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June 18, 2004
Prairie Fare: Hot Dogs Ever Popular for Hot Days
Frankfurters. Wieners. Hot dogs. No matter what you call them, hot dogs are a popular food. According to the National Hot Dog and Sausage Council, Americans ate about seven billion hot dogs in 2003. Laid end to end, that would be enough to stretch to the moon seven times. Summer is prime hot dog season, with July designated “National Hot Dog Month.” About 38 percent of all hot dogs are sold between Memorial Day and Labor Day, and millions are enjoyed at baseball stadiums. Hot dogs have a fascinating and controversial, history. No one can quite agree on who named them. Some say that hot dogs originated in Frankfurt, Germany, hence “frankfurters.” Austrians say the term “wiener” is linked to their origin in Vienna (Wien). Who named them “hot dogs?” German immigrant sausage makers are probably at least partly to credit for hot dog formulations. Not only did Germans bring their recipes, they also brought a new breed of dog to America, the Dachshund. Their tasty sausages were nicknamed “Dachshund sausages” because of their shape and length, fortunately not their content. German entrepreneurs began selling sausages with bread as early as the 1860s. According to some sources, “Hot Dachshund Sausages” were called “hot dogs” by college students who enjoyed munching on them or maybe as a joke about the Germans’ pets. OK, hot dogs are popular and interesting, but are they nutritious? Since there are many varieties, sizes and formulations, the best thing to do is compare Nutrition Facts labels. On average, a 2-ounce beef hot dog would have 180 calories, 16 grams of fat, seven grams of protein, one gram of carbohydrate and about one-fourth of the daily recommendation for sodium. Hot dogs are made of beef, pork, chicken, turkey or a combination of meats. To learn the content of your favorite variety, check the ingredient label. Ingredient labels are listed in descending order by weight. For example, if beef and pork are listed as the first two ingredients, then beef is highest in weight. If variety meats like liver or heart are used, the ingredient label must state “with meat byproducts” or “with variety meats.” Low-fat hot dog varieties also are available. The fat and sodium content of some types of hot dogs are an issue of concern for many. Keep in mind that proper nutrition is about balance, moderation and variety. If you choose a higher-fat entree, balance out the rest of the menu with fresh fruit and a vegetable salad such as this tasty, colorful marinated vegetable salad.
### Source:
Julie Garden-Robinson, (701) 231-7187, jgardenr@ndsuext.nodak.edu |
Market Advisor: |
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North Dakota State University |
