When most people think about summer, they think of barbecues, outdoor gatherings, and fireworks. They may also think about hamburgers and hot dogs, which is probably why July was made National Hot Dog Month. During this month, people are encouraged to throw some hot dogs on their BBQ or smoker and invite friends over to enjoy them.

What kind of hot dogs should be made? There are a variety of options available, including BBQ hot dogs, New York Dogs, Chicago Dogs, or a delicious Texas Dog. Of course, that’s only a small representation of the dogs available, so technically a person could have a different hot dog every single day in July and never repeat one. That sounds like a wonderful way to celebrate this summer month.

The History Of National Hot Dog Month

Before we can delve into the history of National Hot Dog Month, we would like to take a few moments to talk about the history of hot dogs. This food was originally derived from sausages and became extremely popular in the 16th through 18th centuries in Germany.

When German immigrants began to migrate to the United States, they brought German sausage and dachshund sausages with them. Dachshund sausages would eventually be called hot dogs because they were long and thin like Dachshund dogs.

It didn’t take long before hot dogs became popular all across the U.S., but it would still take a while before a whole month was dedicated to them. That wouldn’t happen until July of 1956.

This is when the United States Chamber of Commerce named July National Hot Dog Month. Ever since this month’s inception, the ceremonies for it have been promoted by the National Hot Dog and Sausage Council with events happening all across the U.S.

Observing National Hot Dog Month

Of course, the best way to observe National Hot Dog Month is for people to enjoy some of their favorite types of hot dogs. There are Papaya Dogs, Italian Dogs, the Fenway Frank, the Maine Red Snapper, the Michigan Red Hot, and the Memphis Dog. All of those are fantastic dogs, but we have to say that our favorite hot dog is the St. Louis Dog.

This dog is covered with grilled onions, banana peppers, peppers, bacon, smoked pepper mustard, and provolone cheese. Yum! Anyone bored with just plain old hot dogs can take the time to make one of the many traditional recipes that use hot dogs as their main ingredient.

These recipes include Pigs in a Blanket, Chili Dog Baked Potatoes, Corn Dogs, or Spaghetti with hot dogs. No matter what a person decides to make during this month, however, they should take the time to let the world know about it using the hashtag #NationalHotDogMonth on social media.