4 Deli Meat Brands To Buy And 4 That You Should Skip

Eager to make a delicious sandwich but want to make sure your lunch tastes the best it can? Picking the right deli meat is key, so we've tried and tested top brands to see which you should buy and which are better to skip. We chose ham for our comparisons and used it to make sandwiches, complete with all the fixings. While many options had the signature salty taste we'd expect from sliced ham, specific seasonings varied from brand to brand.

The texture of the ham was also very different across the board. Some products had a higher water content, which sometimes made them rubbery, while others tended toward the dry side. The best ham was right in the middle, with a taste and texture that paired well with lettuce, tomato, cheese, and other sandwich ingredients. We also considered the thickness of the cut, which impacted how well individual slices layered with the other ingredients on the bread. The ingredients list was an important factor too, specifically additives like preservatives that increase shelf life. Some people prefer to avoid preservatives, and those options tend to be more expensive overall. 

Prices are accurate as of publication, depending on location. Here's how the various ham brands stacked up in our tests.

Castle Wood Reserve makes high-quality deli meat that is free of nitrates, nitrites, and artificial coloring. The Uncured Honey Ham tastes good and has a nice, thin cut and texture, so we expected to work this option into our routine menu. But you can find something just as good for a much better price, which is what ultimately makes us pass this one by when we see it at the grocery store. Taste and texture are fine, but it's hard to justify paying as much as $10 for a 1-pound container of ham, especially when there are many equally delicious options available. The package didn't reseal well either, so we worried about the ham drying out faster, which makes the value of this purchase potentially even lower.

Most of the slices are irregularly shaped, which doesn't impact the taste but can make your sandwich less visually appealing. Since a meal begins as soon as you see food on your plate, it can affect your expectations. It was sweeter than we anticipated, even compared to other honey hams, but didn't have the salty or peppery flavor that some of our favorites boasted. Overall, it has a decent taste and texture, but it's not that great or worth the higher cost. Lack of variety is another reason to skip Castle Wood Reserves; the brand has a lot of poultry options, but only two for ham and one roast beef.

We didn't expect to like Land O' Frost as much as we did, but the Black Forest Uncured Ham from the Bistro Favorites line was one of our top options when comparing them in a blind taste test. Each piece of ham was thick-sliced and not watery, a key feature that made it work well on a classic ham and cheese sandwich. It had the signature salty taste we'd expect from ham but with a little more seasoning for a deeper flavor. It paired particularly well with a zesty mustard and creamy Swiss cheese. You could also try a spicier pimento spread for something unique. We wished the resealable package closed a little bit tighter, since it leaked when placed in the fridge upside down. It kept the ham fresh, however, so just be sure to store it right-side-up to avoid a potential mess.

Some of the more budget-friendly offerings from this brand have both artificial coloring and water added, which means you're getting extra components you may not want and less protein per pound of deli meat. So pay close attention to what you pick from Land O' Frost, when considering both budget and taste. Opt for the slightly more expensive Bistro Favorites ham if you want something comparable to high-end deli meat. We've had the more economical choice in our fridge before, and it's a reliable and decent option, but it doesn't have the same depth of flavor we loved from the Bistro Favorites.

Applegate Farms ham doesn't include ingredients that people like to avoid, such as preservatives, nitrates, nitrites, and antibiotics, which is one reason it gets such prominent shelf space in many stores. It boasts one of the best ingredients lists out there, and given that it's often located with the all-natural deli items, we assumed it was one of the more delicious and popular options in the case. 

Unfortunately, when we compared it in a side-by-side taste test, the flavor and texture were not as good as other brands, including some that are also free of preservatives, just like Applegate Farms. The Black Forest Uncured Ham slices are thick, which we normally prefer, but they were not very flexible making them hard to use on a sandwich. The texture is also rubbery, which may not be as big an issue if you pair it with add-ons like lettuce and tomato, but will be noticeable if you're sticking with a classic ham and cheese.

A positive is that this is one of the easier-to-find preservative-free options and it's sold in numerous mainstream chains. However, Applegate Farms deli meat tends to be expensive and the pricing is not consistent from store to store. Some chains carry it for around $9 for a 7-ounce package, while the same item is $7 at a store right down the street. If you want to buy Applegate Farms ham, it might be worth shopping around for the best deal.

Trader Joe's is known for having a great store brand that commands strong customer loyalty, and its deli meat is no exception. It is a great buy, especially when you consider factors like taste, texture, ingredients, and price. This option is organic but still costs less than some conventional options from the grocery store. Plus, it's hormone-free and made without preservatives, nitrates, and nitrites, just like many pricier meats you'd find in the deli case. It has all of the features you'd want in a natural deli meat without the high price sticker.

We tried the Black Forest Uncured Ham and loved the taste and texture. The flavor is one of the best out there of any type of deli ham. It isn't too salty but has more seasoning than some other brands, which translates to a rich flavor that can hold up without a ton of added ingredients. We liked it in a classic ham and cheese with mustard (honey, spicy, or yellow). Each slice is easy to fold and comes out of the package with minimal tearing. The package itself has a resealable design and stacks plenty of ham within the tray. The only downside of loving this deli ham is that it's only available at one store: Trader Joe's. But some customers consider that a perk since it necessitates a trip and makes it easy to pick up other favorites as well.

