Whether you’re on Team Ketchup or Team Mustard, hot dogs can be part of a healthy diet.
Check out our picks for six healthier hot dogs, including veggie hot dogs and beef hot dogs.
From backyard barbecues to ball game concession stands, hot dogs are a popular favorite.
Alex Loh
They’re juicy, flavorful and easy to customize with toppings like ketchup, mustard, chili or cheese.
Though hot dogs are tasty, they may not always offer the most nutritious choice.
RD, nutrition editor atEatingWell.
Alex Loh
This left us with hot dogs that are special-occasion worthy while still fitting into a healthy eating pattern."
We tried each hot dog as the package instructed and made notes about the taste, texture and appearance.
Sabrett Skinless Beef Frankfurters were the best-tasting hot dogs around.
Read on for our full list of the top dogs.
The hot dog got solid markings from the grill, which made it stand out visually.
Flavorwise, the hot dog was the perfect balance of sweet and smoky.
The smoky notes come from hickory smoke flavor and paprika, which stood out clearly alongside the garlic powder.
This distinction was especially important after seeing other veggie dogs that had an unattractive brown hue.
(Lightlife’s veggie dogs are made with red rice flour and oleoresin paprika for coloring.)
Aside from appearance, this veggie hot dog also stood out in taste and texture.
While the savory flavor was mild, one difference maker in this hot dog was the sodium.
The smokiness of the white-meat turkey hot dog comes through clearly and was a major highlight for one tester.
Alex Loh
The tester easily identified that the product was smoked turkey, something they “find delicious.”
That sentiment was echoed across the board by other testers who thought the poultry flavor was savory and good.
Another major win for this smoked turkey frank was its exterior appearance.
Our testers noted that the hot dog had good grill marks and color.
The only downside to this hot dog was its casing.
For the taste test, a blind tasting was set up with four testers.
Each hot dog was prepared according to the package directions.
If the hot dog specified cooking on the stove, we also tasted it grilled.
We took notes regarding the taste, texture and appearance of each product.
Most hot dogs contain nitrates, a compound used in the curing process.
Nitrates are part of the curing process, so they’re impossible to avoid with typical meat-based hot dogs.
Natural nitrates can still lead to nitrosamines, so neither is better than the other.
Due to their high sodium and saturated fat content, hot dogs should be enjoyed on a once-in-a-while basis.
Each hot dog met the following criteria: 150 calories, 5 g saturated fat and 430 mg sodium.
without going too high on sodium.
Our Expertise
Alex Loh is the associate food editor atEatingWell.
She is passionate about food and cooking, and has over two years of experience with the brand.
The testers included a registered dietitian and food editors.
Initial research for this piece was conducted by Joyce Hendley, M.S.
