The lightest of the light are Oscar Meyer's 98% Fat Free. Only 40 calories per hot dog. Granted, they are not the best tasting and are real high in sodium, but when counting calories is key, they are passable.

Oscar Mayer Fat Free Hot Dogs are my dog of choice.  Numbers are awsome except of course for the sodium.  grrrrrr!!!

I can't imagine how food can be so cheap and be good for you. I would rather eat one organic hot dog made from a free range animal for twice the price and know that I was not eating the cheapest beef possible coming from the most horrible farming practices which are ruining our planet and pumping us full of perservatives and anti-biotics. Ten hotdogs for 2 dollars???

Don't get me wrong- I love a good hot dog, but I go out of my way to find a label that guarantees that its products are delicious and made with natural and delicious ingredients. Especially when dieting and being conscious about what I am eating I have found that choosing the best food over the cheapest is helpful in making me feel more satisfied with eating less. 

These articles were quite helpful for me in finding a good healthy dog and applegate come up good on the fat content.

me:http://www.nytimes.com/2006/07/05/dining/05dog.html ;

http://www.thenibble.com/reviews/nutri/matter/organic-hot-do gs6.asp

Original Post by: pittrice

I can't imagine how food can be so cheap and be good for you. I would rather eat one organic hot dog made from a free range animal for twice the price and know that I was not eating the cheapest beef possible coming from the most horrible farming practices which are ruining our planet and pumping us full of perservatives and anti-biotics. Ten hotdogs for 2 dollars???

Don't get me wrong- I love a good hot dog, but I go out of my way to find a label that guarantees that its products are delicious and made with natural and delicious ingredients. Especially when dieting and being conscious about what I am eating I have found that choosing the best food over the cheapest is helpful in making me feel more satisfied with eating less. 

These articles were quite helpful for me in finding a good healthy dog and applegate come up good on the fat content.

me:http://www.nytimes.com/2006/07/05/dining/05dog.html ;

http://www.thenibble.com/reviews/nutri/matter/organic-hot-do gs6.asp

Do you realize that since no antibiotics for the meat to be "organic" are to be used if the animal gets sick or injured they can not receive antibiotics because that would "taint" the meat. So next time you (or anyone!) bite into an organic beef patty or in this case hot-dog (made of everything they cant sell you in the store)....think... am I eating an animal with **** infected wounds or that could barely walk onto the slaughter truck because it was so sick and once at the butcher had to be dragged off also known as "downer cows"?(which may be ban now)..... So when you are talking about best food vs cheap food....... organic doesn't mean much... I don't mean to start an argument or for you to feel as though I'm attacking I'm just sharing facts.....

Hot dogs are splurges for me these days...but my 2 favorite kinds are McKenzie Natural casing (chicken and pork) and Hebrew National (beef). They taste very different from each other, but are the best in my book. I am thinking of trying the 40 calorie ones that people are talking about though...

All of the organic free range farms i have been to are filled with healthy animals, grazing freely in pastures, not held in tiny cages in their own filth never seeing the light of day- I prefer to eat food that comes from well maintained animals living in humane situations. Sick animals are not used for food on any of teh organic farms I have been to- that is against the law in any farming situation though mass industrial farms often get away with it. On an organic farm sick animals are treated by veterinarians and may be given antibiotics if that is needed to cure a curable illness- the difference is that healthy animals do not need to be given antibiotics in their feed if they are raised in proper conditions. The reason that they are given antibiotics in industrial farming is that they are raised in conditions that are untenable for living organisms without getting sick so they are routinely fed antibiotics in order to try to keep them alive until they take them to slaughter. Humans then eat the antibiotics in the meat, which is leading to all kinds of health problems in humans and in the animals which become resistant to the antibiotics they are given and then have to be given ever increasing amounts of stronger antibiotics. If organic mass industrial farming standards are not good enough that is because the industrial farm industry has been cashing in on 'organic' by spending millions to lobby against real regulation and water down the standards for organic. That is why you should know where your food is coming from, know the company and follow their farming practices. The best thing to do is to buy local from a producer that you know and trust. This way you know that you are buying food from a respectable organization that produces food in tenable ways that are much better for the animals, the environment and for the people who consume their food. 

The best, hands down is the Hebrew National 97% fat free.  The ingredient list is relatively clean for a hotdog, with beef still being the main ingredient (starch and soy are added to bulk them up).  They are only 40 calories and taste amazing!  They are a little on the skinny side and if you are going to grill or barbeque them you need to keep the heat low because they seem to have a very low moisture content.  They can also be a little bit more expensive but I can often find them on sale. 

