Kids Cuisine

Do your kids like hot dogs? I bet they do. Heck, I’m 42 years old and I get a craving for a frank with mustard every now and then. I can only guess you’re saying, “Hot dogs are unhealthy,” “Hot dogs are made from the ‘leftover parts’,” “Hot dogs are fattening.” Well, I guess I might agree with you, but that depends on the brand of hot dog you might buy… I’m not going to name names.

Anyways, I’m on family vacation in California, and it always seems to happen that I discover something I think is new and can’t be found in my hometown. Case in point is a brand of healthy, low-fat hot dogs I ran across in Carlsbad, California (about 30 miles north of San Diego): Applegate Farms. You can buy Applegate in all 50 states… in fact, I’ve learned since that Applegate products are sold 10 minutes from my front door.

Applegate Farms (www.applegatefarms.com) makes a line of organic hot dogs (beef, chicken, turkey, and stadium style) that contain no nitrites or antibiotics. Also, Applegate Farms says they never use MSG, fillers, colorings, sugars, sweeteners, or by-products of any kind; and out of concern and respect for folks with allergies to wheat and dairy products, their hot dogs are gluten and casein free.

Each frank has about (on average) 4.5 grams of total fat (2 grams of saturated fat and 0 grams of trans fat), with 70 calories (calories from fat are 40).

While some of you may think that these numbers are still not good enough, it’s a good alternative to other (unnamed) brands that have higher fat numbers when your kids want to have a frank. Come on — it’s summertime, so it’s time to barbecue, and there’s nothing as tasty as a grilled hot dog on a toasted sesame bun! Live a little!

One of Applegate Farms’ hot dogs is their Great Organic Hot Dog. It’s made from 100-percent organic grass-fed and finished beef. These lean hot dogs are naturally lower in fat and calories and bursting with big real old-fashioned flavor—it’s a classic juicy all-American hot dog. The Great Organic Hot Dog weighs in at 8 grams of fat compared to the average 15 grams in most hot dogs.

They also offer hot dog recipes, such as the Sloppy Dog, The Chili Dog, The Brew God, and The Works Dog. Kids will love the recipes. Too cool!

In addition to their hot dogs, Applegate Farms offers organic deli meats, natural and organic cheeses, organic poultry sausages, bacon, organic meats, and a few more products.

I’d encourage you to check out their site (www.applegatefarms.com) to learn more about their philosophy and use their store locator. Did I mention they’re located in all 50 states?

Good and healthy eating! Let me know what you think!