Americans eat lots of hot dogs all year long, but they are particularly popular during the warm weather months. Perhaps that’s because the tasty sausages are the perfect food for picnics and other informal activities of summer and because they are a staple at the nation’s ball parks. Perhaps not. Whatever the reason, the National Hot Dog and Sausage Council — obvious experts on the topic — report that Americans will eat around 7.2 billion of the treats between Memorial Day and Labor Day.
That’s enough for every person on Earth to have one. It’s also a sizable percentage of the more than 20 billion hot dogs American eat each year. And the total keeps growing. Last year, hot dog sales measured in dollars and in volume increased. The humble wiener, it seems, is as close to “recession-proof” as any staple in the U.S. diet.
The apex of hot dog eating arrives on the Fourth of July holiday, when more than 150 million are consumed. Most of those will be grilled outdoors, an activity that undoubtedly contributes to the popularity of the sausage, especially in the South. Southerners lead the pack when it comes to hot dogs. They consume more than individuals in any other region of the nation.
If there is any debate about hot dogs, it centers on issues other than their ubiquity. There are strong differences of opinion, for instance, about how to “dress” — that’s the official way to describe what condiments are put on top of a sausage nestled in a bun — hot dog. And there is genuine concern about the hot dog’s nutritional value and its effect on the nation’s overall health.
Questions about the latter have not been resolved satisfactorily, but progress is being made in providing healthier alternatives for consumers. Traditional hot dogs continue to lead sales, but far-free and low-fat varieties, including those made from chicken or turkey rather than beef or pork, are increasingly popular. Continued consumer demand for healthier foods hopefully will lead to additional and even healthier choices in the hot dog marketplace.
There’s no accord on how to eat a hot dog. Kids seem to favor ketchup while adults prefer mustard, though some of all ages reject both in favor of mayonnaise. Onions, slaw, chili, sauerkraut and relish have large followings, but some aficionados regularly add cheese, lettuce, tomatoes and hot peppers. However hot dogs are cooked — grilled, fried, boiled, steamed, microwaved — and however they’re served , the hot dog is deeply ingrained in the American diet and history.
Need additional proof? Hot dogs have their own month (July) and their own day (July 21). There’s even a popular Web site (www.hot-dog.org) devoted to them. That, plus continued robust sales, suggests that the hot dog will remain a popular staple of the U.S. food scene for years to come.