Boboli® Survey Reveals Only 1% of Americans Think Outside the (Pizza) Box During Grilling Season

HORSHAM, Pa., July 8, 2011 /PRNewswire/ -- As dinner time relocates outdoors during the summer grilling season, a new survey reveals an overwhelming 99 percent of Americans are missing out on an ideal way to enjoy pizza – on the grill.  From favorite toppings to the most interesting pizza personalities, the Boboli® Pizza Survey uncovered pizza penchants across the country.

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Eat Your Vegetables

Farmers markets, grocery stores and backyard gardens abound with a plethora of vegetables for topping a pizza. Indeed, 76 percent of Americans agreed it's hard to make everyone happy when choosing what to put on their pies. Though the number one favorite pizza topping is pepperoni (64 percent), veggies like mushrooms (52 percent), onions (40 percent) and peppers (37 percent) won some votes from respondents.  Surprisingly, 29 percent of young adults ages 18 to 24 like a dose of healthy spinach on their pizza, compared to just 17 percent of those 25 and older.

While it may be difficult to decide on pizza toppings, the foundation of a pizza is an element most can agree on, as 43 percent of Americans believe the crust is the most important part of the pizza, followed by sauce (23 percent), toppings (21 percent) and cheese (13 percent). The majority also agrees that customization is key to making pizza at home; more than one-third (36 percent) of respondents said choosing toppings and sauces is the best part, while 22 percent prefer to pile it on and use as many toppings as they like.

Pizzarazzi

Lady Gaga wore a dress made of meat, and Americans agree (36 percent) she would dress her pizza most interestingly, too. Not to be outdone, Bear Grylls (23 percent), Charlie Sheen (18 percent) and Michelle Obama (17 percent) would also make interesting pizzas, while Snooki received only seven percent of votes, despite her recent residence in Italy.

Americans would love to share a slice with the saucy cast of Desperate Housewives – the residents of Wisteria Lane are the most sought-after pizza partners (20 percent). The Office (18 percent), The Big Bang Theory (16 percent), and Modern Family (14 percent) followed closely behind as the cast with whom Americans would most like to share a pizza.

Thinking Outside of the (Pizza) Box

Hamburgers (34%), steak (32%) and chicken (27%) top the list of items Americans grill most often.  Only one percent of Americans are getting the most out of their grills and enjoying the flame-fresh taste of grilled pizza, despite pizza's status as one of America's most popular foods. To grill pizza at home, simply follow these steps:

• Grill Boboli Pizza Crust 2-4 minutes per side, over medium low heat
• Remove crust and pile on your favorite, pre-cooked toppings, such as grilled veggies
• Grill pizza for 8-10 minutes until crust is golden

On the grill, or straight from the oven, Boboli Pizza Crusts allow Americans to enjoy all their pizza topping preferences and get creative at the grill this summer. The versatile crusts, available in eight-inch and 12-inch sizes and Original, 100% Whole Wheat and Thin Crust options, offer endless customization ideas, and can even be used to create sweet dessert pies. Boboli 100% Whole Wheat Pizza Crusts provide 38 grams of whole grains per serving.

For more information, including recipe ideas, visit www.Boboli.com and http://www.facebook.com/BoboliPizza.

Boboli Pizza Survey Methodology

The Boboli Pizza Survey fielded 1,000 interviews and was conducted by Wakefield Research, an independent research provider, in April 2011. Demographic quotas were set to ensure that results are nationally representative of Americans aged 18 and older. Results have a margin of error of 3.1%.

About Bimbo Bakeries USA

Bimbo Bakeries USA operates 35 bakeries in the United States and distributes top brands such as Arnold®, Bimbo®, Boboli®, Brownberry®, Entenmann's®, Francisco®, Freihofer's®, Marinela®, Mrs Baird's®, Oroweat®, Stroehmann®, Thomas'® and Tia Rosa®, through more than 7,000 routes. Bimbo Bakeries USA is headquartered in Horsham, PA, and is a wholly owned subsidiary of Mexico's Grupo Bimbo, S.A.B. de C.V., one of the world's largest baking companies with over 108,000 associates and operations in 18 countries throughout the Americas, Europe and China. Its stock has been trading on the Mexican Stock Exchange since 1980 under the ticker BIMBO. More information about Bimbo Bakeries USA's full line of products can be found at www.bimbobakeriesusa.com.

SOURCE Bimbo Bakeries USA