Eating a chili dog can involve ingesting a significant amount of calories. The most basic version of this sandwich is a hot dog on a bun topped with chili, but many people also add onions and cheese. The exact calories vary based on the type of hot dog, the chili recipe and whether you add any extra toppings.

A typical fast food hot dog with chili has about 296 calories, but a restaurant version topped with cheese can have as many as 405 calories. You can choose a healthier hot dog to top with chili and you'll decrease the calories in your sandwich. A beef hot dog by itself has about 155 calories. Choose a turkey hot dog instead, and you'll save 55 calories. A low-fat hot dog made with a mix of beef and pork is even lower in calories, with just 87. If you're tempted to add cheese to your chili dog, be aware that each ounce of cheddar cheese, which is about 1 slice, has 113 calories. Don't hesitate if you want to top your chili dog with onions, however, as these only have 4 calories per tablespoon.