May 10, 2007
Today’s Women Are More Likely To Grill Than Their Mothers, Survey Shows
Propane industry provides tips to help consumers protect themselves while grilling
With 34 million women using the grill a “couple of times a week” during the grilling season – and another 3.4 million cooking on it every day – this outdoor appliance can no longer be considered a male domain. These estimates, based on the results of a new survey from the Propane Education and Research Council (PERC), support the finding that more women than ever are involved in the grilling process – from purchase to cooking to cleaning. Compared to when they were growing up, women today are much more likely to be the primary griller in their household (37 percent) than were their mothers (23 percent).
“At the same time that we are seeing a surge in female grillers, 11 percent – more than 6 million women – report that they know nothing at all about safe grilling practices,” Kate Caskin, Senior Vice President, PERC said. “Keeping a few simple safety tips in mind can only add to the overall grilling experience and help make grilling an enjoyable, everyday cooking method.”
To help the 56.6 million American women who own propane gas grills enjoy safe year-round grilling, PERC offers its top safe grilling tips:
Correct Grill Use
1. When lighting a grill, keep the top open.
2. Before connecting the cylinder to a propane gas grill burner for the first time,
use a leak-detection solution (a 50/50 mixture of water and liquid soap) to
check connections for tightness.
3. Do not use matches or lighters to check for leaks.
4. Do not allow children to tamper with the cylinder or grill.
5. Do not smoke while handling a propane cylinder.
6. When a grill is not in use, cover disconnected hose-end fittings with plastic
bags or protective caps to keep clean.
7. Always follow grill manufacturer’s instructions and keep written materials
accessible.
8. Never pour an accelerant such as lighter fluid or gasoline on the grill.
9. When finished grilling, turn off the burner controls and close the cylinder valve.
Proper Cylinder Handling
1. When the cylinder is refilled, have the supplier check for dents, damage,
rust, or leaks.
2. After filling or exchanging a cylinder, take it home immediately. Keep the
vehicle ventilated and the cylinder valve closed and capped.
3. Always use or store cylinders outdoors in an upright (vertical) position.
4. Do not use, store, or transport cylinders near high temperatures (this
includes storing spare cylinders near the grill).
The survey, which asked outdoor gas grill owners a variety of questions about their grilling habits as well as their attitudes towards grilling practices, was conducted for PERC using Opinion Research Corporation’s CARAVAN National Omnibus. Telephone interviews were conducted from January 11-14, 2007, with a nationally representative sample of 409 adults who currently own an outdoor gas grill. The margin of error is +/- 4.9 percent.
Fun Facts About Outdoor Grilling
(Source: Propane Education and Research Council)
1. Three in five adults (59 percent) – and 72 percent of parents – say barbecuing
with family and friends is their favorite way to spend the Memorial Day holiday.
2. Barbecuing tops the list of activities American adults are most looking forward
to when it comes to July 4th. In fact, 44 percent say they are most looking
forward to barbecuing with family and friends, followed by 37 percent that say
they are most looking forward to going to a fireworks show.
3. A barbecue or cookout tops the list of the types of events American adults most
want to be invited to this summer, with a picnic a distant second place (64 percent
vs. 25 percent respectively).
4. Almost two-thirds of parents (63 percent) say that barbecuing or grilling outdoors
is the most fun way for their family to eat dinner together during the summer
months. Less than half (28 percent) as many say the same about sitting down for a
home-cooked meal.
5. While 84 percent of gas grill owners say it is very important to follow basic safe
grilling tips, only one in three (35 percent) say they know “a great deal” about
such tips.
Americans Love Backyard Barbecuing
(Source: Hearth, Patio and Barbecue Association)
1. 74 percent of U.S. households have a barbecue grill.
2. 91 percent of grill owners have cooked outdoors in the past year.
3. 62 percent of gas grill owners cook outdoors year-round.
4. Men are far more likely to barbecue than women (66 percent vs. 34 percent) and
even more so when entertaining (72 percent). Women are more apt to decide
when and what to barbecue.
5. The most popular barbecue staples continue to be hamburgers, steak, hot dogs,
and chicken breasts.
6. More than 15 million new grills were shipped in 2005.
For additional information about propane, visit www.PropaneFL.com.
For more information:
Kim Hosey
(850) 681-0496
kim@floridagas.org
