Happy "National Hot Dog Day!" Will you celebrate with a frankfurter today? Here are some things you might not know about hot dogs.While I can tell you about my favorite hot dogs, I had to go to the NHDSC for more info on some of our biggest dog-questions. They're the National Hot Dog and Sausage Council and they claim to know everything about it!

First things, first. People always joke about what's actually in a hot dog... but according to the NHDSC, hot dogs are cured and cooked sausages that consist of mainly pork, beef, chicken and turkey or a combination of meat and poultry.

According to the Councils latest findings, Americans purchase approximately 9 BILLION hot dogs every year.

There are a million things you would find interesting about hot dogs, but the one thing I always wonder is why are there ten hot dogs in a pack and only eight buns in a pack? Are the hot dog and bun people in cahoots to get us to buy more of one or the other?

Again, I refer you to the smart people at the NHDSC. According to their website:

Ah, one of the great mysteries of the universe. You would think the makers of these two inherently linked items would collaborate on this. These days, manufacturers are starting to offer different quantities of hot dogs per pack and bakers are breaking out of the eight-to-the-pack mold and offering 10 and even 12 packs of buns. However, this is the exception to the rule.

When hot dog buns were introduced, hot dogs were sold in varying quantities at the butcher shop. Not until 1940 were hot dogs packaged the way we currently see them in the grocery store. When manufacturers began packaging hot dogs, they chose the 10 to the pack formula. Today hot dogs are sold most often in eight or ten to the pound packs, but some are sold other quantities as well.

Sandwich rolls, or hot dog buns, most often come eight to the pack because the buns are baked in clusters of four in pans designed to hold eight rolls. While baking pans now come in configurations that allow baking 10 and even 12 at a time, the eight roll pan remains the most popular.

However, to save you from the bread aisle arithmetic anxiety, you need to purchase five bags of eight-to-the-pack buns and four 10-to-the-pack hot dogs to break even.

And a specially note – while they are commonly called “hot dog buns,” they are often used to hold sausages, which come in their own unique quantities.

So now you know. For more fascinating facts about wienies... check out the NHDSC website!

My favorite dog? The Chicago-style, with celery salt, onions and hot peppers! Yum!

Enter your number to get our free mobile app

Downtown Waterloo Restaurants THEN & NOW

More From 97.7 KCRR