Get Fired Up for This Year’s Top Summer Grilling Trends: Chicory’s Recipe Insights
Summer is almost here, which means it's time to fire up the grill. Grilling is a summertime staple, leading consumers to stock up on all the necessary ingredients to make for the perfect BBQ or just a tasty weeknight dinner.
At Chicory, we love staying abreast of top food and cooking trends to provide insights for CPG brands, grocers and recipe publishers. In this blog post, we will explore summer grilling consumer behaviors and help you understand digital grocery shopping and meal planning behavior during the summer grilling season, culled from data from our contextual commerce platform paired with consumer research from 500+ online grocery shoppers.
Summer Grilling Online Grocery Shopping Trends
Our network of over 5,200 recipe sites provides us with billions of data points including trending recipes, the most-shopped ingredients and much more. These data points allow us to offer real-time insights into consumer behaviors and preferences for a particular meal moment or category.
Here are some of the top summer grilling trends we caught onto:
92% of shoppers plan to grill during the summer months (specifically, between May and September).
62% of shoppers will grill multiple nights per week between May and September.
62% purchase multiple types of protein so their guests have options.
40% purchase disposable party supplies.
When is Peak Grilling Season?
We consistently see recipe traffic for all things ‘grilled’ spike over the summer months, kicking off in May and tapering off after Labor Day.
That being said, while most people default to the big four (Memorial Day, Father’s Day, July 4th and Labor Day) as the grilling go-to's, shoppers will grill for casual occasions throughout the summer too, from weekend barbecues to weeknight dinners. Top contenders include family gatherings, weekend barbecues and weeknight dinners.
51% of shoppers plan to grill for various family gatherings.
46% of shoppers plan to grill for weekend barbecues.
41% of shoppers plan to grill for weeknight dinners, as well as birthday parties.
27% of shoppers plan to grill for family milestone events.
This Summer’s Top Grilling Recipes
What are the top dishes and proteins of grilling season this year?
Digging into the data from last year’s summer grilling season only confirms that shoppers enjoy diversifying their summer proteins.
79% of consumers surveyed indicated they’d be grilling burgers.
73% of consumers will be grilling chicken.
69% of consumers will be grilling hot dogs, whether beef, pork or turkey.
57% of consumers will be grilling steak.
23% of consumers indicated that they’d be grilling protein alternatives, like plant-based options and tofu.
Recipe title keywords like “How To” trended last year, further proving that shoppers look to get creative on the grill and use online recipes to guide their experimentation with different proteins, like cedar-plank salmon. Honorable mention goes to convenient and simple recipes, as consumers opted for keywords like “simple” and one-pan prep styles.
CPG brands that activate shoppable media within recipes have a prime opportunity to reach consumers earlier in the path to purchase. And, when it comes to summer grilling inspiration, shoppers’ willingness to experiment with new proteins presents a chance to win new and lapsed shoppers.
If you’re a recipe blogger with Chicory’s shoppable recipe technology on their sites, be sure to align your spring and summer recipe content plans to include How-To and quick-and-easy type recipes.
What are the top side dishes of grilling season?
Of course, proteins alone don’t make a meal. Shoppers seek recipe inspiration for side dishes when they want to mix things up. Cold salads are a big winner during the summer months for their refreshing taste and easy prep.
75% of shoppers serve up hot sides, from baked beans to French fries.
57% of shoppers dice up fresh produce, like crudités or watermelon.
52% of shoppers dish out cold salads, such as egg salad or pasta salad.
Showstopping sides create space for all CPG brands to have a seat at the table — or rather, in the cart.
What are the top condiments of grilling season?
We wanted to settle the ketchup-vs-mustard debate once and for all. Consumers nominated ketchup as the condiment contender of the season, but it’s clear shoppers crave variety. This is no surprise as grilling has become synonymous with larger gatherings, and an array of classic condiments provides options for everyone to enjoy.
But with 41% of consumers choosing grilling for weeknight dinners too, it’s not always about a crowd. Nearly a third (30%) of shoppers will purchase a new condiment or marinade to jazz up their favorite simple dinners.
What are the top summer desserts?
60% of shoppers intend to take advantage of summer produce to bake homemade desserts. But, once again, convenience remains a top priority for shoppers, with ice creams and frozen novelties holding their spot as go-to favorites to help beat the summer heat with minimal preparation and cleanup.
What are the best drinks to serve at a barbecue?
Consumers reach for soda first (79%), water varietals (69%) and beer (55%) as top choices during grilling season. However, shoppers also turn to digital recipes to find inspiration for alcoholic and non-alcoholic drinks alike, whether it’s a piña colada or a more family-friendly option like creamy lemonade.
What are the must-have supplies for a barbecue?
While consumers are shopping for everything from sips to sweets, consumers also need to stock up on all the necessities to make their cookouts a success. We're talking about foil and wrap (23%), disposable tableware (21.9%), food storage solutions (19%), charcoal (17%), and cleaning supplies (19%) — all the little things that make a big difference when it comes to hosting a summer BBQ bash!
Online grocery shopping trends for summer grilling season appear to be driven by providing variety. Cookouts and barbecues present a unique, something-for-everyone hosting opportunity, where home cooks strive to provide guests with options to accommodate different tastes. This creates significant both CPG brands and grocery retailers to drive sales throughout the season.
Find out how contextual commerce can help you reach summer grillers during peak season.