Who’s ‘manning’ the grills this summer? Study says women

Women are the “unsung hero” of the grill, according to new research.

The survey of 2,000 men and women revealed that 53% believe women are not receiving the notice or the praise they deserve for their grill skills.

And men and women agree: that stat (53%) remains true regardless of gender.

One reason they might not be getting the recognition they deserve? Research revealed half of the respondents — 55% of men and 47% of women — believe grilling is a male-dominated activity.

But the majority (53%) also agree that the notion of grilling as male-dominated is outdated, and 77% think grilling should be just as common for women as it is for men.

Conducted by Talker Research for PERDUE , the survey found that nearly half of women said it’s their time to shine at the grill this year (48%).

Regardless of who’s behind the grill, 74% believe it’s an art form, with men more likely than women to agree — 82% of men, compared to 72% of women.

The survey went beyond the differences between men and women and also looked more broadly at how grilling will play a role in households this summer.

Results found that 84% of respondents agree: there’s nothing better than a good grilled dinner in the warmer months.

For those who grill often, the top reason they enjoy it is that grilled food is some of their favorite to eat (63%) — they also like the opportunity to get outside (51%) and said that generally, grilling just puts them in a good mood (42%).

“As a fourth-generation family-owned food and agriculture company, we know meals bring people together,” said Jody Hallman, vice president of marketing at Perdue. “During the summer, that often happens around the grill. We believe grilling is an equal-opportunity activity that all members of the household can and should enjoy and we are constantly looking for ways to deliver the convenient, quality options that consumers want so we can make grill time a good time.”

The survey also explored what foods respondents rate as “must haves” when grilling in the summer.

Burgers topped the list of “must-have” foods for the grill (72%), followed by hot dogs (60%), with steak rounding out the top three (59%).

Meat stayed popular in the top five, as chicken breast (46%) and ribs (42%) were voted the next two must-have foods for any grilling occasion.

Respondents also recognized chicken as an underrated favorite: when asked what the most underrated proteins were for grilling, fish topped the list (27%) with chicken not far behind (16%).

“If women are the unsung heroes of the grill, chicken is the underdog of grilled proteins,” Hallman said. “It’s versatile — whether you want to toss on some wings or grill the whole bird, chicken is there for you for any occasion, allowing you to personalize the experience during preparation and provide a delicious meal for a weeknight family dinner or a weekend backyard barbeque.”

REASONS WHY RESPONDENTS ENJOY GRILLING IN THE SUMMER:

• Grilled food is some of my favorite to eat — 63%
• I get to be outside — 51%
• It puts me in a good mood — 42%
• It’s a seasonal experience — 36%
• It’s easy — 34%
• It’s a chance to get together with loved ones — 32%
• It’s healthy — 28%
• It makes me feel proud — 24%
• It’s quick — 23%

Survey methodology:

This random double-opt-in survey of 2,000 general population Americans was commissioned by Perdue Farms between June 5 and June 10, 2024. It was conducted by market research company Talker Research , whose team members are members of the Market Research Society ( MRS ) and the European Society for Opinion and Marketing Research ( ESOMAR ).

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