Why do we eat hot dogs on the Fourth of July? The wild tradition, explained

If you waited this long to buy all you need to make some tasty hot dogs this Fourth of July, you may only be able to find the squashed bread at the grocery store that nobody wants. This is because hot dogs are the go-to American meal for each Fourth of July holiday. But why? What is the history behind this fun and delicious tradition? 

When the fall season enters, we go nuts over pumpkin spice. And if you’re not celebrating St. Patrick’s Day with a beer (bonus points if the beer is green), you’re doing it wrong! As for Cinco de Mayo, get yourself an ice-cold margarita with a side of chips and queso, please. All of this to say, every holiday and season has a food we associate with it. It’s the American way! And on the most American holiday, we celebrate with a hot dog in hand. 

Where did hot dogs come from? 

For the hot dog, you can thank Polish-Jewish immigrant Nathan Handwerker. Yes, THE Nathan of Nathan’s Famous! In an interview with CBS News, Lloyd Handwerker, Nathan’s grandson, shared a little bit of history about the famous hot dog. In 1916, Nathan set up a hot dog stand on Coney Island in New York. 

Frankfurters (aka the hot dog sausage itself) were brought to us by German immigrants, but they didn’t become popular until Nathan stepped in and made hot dogs super affordable during the Depression. Lloyd recalls that “the sidewalk out here was lined with people pushing to the counters” for one of Nathan’s hot dogs.

Why do we eat hot dogs on the Fourth of July?

Soon after Nathan's hot dogs became wildly popular, Nathan’s Hot Dog Eating Contest was born! This contest, inaugurated on July 4, 1972, takes place every year on the Fourth of July. ESPN has aired the hot dog eating contest for years and it never fails to attract a large audience. In 2022, the network extended its deal to keep its rights to air the contest through 2029. And now, when we think about the Fourth, hot dogs come to mind.

Hot dogs are also an easy meal to prepare, all you need to do is grill the hot dog and pass them out to your guests. They can add mayo, ketchup, mustard, or whatever their heart desires. It's quick and easy, so it won't distract you from the fireworks.

How many hot dogs do Americans eat on the Fourth of July? 

According to the National Hot Dog and Sausage Council, Americans consume 150 million hot dogs during the Fourth of July holiday. This number is only for the holiday! Annually, it is estimated that over 20 billion hot dogs are chomped on! Wow. Chew on that.

Now that we know what America will be eating this holiday weekend, the only question is what will you top your hot dog with?