Health related websites:

www.healthguideusa.org/local_health_departments.htm

This site is a huge index of all the county health departments in every state in the USA.

www.fda.gov

It’s a big site! Go the A-Z index. Then go to the “S” in the Index. It provides a list of links to all the various State health departments.

www.foodsafety.gov

Another big site. Lots of info. Click on the button for “Federal and State Gov’t Agencies”. Then go down to the heading entitled “State and Local Gov’t Agencies”. If your state isn’t listed, click on the first subheading “Overall Listing of State, County and territory Listings”. There you will find a comprehensive contact list.

www.profoodsafety.org

Information for foodservice professionals in 14 languages!

www.fsis.usda.gov

Excellent information on safe food handling, meat storage guidelines, and background info on the meat products you will be selling. Just type “hot dog” in the search box in the upper left corner of the home page.

www.cfsan.fda.gov

Another large site with tons of information. Go to the “Special Interest” area in the lower right corner. Check out “Starting a Food Business”. For detailed info on laws and codes check out “Fed/State Food Programs” go to “Retail Food Protection” click on “Regulations, Codes and Code Interpretation”.

www.lapublichealth.org

Click on “Food Safety”. Many other useful links.

www.idph.state.il.us/about/fdd/fddintro.htm

This Illinois Health Department site has some excellent info on food safety and printable charts on food temperature requirements.

For Canadian Hot Dog Stand Operators

www.hc-sc.gc.ca

Canadian Federal Government Health site (Health Canada). In English or French.

Go to the A-Z index to “F”. Click on “Food Safety”, and then click on “Safe Food Handling”.

www.inspection.gc.ca

Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA) site. In English or French.

To find your local food health authority anywhere in Canada follow these instructions: Click on “Food”, then “Retail Food”, then “Information for Restaurateurs and Food Service Operators”, then “Local Inspection Authority”.

Also go to A-Z Index, then click on “Food”, then go to “F” for “Food Safety Tips”. Good info at “Barbecuing”.

www.regional.niagara.on.ca

This site has some really good plain language tips for a hot dog cart operator. Click on “Living”. Click on “Public Health” on the drop down menu. Then click on the “A-Z Index”. Scroll down to the heading “Hot Dog Cart Requirements”. Good info!

www.toronto.ca

Click on “Health” under the heading Living in Toronto. Click on the A-Z Index. Scroll down to the heading “Hot Dog Carts – Requirements for”. Excellent information in a practical easy to read format!

www.healthunit.on.ca

Check under Health Information Sheets for Hot Dog Carts.

A nice summary of basic rules for hot dog stand operators in Ontario, Canada.

Links to State Health Departments

Food Product Suppliers

Buns: Often the best idea is to source these from a local bakery or discount grocery chain. Otherwise you can order your buns from a national wholesale supplier. Here’s a list:

  • Rosen’s Buns – www.alphabaking.com
  • Stroehmann Weston bakeries – www.gwbakeries.com
  • Wonder Bread – www.wonderbread.com
  • Weiners: The following list is a selection in alphabetical order of various American hot dog cart meat suppliers in the U.S. Just click on the links provided and find a distributor or warehouse nearest you.

§        Bar-S – www.bar-s.com

§        Cloverdale – www.cloverdalefoods.com

§        Dietz & Watson – www.dietzandwatson.com

§        Farmland Foods – www.farmlandfoods.com

§        Hebrew National – www.hebrewnational.com

§        Hormel Foods – www.hormel.com/brands

§        Oscar Mayer – www.kraftfoods.com

§        Sabrett – www.sabrett.com

§        Usinger’s – www.usinger.com

§        Vienna beef – www.viennabeef.com

§        Wimmer’s – www.wimmersmeats.com

§        CANADIAN SUPPLIERS:

o        Kretschmar – www.kretschmar.com

o        Maple Lodge Farms – www.maplelodgefarms.com

o        Schneider Foods – www.schneiders.ca

o        Shopsy’s – www.mapleleaf.ca

o        Foil Hot Dog Bags: These are a specialty item that can be sourced through a restaurant supply company or from a specialty paper manufacturer. Here is a list of potential suppliers.

o        Ace Mart Restaurant Supply – www.acemart.com

o        Atlanta Concession Supply – www.sakida.com

o        Food Service Direct – www.foodservicedirect.com

o        International Products – www.ipcsupplies.com

o        Instawares Restaurant Supply – www.instawares.com

o        Snappy Brand – www.popthis.com

Other Food and Hot Dog Related Sites:

www.hot-dog.org

www.nutritionnews.com

www.chowhound.com

www.roadfood.com

Leave a Reply

You must be logged in to post a comment.