Let Freedom (from Antibiotics, Mystery Meat) Ring for National Hot Dog Month

BRIDGEWATER, N.J., July 1, 2011 /PRNewswire/ -- July is National Hot Dog Month and with Americans set to enjoy about 150 million hot dogs on Independence Day alone, is there a way for frankfurter fanatics to have their dogs and eat them too?

Yes, according to Chris Ely, farmer liaison and co-founder of Applegate, the country's leading producer of natural and organic hot dogs. "The Applegate Great Organic Beef Hot Dog is made from organic, grass-fed beef and gives people the freedom to enjoy and indulge without worrying about eating something made with unrecognizable ingredients or from animals pumped full of antibiotics and hormones," says Ely. "It's just beef, water, sea salt and spices."  

In celebration of National Hot Dog Month and all those franks eaten on Independence Day, between July 1 and 15, Applegate is doling out a year-supply of hot dogs* to the best posting on Facebook (www.facebook.com/applegatefarms) or tweet on Twitter (www.twitter.com/applegatefarms) about the best way to "feel free" and enjoy a hot dog.

"Hot dogs really are an icon of American food, for good reasons: they're delicious, fun to eat and easy to prepare," according to Amy Marlow, MPH, RD. "But over the years conventional hot dogs have gotten a bad rap, and rightly so. They're typically full of fat, sodium and 'mystery' ingredients."

According to Marlow, organic alternatives to traditional hot dogs can deliver all the meat without the mystery and with far less fat and salt. For example, the Applegate Great Organic Beef Hot Dog, made from grass-fed beef, has 50 percent less fat and 40 percent less sodium when compared to a leading conventional beef hot dog.

Some other ways to enjoy a better hot dog, according to Marlow:

• Haute Dogs: A grass-fed beef hot dog?  Yes, hot dogs have come a long way with lots of different varieties, including turkey and chicken.
• Roll with It:  White with whole grain, wheat, spelt – just as hot dog options have changed so have the buns.
• Beyond Ketchup and Mustard: Americans in different cities enjoy hot dogs in a variety of ways by mixing up the toppings, which is also a good opportunity to add a little more nutrition to your dog – fresh tomatoes as they do in Chicago or baked beans like wiener lovers on the East Coast.

*12 packages of hot dogs, based on average U.S. hot dog consumption. Posting/tweet to be selected by Applegate employees.

About Applegate

For more than 20 years, Applegate has been producing high-quality natural and organic hot dogs, bacon, sausages, deli meats, cheese and frozen products.  Natural can mean many things, but when Applegate says their products are natural, consumers are guaranteed that the meat inside is:

• Raised without antibiotics or hormones
• From animals fed a vegetarian or 100% grass diet and treated with humane animal standards
• Free of added chemical nitrites, nitrates or phosphates
• Free of artificial ingredients or preservatives

For more information about our products, visit www.applegate.com

SOURCE Applegate