Taste Test: Which Hot Dogs Are the Top Dogs?

hot dogs

Food Network Kitchen's Hot Dogs For Healthy Eats

Photo by: Stephen Johnson ©2014, Television Food Network, G.P. All Rights Reserved

Stephen Johnson, 2014, Television Food Network, G.P. All Rights Reserved

With the season of backyard food fests in full swing, Healthy Eats vetted the most popular hot dog brands around to see which ones deserve a coveted spot on the grill grates. Find out which frank emerged as top dog.

The Criteria

We rated beef wieners on a 5-point scale (5 being highest), judging the dogs on taste, ingredient quality and nutrition and paying special attention to calories, fat and sodium. We stuck with regular franks instead of the reduced-fat versions, as many of those use a considerable amount of fillers made from potato starch to displace some of the meat (no thank you). We were also on the lookout for the presence of preservatives such as  sodium nitrite. Hot dogs ranged in size from 42 to 57 grams (1.5 to 2 ounces) per piece. 

Rating: 5
Cost: $0.56

Nutrition Info (1 hot dog): 70 calories; 6 grams fat (2 grams saturated); 330 milligrams sodium

The Healthy Eats Take: A big winner in the taste department, this slightly smaller dog had a fraction of the calories and fat that appears in many other brands. Bonus points for a simple ingredient list that includes beef, water and spices, plus celery powder instead of sodium nitrite.

Rating: 4
Cost: $0.56 per piece

Nutrition Info (1 hot dog): 190 calories; 16 grams fat (7 grams saturated); 340 milligrams sodium

The Healthy Eats  Take: In this frank's favor: no nitrates and good flavor overall. But the ingredient lineup includes evaporated cane juice, resulting in an unnecessarily sweet flavor, as well as a long list of spices -- the level of which might be a turn off for some, especially kids. The hot dogs were also the highest in calories of the bunch.

Rating: 3.5
Cost: $0.76 per piece

Nutrition Info (1 hot dog): 160 calories; 14 grams fat (6 grams saturated); 440 milligrams sodium

The Healthy Eats Take: All in all, this is a juicy, tender and decent-tasting dog. It's slightly larger than its classmates, making the calories, fat and sodium pretty hefty. The hot dogs have a shorter ingredient list than some, but both sodium erythorbate and sodium nitrate make appearances. These are also the priciest dogs of the group.

Rating: 2
Cost: $0.66 per piece

Nutrition Info (1 hot dog): 150 calories; 12 grams fat (5 grams saturated); 410 milligrams sodium

The Healthy Eats Take: Beef meets up with corn syrup, dextrose and lots of preservatives (including sodium nitrite) in these franks. The color is unusually red and the dogs have a slight aftertaste. Plus, the sodium level is up there.

Rating: 2
Cost: $0.53 per piece

Nutrition Info (1 hot dog): 150 calories; 14 grams fat ( 6 grams saturated); 460 milligrams sodium

The Healthy Eats Take: These hot dogs have a decent texture but an unpleasantly smoky and overly salty flavor. Beef and water top the ingredient list, followed by sodium-based preservatives, soy protein, spices and sodium nitrite.

Dana Angelo White, MS, RD, ATC, is a registered dietitian, certified athletic trainer and owner of Dana White Nutrition, Inc., which specializes in culinary and sports nutrition.

Next Up

Taste Test: Jarred Spaghetti Sauce

Sometimes there’s no time to whip up a batch of homemade tomato sauce. We checked out some of the popular supermarket tomato sauces -- Rao's, Newman's Own, Trader Joe's, Prego and Barilla -- to see how they measured up.

The Un-Deli: Over-the-Top Breadless Sandwiches

Sandwiches are never boring when you think beyond the bun.

Google Reveals the Top Trending Recipes of 2021

What foods were we all looking to cook in the year that was?

How to Make Ice Cream Hot Dogs

These fake out desserts will have all your cookout guests doing a double take!

Create a Build-Your-Own Hot Dog Adventure

Ketchup with old friends and relish the summer in style.

Healthier Hot Dogs to Bring to Your Next Cookout

We found healthier hot dogs that are lower in calories, sodium and ingredients. They also suit both meat eaters and vegetarians.

Oscar Mayer Is Making a Hot Dog-Flavored Freezer Pop

The Cold Dog is said to be 'refreshing' and 'smoky' with 'umami notes of Oscar Mayer’s iconic wiener.'

The Top 10 Foods You Need to Try If You Pass By a Buc-ee’s

The famous larger-than-life country store, gas station and roadstop is a destination in and of itself.