Pair these with Sara Lee Delightful whole wheat hot dog buns which have only 80 calories each and you can have two for 240 calories!  I actually split the bun if I'm in the mood for 2 so I get two for only 160 calories!

Boars Head All Beef Light are only 90 calories and actually taste like a hot dog. Bobak's also has a regular hotdog that is 110 calories and it's not light. I live inn the Chicago area and find them at Joe Caputo and Son's grocery. I've seen Bobak's brand at Sam's Club and the Boar's Head is carried many places. Good luck.

Original Post by: pittrice

I can't imagine how food can be so cheap and be good for you. I would rather eat one organic hot dog made from a free range animal for twice the price and know that I was not eating the cheapest beef possible coming from the most horrible farming practices which are ruining our planet and pumping us full of perservatives and anti-biotics. Ten hotdogs for 2 dollars???

Don't get me wrong- I love a good hot dog, but I go out of my way to find a label that guarantees that its products are delicious and made with natural and delicious ingredients. Especially when dieting and being conscious about what I am eating I have found that choosing the best food over the cheapest is helpful in making me feel more satisfied with eating less. 

These articles were quite helpful for me in finding a good healthy dog and applegate come up good on the fat content.

me:http://www.nytimes.com/2006/07/05/dining/05dog.html ;

http://www.thenibble.com/reviews/nutri/matter/organic-hot-do gs6.asp

I am not trying to start an argument either, but, first off, you are speaking with a 4th generation farm wife, we produce beef, chicken, cotton, corn and peanuts.  Your way of thinking is why, it is almost impossibe to feed the "planet".  Would you rather pay for something "free range and organic"  and get a substandard animal that has not been allowed to get treatment for illness or would you rather get an animal that has been cared for by someone who's family depends on them, that are fed top quality feed, vet checked, records kept and I could go on and on. 

Don't let a few bad farm practices cloud your judgement on them all.  We work for anyone who goes in to the supermarket to get food and anyone who goes in to get clothes and get enough flack from ignorant people who like to judge one farm off another.  Also, we only sale top quality Angus Beef, not any junk that you would find in a pack of $1.00 hotdogs, you would better find us in the choice beef section.   

Don't worry, I am not bothered by hearing your opinion- and I am not attacking you. Just telling you about the food that I prefer- and hotdogs! There is no problem with feeding the planet- it is doable but few people or nations have made that a priority- most people in the first world consume way too much and that is the main problem, as well as people living in places that cannot support their overgrown populations. Over consumption in the western world causes terrible problems for the entire world, and so do large industrial farms- which cannot solve the problems of starvation- I know a lot about this since my husband works directly with africans through the UN on helping to build sustainable farming practices and to share information about what works.

In order to be a better world citizen I have chosen to eat less meat of a higher quality in order to make less of an impact on my environment and that means eating local and organic. I of course do not know about your farm or your farming practices and do not judge you, but I have chosen free range organic for a lot of very good reasons. I have never seen any sub standard animals at organic farms. They are amazingly healthy and happy and the meat is incredible and full of more nutrients and better for the earth. That is why I have switched completely to supporting local organic farms growing vegetable and raising animals. 

On this page you can see some of the wonderful reasons for growing organic and eating organic: 

http://www.letsbefrankdogs.com/food_overview.php ;

I think we spend way too much time worrying about such things and following a few "scientific" studies that end up changing as the days go by.  First it's bad, then it's good.

I'm with the farmer's wife who is raising animals that are well cared for.

With all our worry it's the middle aged folks who are dying ahead of their older parents and even grandparents.  I remember my grandparents having huge gardens and farm animals.  We washed the vegetables and fruit, not because they had been sprayed with pesticides but because a wild animal might have urinated or deficated on them as they rummaged through the garden.  I remember the best fresh grown vegetables and canned vegetables that tasted wonderful all Winter.

Little wonder that people look all stressed out and old before their time fussing about food.  If you can't buy something tasty don't bother.  Find the low cal. low fat things you love and pig out.  If you have to keep substituting until you forget the original wonderful taste, what's the point?

Julia Child was right.  If you eat small portions of a variety of foods in moderation, you can pretty much eat anything.

