National Hot Dog Day: So what’s actually in a hot dog?

CNN — Admit it, hot dogs are good. Yes, it’s a made-up day akin to Chick-fil-A’s annual Cow Appreciation Day, but you can still take full advantage of the festive atmosphere by snagging some hot deals: Nathan’s Famous Hot Dogs: Buy one dog at full price, get a second one for five cents! Sonic: Text “DOG” to 876642 to get unlimited $1 hot dogs all day Wienerschnitzel: Get five chili dogs for $5 all day Coupons.com app: Score free hot dog buns from Target, Walmart and various other retailers through July 19th Pilot Flying J: Get a free hot dog when you use the app 7-Eleven: Get a quarter pound hot dog for $1 all day. Now, obviously the subject of hot dog production makes some people uncomfortable because of the whole meat-parts-to-paste thing, but from the NHDSC’s explanation of it, the most upsetting term is actually “variety meats.” It doesn’t take a degree in rhetoric to guess that “variety meats” means, uh, all that other meat stuff that’s left over when the recognizable parts are gone. However, for those with hot dog anxiety, rest assured: The NHDSC says hot dog manufacturers don’t typically use “variety meats” in their recipes anymore, and if they do, they are clearly marked.