Burgers or chicken? Poll reveals which meat rules America’s grills

NEW YORK — Summer is here, and Americans everywhere are heading to the beaches, boardwalks, and (most importantly) barbeques! With that in mind, a new poll finds women may be the “unsung heroes” of the grill.

The survey of 2,000 men and women revealed that 53% believe women are not receiving the recognition or praise they deserve for their grilling skills. One reason they might not be getting the recognition they deserve? Half of the respondents — including 55% of men and 47% of women — still believe grilling is a male-dominated activity. However, the majority (53%) also agree that the notion of grilling as a male-dominated pastime is outdated, and 77% think grilling should be just as common for women as it is for men.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 also found that nearly half of women think 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 say that — 82% of men, compared to 72% of women.

The survey went beyond the differences between men and women and also looked more generally at how grilling will influence America’s summer cooking habits this year. The poll finds that 84% say there’s nothing better than a good grilled dinner on a hot summer night.

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

“As a fourth-generation family-owned food and agriculture company, we know meals bring people together,” says Jody Hallman, vice president of marketing at Perdue, in a statement. “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.”

The survey also explored what foods Americans rate as “must haves” when grilling in the summer. Burgers top the list of “must-have” foods for the grill (72%), followed by hot dogs (60%) and steak rounding out the top three (59%).

Meat stayed popular in the top five, as chicken breast (46%) and ribs (42%) were voted the other 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 says. “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.”