ten Americans (69%) say grilling outdoors is one of their favorite things about summer, but it's clearly not the only time U.S. grillers reach for the tongs. Even colder months find some dedicated home cooks taking it outside. Among those Americans who grill outdoors at least a few times per year, nearly nine in ten (88%) do so a few times per month or more during summer, three-fourths (74%) in spring and nearly two-thirds (64%) in fall. There's a definite drop-off come winter, but there are plenty of grillers who won't be put off just because the forecast is getting colder: three in ten grillers (29%) say they grill out a few times a month or more during winter.
- Winter grilling is admittedly more common in warmer climes (with 40% of Western grillers and 37% of their Southern counterparts grilling at least a few times a month during the winter).
- That said, it's certainly worth noting that 19% of grillers in the Midwest and 16% in the East also say they grill a few times a month or more during the coldest season.
These are some of the results of The Harris Poll® of 2,200 adults surveyed online between June 17 and 22, 2015. Full results of this study, including data tables, can be found here.
Burgers and steaks and chicken, oh my!
Half of Americans (50%) say there's nothing they won't throw on a grill, but that's not to say they don't have some favorite things to get grill marks on. Two-thirds of Americans (68%) select burgers as one of their three favorite foods prepared on an outdoor grill, while six in ten (61%) identify steaks and over half (53%) select chicken.
Three in ten U.S. adults (31%) select hot dogs, while 17% point to sausages, 16% cite pork, 15% point to vegetables and 11% list fish among their favorite grilled foods.
- Women are more likely than men to list chicken (59% vs. 47%) and vegetables (18% vs. 11%) among their favorites off the grill, while men are more likely to list sausage (20% vs. 13%) and pork (19% vs. 13%) among their top three.
- "Frankly," Easterners seem especially enamored with hot dogs. Four in ten (41%) list them among their favorite grilled foods – more than in any other region (28% Midwest, 30% South, 27% West).
Washing it down
When asked which types of beverages they most associate with foods grilled outdoors, majorities of Americans 21 and older point to soda/pop (65%), iced tea (60%), beer (54%) and lemonade (also 54%), while half (50%) include water among their top selections.
16% each select liquor/spirits/cocktails and juice drinks, while 14% point to flavored malt beverages and one in ten each reach for red (11%) or white (10%) wine.
- Women are more likely than men to associate iced tea with grilled foods (64% vs. 55%), while men are more likely to reach for a beer (58% vs. 51%).
- "Sweet tea" is often associated with southern dining, so it may not come as a surprise that Southerners are more likely than Americans in any other region to associate iced tea with grilled foods (67%, vs. 59% East, 55% each Midwest and West).
- Millennials are more likely than any other generation to reach for juice drinks (26% vs. 11% each of Gen Xers and Baby Boomers, 7% Matures).
- Millennials and Gen Xers are both more likely than their elders to list liquor/spirits/cocktails among their top choices (21% and 20%, respectively, vs. 11% Baby Boomers and 9% Matures).