Outdoor cooking is a very popular pastime that unites friends and family with great tasting food that’s easy and affordable. Sixty-four percent of adults agree, reporting that a barbecue is a better way to spend quality-time with their friends or relatives. And more than a third (36%) of adults associate barbecues with family tradition, according to the NBM Poll.

That’s why this National Barbecue Month in May, there’s no better way to celebrate than taking it outdoors for a cookout with friends or family!

According to poll results, it’s no secret that Americans see grilling and outdoor cooking as the ticket to an easy, delicious meal and a healthier lifestyle:

• Easy Does it. Eighty-one percent of Americans report that at least one aspect of grilling outside is easier than cooking indoors. The most convenient parts are cited as cleanup (49%) followed by the cooking process itself (40%).
• Cooking Out Trumps Eating Out. The majority of adults (58%) agree that cooking out is more fun and relaxing than dining out and beneficial for avoiding travel (58%), dress codes (57%) and crowds (56%).
• Healthier Choice. Seventy percent of Americans say cooking out gets them in a healthier routine, specifically by encouraging time spent outdoors instead of cooped up in the house. Outdoor cooking also encourages adults to make smarter food choices such as eating fresh rather than frozen foods (54% agreed) and cooking healthier food on the grill overall (40% agreed).
• Got-to-have Gadgets. Accessories make already-convenient outdoor cooking even easier. When it comes to the go-to tools, Americans report top usage of:
  • tongs (77%),
  • spatula or brush (65%),
  • rubs and marinades (62%),
  • skewers (37%), and
  • baskets (20%).

Outdoor Cooking Goes Social
Social media is growing as the preferred way to get the cookout word out. Nearly a quarter of Americans (23%) identified social media as the easiest way to invite friends and family to a barbecue.

This marks a 22% increase in consumer preference for social media invitations since 2009 (up from 1% two years ago), according to HPBA’s year-to-year national data comparisons.

HPBA recently unveiled “The BBQ Source” – an integrated barbecue community on Facebook and Twitter – just in time for National Barbecue Month. Join the conversation at: facebook.com/TheBBQSource and twitter.com/TheBBQSource