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10 Delicious & Healthy Hot Dogs For Summer Grilling
Hot dogs are a summer staple, but they aren't always the healthiest food. Many are made with added preservatives, fillers, and, honestly, who knows what kind of meat. Thankfully, plenty of brands have prioritized making better-for-you dogs in both the animal and plant-based markets.
When choosing the right one to buy, registered dietitians focus on a short and familiar ingredient list. For a beef dog, they look for 100% grass-fed and organic meat. Plant-based options should be high in quality sources of protein, such as pea protein, and vegetables when possible.
Many hot dogs, animal- and plant-based, tend to be high in sodium, so Mascha Davis, MPH, RDN, registered dietitian and author of Eat Your Vitamins, tells us to be aware of those salt levels.
Though it can be hard to find a healthy hot dog, these 10 are R.D.-approved and a good place to start.
Beef Hot Dogs
Organic Prairie 100% Grass-Fed Beef Hot Dogs
The Organic Prairie grass-fed beef hot dogs contain only seven ingredients, including organic beef, water, and seasonings. These come precooked and frozen at peak freshness to maintain their delicious flavor.
Organic Uncured Beef Hot Dogs, Organic Prairie
Applegate 100% Grass-Fed Beef Hot Dogs
"I like this product because it is organic and made with high-quality grass-fed beef," Davis tells mbg. Along with beef and water, Applegate hot dogs contain sea salt, celery salt, garlic and onion powders, and paprika for flavoring. It contains zero grams of trans fat, sugar, and carbohydrates.
Organic Uncured Beef Hot Dog, Applegate Naturals
Teton Waters Ranch Bun-Length 100% Grass-Fed Beef Hot Dogs
Teton's 100% grass-fed and finished beef hot dogs fit perfectly in a bun. They're free of fillers, nitrates, nitrites, and added sugars, women's health dietitian Valerie Agyeman, R.D., tells mbg. Plus, they're super juicy, she says. When Agyeman wants to pass on the bun, she'll chop these up and add them to veggies or pasta for a nourishing meal.
Bun-Length Beef Hot Dog, Teton Waters Ranch
Plant-Based Hot Dogs
Beyond Meat Original Plant-Based Sausage
The main ingredients in Beyond Meat's plant-based sausage are pea protein and coconut oil. The pea protein is combined with rice protein and fava bean protein, making it beneficial for vegetarians or other plant-based eaters, Davis tells mbg. It's low in sugar and high in iron and protein. The only downside is the sodium content, she says, which is a bit high.
Plant-Based Sausage, Beyond Meat
Field Roast Plant-Based Bratwurst
Most hot dogs pair well with beer, but these are actually made with beer, as well as vegetables like caramelized onions, pea protein, and various seasonings. "I love Field Roast plant-based bratwurst because it's super flavorful and has an amazing texture," Agyeman says. While not technically a hot dog, they taste great in a bun.
Plant-based bratwurst, Field Roast
Yves Mediterranean Harissa Veggie Sausages
"Being someone who loves spice and heaps of flavor, I like the Yves Mediterranean Harissa Veggie Sausages," registered dietitian and certified diabetes educator Shahzadi Devje, R.D., CDE, MSc, tells mbg. These sausages are made of vegetables, wheat protein, and a vitamin and mineral blend. They're free of artificial colors and preservatives and have a delicious Mediterranean flavor profile, Devje says.
Mediterranean Harissa Veggie Sausages, Yves
Yves Tofu Dog
"If you're on the hunt for lower sodium options and love tofu, the Yves Tofu Dog is a good pick," Devje says. Each serving contains only 9% daily value of sodium—the lowest on the list. "You could enjoy two of these with a side salad and fruit," she suggests.
Tofu Dog, Yves
Tofurky Jumbo Plant-Based Hot Dogs
Sweet Earth Chik'n Apple Sausage
These Sweet Earth "chicken" and apple sausages provide 19% of the daily recommended intake for protein (15 g), 15% iron, and 10% potassium. The plant-based chicken is made of pea protein and gets its sweet and smoky flavor by combining apples, scallions, and smoke flavoring.
Plant-based chicken apple sausage, Sweet Earth
Chicken Hot Dogs
Al Safa Chicken Seekh Kebab
These may not be typical hot dogs, but Devje says as a South Asian, it's the closest she's found to a sausage that tastes "totally Indian." These kebabs are halal, gluten-free, and have very few ingredients. "Brace yourself as it's pretty high on the 'hot/spicy' scale," she warns. One serving contains two kebabs, at only 120 calories total.
Chicken Seekh Kebab, Al Safa
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