This July marks National Hot Dog Month, a full 31 days that celebrate one of America’s most iconic foods. Hot dogs are part of American culture, summer celebrations, travel and grilling traditions, according to the National Hot Dog & Sausage Council (NHDSC). They also are synonymous with the nation’s independence, with Americans expected to eat 150 million hot dogs on July 4 alone. During peak hot dog season from Memorial Day to Labor Day, Americans typically consume about 7 billion hot dogs.

“Let me be frank.  In a time when things feel uncertain, we can be sure of at least one thing: Hot dogs make people happy and make us feel less socially distant, whether we are sitting 6 ft. apart or meeting virtually,” NHDSC president Eric Mittenthal said.

Today, there are 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, NHDSC said Americans can enjoy hot dogs as part of a healthy diet. A standard beef hot dog is 190 calories, with 7 g of protein and 30% of the daily recommended value of vitamin B12, a crucial nutrient for normal metabolism, brain development in children and mental clarity in adults.

For the rest of the summer and beyond, NHDSC will highlight recipes on its social media channels using #WienerWednesday and will feature the best consumer-created #Wiener Wednesday recipes as well.

Recipe contest

As part of National Hot Dog Month fun, the North American Meat Institute (NAMI), a contractor to the Beef Checkoff Program, is partnering with The Food Renegades -- a division of digital marketing agency The Digital Renegades and a chef alliance on TikTok spanning more than 120 million likes, 5 million followers and over 150 million views per month -- to highlight innovative, fun recipes throughout the month.

With some of the most popular food and nutrition influencers on TikTok, The Food Renegades is inviting hot dog fans to show their creativity 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 July 22, which is National Hot Dog Day.