Why Labor Day Symbolizes The End Of Hot Dog Season

It's not difficult to understand why Memorial Day to Labor Day is referred to as "hot dog season" in the U.S. Those hot months are enjoyed outdoors nationwide — whether at the beach, ballpark, or your backyard and hot dogs are one of the easiest meals to prepare and eat on the go.

Those cured sausages reheat quickly, are portable, inexpensive, already seasoned, and frankly, taste good regardless if you are on team ketchup or mustard. Even consumers who shied away from hot dogs in the past can find low-sodium, plant-based, or reduced-fat products they feel more comfortable enjoying. 

According to the National Hot Dog and Sausage Council, during that 14-week stretch of summer, 7 billion hot dogs are consumed by Americans, 818 every second. But if Americans love them so much, why does Labor Day symbolize the end of hot dog eating season the same way it does for white jeans?

The answer is complicated. Typically, that same timeframe is the grilling season for much of the country thawing out from a cold winter, so although hot dogs can be cooked on the stove or even in the microwave, Americans clearly prefer their hot dogs grilled. 

As a nation, Americans love meat, and when entertaining outdoors, you can fit more hot dogs on the grill than hamburgers, chicken breasts, steaks, or kabobs, quickly feeding a crowd. Once the weather cools, we stop cooking outdoors and put away the hot dogs for soups and stews.

From the end of May to the beginning of September, Americans have many reasons to celebrate with friends and family, including three national holidays. During that short timeframe, hot dog manufacturers make 38% of their annual sales, which is why supermarkets are decorated in red, white, and blue all summer long, and hot dogs, buns, and condiments are everywhere you turn. If you weren't thinking about making hot dogs for dinner before you entered, you are now. On Independence Day alone, Americans consume 150 million hot dogs while enjoying parades, fireworks, and carnivals.

July and August are typically when people take vacations, especially young families. If you're traveling with a portable grill or pitching a tent in a campground, a package of hot dogs is one of the most convenient proteins to cook. As we approach Labor Day, that weekend signifies the last days of summer vacation for school-aged children, which means back to work, routines, and schedules, shifting our lifestyle away from leisurely meals and cookouts.

While you won't get in trouble for eating hot dogs after Labor Day, most of us have eaten plenty by then, and we are ready to incorporate new meals into our diet. Until the supermarkets are decked out in black and orange, pushing Halloween candy, there's plenty of time to enjoy 40 different ways to make a hot dog to keep things interesting.