About your wiener

In the summer, nearly everyone wants a wiener. But before grilling that classic Oscar Meyer, think about the first time you learned what comprises a hot dog. Made you feel dirty, most likely. The ingredients: “mechanically separated turkey … corn syrup, dextrose … sodium nitrite.” (That last one is an additive to prevent botulism.) If you’re going to chomp a processed hot dog, try Field Roast Grain Co.’s vegetarian Frankfurters instead. It’s still processed and not that good for you—it has a similar amount of sodium, a comparable meaty taste, though it has less fat, and you don’t have to Google the ingredients to figure out what they are. And don’t even play the protein card: The Frank has 21 grams vs. Oscar’s piddly 5 grams.