Uhh, how do you intend to mix the funyuns in? Grinding them up, or uh...Okay I'm gonna be real I don't eat meatloaf so in my mind I have this image of a chunk of meat looking like bread but I know that's wrong, so I don't know what else to ask about this.
Is onion meatloaf a dish? That seems like that might be more appealing if you like the two.
It's just ground beef so ground up funyuns into a dust would mix fine and probably not even noticeable after cooking. I bet it would work but also not really for much outside add a large amount of sodium. I normally use onion powder in mine so I really can't see there being a huge difference.
I have a feeling you'd have to use a lot of funyuns to even be able to taste the flavor in the meat loaf. This does make me wonder how some other things would be using funyuns instead of breadcrumbs. Topping on a baked mac and cheese, for example.
Ok, so basic meatloaf:
onions, peppers, garlic sautéed and cooled
add to ground beef
can be "stretched" (feeding a lot for as little as possible) with eggs & breadcrumbs
season with salt, pepper, ketchup
place in a loaf pan (best with some parchment/baking paper lining
can be topped or wrapped with bacon & more ketchup for a glaze
bake, cool/let set, slice, serve with mashed taters, gravy, peas & carrots and you have a very typical dinner circa 1950.
Now funyuns? I'd probably just grind them up and add to the meat to mix, with some mixed in with the ketchup glaze.
alternatively I would have 1 or 2 rings on top as a garnish.
Most meatloaf (at least the one's I've made) has onions and breadcrumbs in it, using the funyuns might cover both ingredients. Though I think the funyun flavor would be more like adding onion powder and not actually onions. And the breadcrumbs are meant to help hold the meat together, I'm not sure the funyun dust would do the same.
I feel like it would do a decent job of helping hold together, but I'm betting the flavor wouldn't be that noticeable in the end product unless you used a lot of funyuns.
The only drawback I can imagine is if the funyuns rehydrate, which would keep them from acting as a binding agent. This is an imagined drawback. I think I'll try it some time.
I think using funyons is a good idea for certain things. I don't think so in meatloaf as TheAlbatross pointed out. I think as a coating for chicken would be tasty with crushed Cheezits or something.
Sounds good to me if you also don't put regular onions in it. Might come out a bit too oniony if you did. I've used potato chips instead of breadcrumbs and it comes out good. Didn't change much with just regular Lays, which is what I used, though. Funyuns sound like it would be super good.
I'd also probably not add more salt than the funyuns. Those things are salty AF and probably have enough seasoning on them to be mostly all you need. Just crack some pepper in there too.