Oscar Mayer deli ham is a far cry from the brand's famous bologna or the hot dogs and their long and interesting history. Still, the ham has a lot of additives and a texture that is a bit heavy on the water, which made us place it on our skip list. It was so liquidy that we had to blot it before putting it on a sandwich to prevent the bread from getting too moist. The Deli Fresh Black Forest Uncured Ham has added caramel coloring, as well as extra sugars and corn syrup. We liked the size of each slice, since they were roughly as tall as a standard piece of sandwich bread. This made building our lunch easy and reduced the amount of meat hanging over the side of the bread. But, it wasn't enough to overcome the longer ingredients list and watery texture.

One aspect we did enjoyed about the Oscar Mayer's ham was the peppery rind. It added flavor, which is typically lacking in other ham varieties by the brand. If you're going to go with Oscar Mayer, make sure to choose Black Forest ham for the most complex taste. However, unless you get a deep discount on Oscar Mayer products using a store loyalty card, sale, or other promotion, we'd recommend skipping this option.

Hormel is known for its pepperoni, but the chain's deli meat is also worth checking out. It has been the go-to choice in our home for years thanks to the traditional salty ham taste and great packaging. The meat comes in two separately-sealed packages, which helps preserve freshness for as long as possible. It's convenient if you want to leave one package at home to make sandwiches and take the other to store in your fridge at work, making sure you always have lunch supplies on hand.

Hormel's Smoked Deli Ham doesn't have as much seasoning as some other varieties, but it works in most cases where deli ham is needed. The slices are flexible enough to easily stack in a sandwich without falling apart, which we prefer since they are on the thinner side. It is also easy to get each slice out of the package before resealing it to store in the fridge.

The Natural Choice line is made without preservatives, but be cautious when making your selection because Hormel's other offerings, such as Canadian bacon and pepperoni, contain a lot of preservatives to extend the shelf life. The Natural Line is a great choice if you want to avoid nitrates, nitrites, artificial ingredients, and a lot of preservatives, making it our top recommendation from Hormel and earning the brand itself a spot on our "buy" list.

Hillshire Farm Black Forest Ham is cut ultra thin, which might be preferred by some people, but we found it hard for building a sandwich. Every time we tried to pull a slice of ham out of the package, it tore and ended up in smaller bits than we would have liked. By the time we had enough to deem our lunch ready to eat, the ham was packed tightly and didn't mesh well with other ingredients like lettuce, tomato, and condiments. 

It also tastes saltier than many other options we tried. In fact, the salt is so strong that it became the overwhelming flavor of the entire sandwich. Adding mayo helps temper things, but the saltiness is a feature that might not work for those looking to lower their sodium intake. The ham is also pretty watery, which only increased the longer it sat in the fridge. It doesn't include nitrates, nitrites, or artificial coloring, which we appreciated, but without a lot of seasoning (besides salt), it doesn't have the same depth of flavor other brands have, even those that omit similar ingredients.

Due to the lack of artificial coloring, the ham is not quite as vibrant and comes out a paler pink color overall. The packaging has a strong seal on the snap top, which is one of our favorite aspects of this ham, as it stays fresh whether you buy the large or small pack. 

The Whole Foods store brand, 365, is a fantastic choice for those who want to avoid preservatives. We expected it to be much more expensive than other brands, but it still offered a great value, which was surprising given the reputation for high prices at this high-end grocery store. 365 ham is less watery than many other brands and has one of the coarser textures of those that we tried, which gives it a little extra oomph in a sandwich. The Black Forest ham has a nice rich flavor, but all of the deli meat from 365 is top-quality both in taste and ingredients. 365 sells traditional deli meat and organic options, which only cost $1 more for the same amount.

The downside is this deli meat comes in small circles that are not easy to layer or fold on a sandwich. Smaller Hawaiian sweet rolls can handle the size better, but for large sandwiches, expect to use multiple slices. They are on the thicker side, even though they're labeled as ultra thin, but you might still need more than one on a larger piece of bread. Be ready to adjust or even tear pieces into smaller sections to cover the surface. Slices tended to unfold on their own while we tried to add other toppings like lettuce and tomato, but we would still get this deli ham again thanks to its great flavor, texture, and ingredients list.

We tested sliced deli ham from several brand to see for ourselves how the taste and texture compared. Making sandwiches with toppings like lettuce and tomato gave us the chance to assess each option alongside other ingredients. We also made some classic ham and cheese sandwiches, trying out mayo and mustard combinations, to get a stronger sense of the meat as a main ingredient. Finally, we sampled the ham by itself to get the full impact of flavor and texture.

We also looked at the nutrition facts for each option, including what was added and what was left out. Price was another factor we considered, since we wanted to make sure we found the best value and one we would actually use in our own home. Organic deli meat, as well as meat free of additives and artificial ingredients, tends to cost more. But some brands offer traditional deli meat as well as organic options to give two price points for customers.

When comparing similar options, we also looked at packaging and practicality. Deli meat often sits in liquid, typically water, so packaging that wasn't leak-proof quickly frustrated us as it spilled in the fridge. We would opt for a slightly more expensive option if we knew it wouldn't make a mess. A good resealable and leak-free package also keeps the ham fresh longer, resulting in less waste and a better value overall.