Last updated on September 19th, 2022
Whether one enjoys a frankfurter, frank, wiener, weenie, coney, red hot or hot dog, July is a month for celebration. This month marks National Hot Dog Month, 31 days that celebrate one of America’s most iconic foods.
Hot dogs are part of American culture, summer celebrations, travel and grilling traditions. They are synonymous with the nation’s independence as Americans were expected to eat 150 million hot dogs on July 4 alone.
“Let me be frank. In a time when things feel uncertain, we can be sure of at least one thing,” said National Hot Dog & Sausage Council (NHDSC) President Eric Mittenthal. “Hot dogs make people happy and make us feel less socially distant, whether we are sitting six feet apart or meeting virtually.”
Today there are hot dogs for everyone with millions of different possible hot dog and topping combinations that meet a broad spectrum of nutrition needs, tastes, budgets and personal preferences. Like other prepared meats, Americans can enjoy hot dogs as part of a healthy diet.
A standard beef hot dog is 190 calories, offers 7 grams of protein and 30 percent of the Daily Value of Vitamin B-12, a crucial nutrient for normal metabolism, brain development in children and mental clarity in adults.
Throughout the rest of the summer and beyond, the NHDSC will highlight recipes on its social media channels using #WienerWednesday and feature the best consumer-created #Wiener Wednesday recipes as well.
#WienerWednesday Recipe Contest
As part of the National Hot Dog Month fun, the North American Meat Institute (NAMI), a contractor to the Beef Checkoff, is partnering with The Food Renegades – a division of The Digital Renegades, a digital marketing agency and a chef alliance on TikTok spanning over 120 million likes, 5 million followers and over 150 million views per month – to highlight innovative, fun recipes throughout the month.
The Food Renegades include:
- Sonny Hurrell @thatdudecancook, refined celebrity chef;
- Vivian Aronson @cookingbomb, Masterchef season 10, Asian inspired cuisine, mother of three who are frequently included in videos;
- Matt Groark @groarkboysbbq, barbecue master featured on Good Morning America;
- Tara @aldentediva, Italian mom known for her viral video featured on FoodNetwork, garnering over 25 million views;
- Lauren Bower @cooklikeamother, former Elite model now cooks for four kids with her comedy skits;
- Paola D Yee @paoladyee, sees food, specifically desert, as art with lavish and creative designs;
- Nicole Renard @nicole_thenomad Former Miss Washington who travels the country making delicious and nutritious food;
- Erica Kuiper @tiktokketo, chef and mom who lost over 100 pounds cooking keto;
- Trazia Rae @traziarae, 25-year-old former model who specializes in comfort food; and
- Ilana Muhlstein MS RDN @nutritionbabe, face and creator of Beachbody’s 2B Mindset, has lost over 100 pounds and has helped millions.
With some of the most popular food and nutrition influencers on TikTok, The Food Renegades are inviting hot dog fans to show their creativity during National Hot Dog Month by developing a hot dog video that features a unique beef hot dog recipe. Hot dog lovers are encouraged to share their video using #WienerWednesday by July 22.
The fan with the most-liked recipe will win $500. The winner will be chosen on National Hot Dog Day, July 22. Full contest details are available at hot-dog.org.
