On the most recent episode of our podcast, “What You’re Eating,” we hear from comedian and writer Jamie Loftus, author of last year’s “Raw Dog: The Naked Truth About Hog Dogs.” While her deep love for this all-American delicacy is clear, Loftus also lays bare the realities of the animal cruelty, labor violations and other problems concealed inside the casing. Even she, a person whose love for hot dogs drove her to write a book about them, admits the case for an alternative is strong. She says as much a cheeky subtitle for her chapter on hot dog production: “A note to my vegetarians and vegans and those who do not engage with the meat dogs — you are right.”
If you were not eating meat in the 1990s and early 2000s, you might harbor painful memories of the wan, wet vegan dogs of yesteryear. But lately, things have taken a turn for the better. Iconic hot dog purveyor Ikea is rolling out its Plant Dog, already available in the company’s European locations, in the U.S. Later this year, the hot dog impresarios at Oscar Mayer will release their own vegan version in partnership with food technology startup NotCo. While fake meat companies have mostly stuck to the sausage sector — and yes, there’s a big difference — Impossible Foods says it’s launching a hot dog product in the near future. Are we seeing a golden age of the plant-based dog? And how much has really changed?
