Ballgames, backyard barbeques, campfires: July is the official month to celebrate eating hot dogs. Over the July 4th weekend alone, at the height of hot dog season, Americans consumed an average of 155 million frankfurters.

Love them or hate them, this meal in a bun is served in scores of homes across the nation and is world-renowned for being a staple of the American diet.

Sure, they may seem like a simple little meal, but these treasured eats are far from boring. Scroll through the gallery to learn seven facts you never knew about hot dogs!

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