“Grilling will be hot across the country this Memorial Day weekend, but the steady growth we have tracked in grilling has actually come to an end,” said Harry Balzer, vice president of The NPD Group and author of The 27th Annual Eating Patterns in America Report.
According to The NPD Group, a leading global information company, grill usage hit its peak in 2009 with 40 percent of Americans using outdoor grills during a typical two-week period. That number has been declining ever since. In 2012, 36 percent of adults used a grill on a regular basis throughout the year. Of course, grilling increases in the summer months where 50 percent of households will fire up their grill during a typical two-week period.
“Men are often seen as the ones behind the grill, but they have started to figure out that cooking is work!" Balzer says, “The lie that women have been perpetuating that their husbands like to grill has been debunked!” jokes Balzer.
Top 5 Foods Americans Grill for Dinner
Percent of Dinners That Include The Item
| 1. Chicken | 21% |
| 2. Steak | 20% |
| 3. Burger | 20% |
| 4. Pork | 11% |
| 5. Hot Dogs | 11% |
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