Split your hot dog lengthwise to cut the calories. Use your favorite hot dog and lots of toppings (we like a Chicago style dog with sliced tomatoes, relish and/or pickle, onions, and mustard), make the bun choice wisely and you have all the fun, half the calories, and no compromise on taste.

Sorry that link didn't work- go to this link and open FOOD FOR THOUGHT about organic farming practices: 

http://www.letsbefrankdogs.com/index.php

I want to wish you all that everyone does well on their diets! 

I love the Hebrew National 97% fat free.  They have great flavor and taste like real meat for only 40 calories! Even my very picky husband likes them.

For all of the people whose comments were about free range organic meats vs- traditional farm methods should take a look at the movie food inc. It will open you eyes about what a "traditional" chicken and cow farms are like. They are not loved and cared for as they would like you to think!!! They see the animals as a product not an animal and they are treated as one. I could go on and on but I don't want to start an uproar or an argument with anyone! Have a veggie burger or veggie dog instead and save yourself some fat and calories!!!

I do know that farming practices are not equal, whether organic or non organic and that there are good and bad guys out there in both camps. What I have done, in order to ease my conscious with the impact of farming on the planet, which is a huge concern, is to go local and to go organic. But I did my research and found excellent sources were I live and have found great companies that support excellent farms. That is the best I have been able to do and I am impressed with the results and feel good about supporting my community, and gives me a different relationship to food than I had before which I find to be a really wonderful thing! And the hot dogs are awesome!  

To review hot dogs and exclude beef is short sighted and excludes some great dogs. Hebrew National and Vienna Beef both offer fat free beef dogs that are GREAT!  When the reviewer comes with such a huge built in bias...the review is biased...and therefore unhelpful to the reader. A poor choice for the site.

Free range, grass fed etc... are no better for people or the environment. We're fooling ourselves thinking that this is a solution. There are not enough fields of grass on the planet to feed that many cows. Grass fed are for the elite and not available to the poor plus it's even worse for the environment then factory farming. 

http://news.discovery.com/earth/grass-fed-beef-grain.html

Smart Dogs and Yves are a nice alternative to flesh and they have no cholesterol.

For low calorie hot dogs, try Hebrew National 97% Fat Free Franks. They're delicious

I like eating long meat on a bun myself, especially when I'm on he road, it's a bit less messy than a sandwich LOL .  Hot dogs give me turrible turrible heartburn and that nasty aftertaste. So, I've come up with a substitute.  

I have the deli slice some turkey pretty think and then I cut em and season them and roll them up to the size of a hotdog. I'm sure works with other meats too.  Damp toothpicks hold it together while "cooking". Boil or or grill or steam (preferred method) until heated as desired! 

Put that on a wheat bun with desired toppings!

Best light hot dog if you can find them are the Hebrew National 97% fat free. A little pricey but only 40 calories and much tastier than any of the other light hot dogs I have tried.

I actually like "smartdogs" which are vegetarian. I eat meat sometimes (not a veggie anymore) but I think these are great. Higher in sodium than I care for but only 40 calories. I even like them uncooked plain for a snack. Yummy!

I'm going to try the oscar meyer light weiners tonight-- I got a bunch 50 cents per pack with a sale and coupons, so I hope they are good. My SO will eat 6 dogs by himself!

I agree with several of the posters - the Hebrew National 97% Fat Free Franks are the best!

The Hebrew National 97% fat free hot dogs are my favorite. 

@fatherjonz we can only do 2 reviews at a time, so beef hot dogs will be reviewed in the future. This review is not meant to encompass all light hot dogs, just to review 2 of the choices that are available in the grocery store.

Love everyone's suggestions and hopefully this thread will be useful to other people looking for lower calorie alternatives.

Can anyone tell me where you got the hot dogs so reasonable?  The hebrew ones are around $5 a lb here

as a vegetarian, i only eat tofu hot dogs. i think they are quite good and certainly taste like the real thing even if they do not have the same texture. the small ones (tofu pups, for example) are only 40 calories each! even if i buy the giant ones that tofurky makes, they are still only 80 calories. you can't beat that!

I bought the hot dogs at Wal-mart. I also find that ShopRite has Hebrew National on sale quite often (surprisingly it goes down to a little over $2.00) - so if there is one near you, keep a look out.

