Americans’ Preferred Hot Dog Toppings Vary By Region

It's National Hot Dog Day today and what's more American than hot dogs?  It turns out that Americans trend dress up their hot dogs with a variety of toppings based on the region where they live.  According to a Harris poll conducted on behalf of the National Hot Dog and Sausage Council (NHDSC), mustard is the all-American favorite topping but those that live in the South tend to enjoy chili, cheese, and coleslaw on their hot dogs.  Meanwhile, North-easterners like sauerkraut, Westerners like a kick with jalapenos, while Mid-westerners tend to be conservative with just ketchup.

Personally, I like to mix it up with toppings.  I like almost anything except sauerkraut and my feeling is that the more toppings on a hot dog the better!

If you love a good hot dog or frankfurter then you can thank the Germans since the hot dog was developed in Germany. Germany has always been known for their sausage and hot dogs are just a smaller version.

According to Hotdog.org, in 1893 in the city of Chicago there was a Colombian Exposition where many people were introduced to sausages eaten in a bun and loved these "hot dogs" because they were easy to eat and inexpensive. The idea took off and in that same year, sausages in buns were served up at baseball parks, an idea started by St. Louis bar owner, Chris Von de Ahe who happened to be a German immigrant who owned the St. Louis Browns (major league) baseball team.

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No one can argue that hotdogs are healthy but everything in moderation, right? They just taste so good!