Never Waste a Hot Dog (or Hamburger) Bun Again
Toast the buns for an egg, cheese, and bacon sandwich or to make kid-approved cinnamon toast. If you want to get fancy, use a hamburger bun in place of an English muffin in a poached egg and prosciutto breakfast sammy.
Cold cuts and sloppy joes taste great paired with soft, spongy buns. However, if the buns were left out and are borderline stale, grill them up in a panini. Opt for something savory like cheese and ham, or satisfy your sweet tooth with Nutella and strawberries. Everything always tastes better with cheese, so try making the ultimate grilled cheese sandwich.
Don't think you can look at another hot dog or brat ever again? Take things a different direction by brushing hot dog buns with butter, heating them over the stovetop until golden brown, then stuffing them with lobster salad or buttered lump crab meat. Alternatively, fill burger buns with poached shrimp, avocado, lettuce, and aioli for a new take on a shrimp sandwich.
Make basic croutons to toss in salads or breadcrumbs to top over mac and cheese and casseroles. For a surefire way to clear those buns off the table, make a batch of garlic bread.