I've been eating Oscar mayer Light beef franks, 1 dog is 90 calories, 380 sodium, I find that "acceptable" and it taste like any other hot dog.  I use "giant" brand light hot dog rolls which are 80 calories if I want to "pretend" I'm not watching calories and eat like everyone else at a cookout.......  at home I'll put it on a slice of "giant" brand low calorie bread for only 35 calories.   The dog and roll was nice for me at our Memorial day cookout where I didn't feel people watching me eat "differently" when everyone was cooking their dogs over the fire and eating I could too!

1 hot dog,,, 24% of Daily allowance for Sodium....

If you are under 50 yrs old.  If you have nbo hypertension and if you are not Obese.

American Heart association reccomends limiting sodium soncumption to 1500 MG if you have any of above preconcditions...

In which case 1 hot dog has nearly half of your allowance of Sodium!

And don't forget the hot dog bun is going to have another 100 something milligrams of sodium in it and your condiments more.

Hot Dogs.  carriers of Sodium...

i recently found hebrew national 98% fat free beef hotdogs (sorry i know this is a turkey zone, but i like either so i thought i'd put in ,my two cents) only 40 calories, and althought skinny and scrawny looking, i would say they make up for it in length, they're the kind that extend past the end of the bun. they're very juicy and quite good mixed in with a half cup of baked beans. (plus they're kosher. hahahaha)

Original Post by: pittrice

Don't worry, I am not bothered by hearing your opinion- and I am not attacking you. Just telling you about the food that I prefer- and hotdogs! There is no problem with feeding the planet- it is doable but few people or nations have made that a priority- most people in the first world consume way too much and that is the main problem, as well as people living in places that cannot support their overgrown populations. Over consumption in the western world causes terrible problems for the entire world, and so do large industrial farms- which cannot solve the problems of starvation- I know a lot about this since my husband works directly with africans through the UN on helping to build sustainable farming practices and to share information about what works.

In order to be a better world citizen I have chosen to eat less meat of a higher quality in order to make less of an impact on my environment and that means eating local and organic. I of course do not know about your farm or your farming practices and do not judge you, but I have chosen free range organic for a lot of very good reasons. I have never seen any sub standard animals at organic farms. They are amazingly healthy and happy and the meat is incredible and full of more nutrients and better for the earth. That is why I have switched completely to supporting local organic farms growing vegetable and raising animals. 

On this page you can see some of the wonderful reasons for growing organic and eating organic: 

http://www.letsbefrankdogs.com/food_overview.php ;

Personally I think if she is soo fing picky and stuck up she should have to grow her own fing food! ;)

I just had a Light Life Smart Dog and it was only 40 calories. Put that in a Country Kitchen Whole Wheat Light hotdog roll, slather with mustard and it's a party for only 120 calories!!!!!  I really enjoy these and since I too struggle with the whole "what the heck kind of animal is in a hotdog anyway" thing I breath a little bit easier. 

ha,ha!!! LIKE, THUMBS UP!! :)

I like tofu dogs. Though some people (my boyfriend included) think the texture is a bit off. I still enjoy them though :D

I CAN'T REMEMBER THE BRAND BUT I GET SOME FAT FREE (OR VERY LOW FAT) BEEF WEINERS THAT ARE VERY GOOD. I THINK THEY HAVE 70 CALORIES. THEY MAY BE BALL PARK...OR OSCAR MEYER I'M JUST NOT SURE.....WE LOVE THEM ON WHOLE WHEAT HIGH FIBER BUNS WITH TEXAS PETE CHILLI SAUCE, ONIONS AND MUSTARD! I NUKE THEM, MY HUSBAND BOILS THEM BUT YOU CAN GRILL THEM TOO AND THE FLAVOR AND TEXTURE IS BETTER THAN CHICKEN OR TURKEY FRANKS. Hmmmmmmmmm GOOD!

the best light hotdogs are zwiegles!

they taste exatly the same as regular ones!

I prefer Turkey Bratwursts or Chicken Sausage links.

I don't trust "hot dogs" lol.

The best light hotdogs are Dietz & Watson Gourmet Lite.  Delicious! 

I got the Hewbrew National 99% Fat Free Beef Dogs that were suggested above and it's true, they are unbelievably good tasting. Even my 20-something kids liked them.  40 calories!

I've tried both the 98% fat free oscar mayer hot dogs and i think they are delicious. my 4 year old loves them! i love hebrew nationals too, but their fat free hot dogs are not as good as the oscar mayer ones. they dont cook up as plump and have a rubbery texture. so, i've stuck with the oscar mayer ones :)