Outdoor Grillers Are Turning To Healthier Choices, Grilling More Often

According to the 19th Annual Weber GrillWatch Survey, by the Weber Company, 31% of grill owners are grilling more than a year ago because they are “trying to eat healthier” by grilling leaner meats, and more vegetables, fish, and poultry.

The major findings of this research include (excerpted from summary):

• More than half (57%) of all grill owners say they grill throughout the year. Among owners of different grill types, those who use outdoor electric grills (65%), gas stand-ups (61%) and smokers most often (60%) are more likely to define their “grilling season” as year-round than charcoal grill owners at 53%.
• Americans are grilling more times per week. Seventy-one percent report they fire up their grill “at least once a week” during their grilling season (up from 69% last year), and 47% say they fire it up “at least a few times per week” compared to 43% last year.
• Eighty-one percent of American grill owners assert that they prefer grilling outdoors by a wide margin (81 percent) compared to cooking inside (19%). This reflects an increase over last year’s 78% versus 22%, respectively.
• While 95 % of Survey respondents say they grill dinner “on a regular basis,” 37% say they now grill lunch on a regular basis, and two percent grill breakfast or brunch on a regular basis.
• From the previous year, consumers are grilling leaner meats (39%), more vegetables (38%), more poultry (34%), more fish (22%), more meat substitutes (6%), and more fruit (5%).
• Women are significantly more likely to grill more vegetables and more fruit than men.

Additional statistics on grill ownership and what’s used most often are included in the report.