Healthier lunch meat?

Delzhand

I'm trying to figure out a diet that's more conducive to putting on some lean muscle, and everything I've seen suggests cutting out processed meat from the diet, because it's loaded with sodium. But I really love cold sandwiches, because it's easy to just slap some cold cuts on whole grain bread or bagel and chow down. Is the premium stuff at the deli counter any better sodium-wise than the prepackaged Hormel stuff? Or am I just buying fancier wrapper paper? Should I be buying a ham and slicing it up myself?

Willeth

This is info from the UK, so may not apply, but look in the back of the deli counter next time you're there. The ham we used to sell when I worked there would just come as a ham joint, and we had a slicer on the counter at the back - just a giant rotating bladed wheel that you'd set the thickness on and slide the ham against to slice it.

Now, I have no idea how this joint was treated before it came to us, so it might have been just as unhealthy as anything else, but I doubt it. Ask at the deli counter, or even just take a look. It might also be worth finding a dedicated deli - or even butchers, depending on where you are - because they're more likely to have better meats than the supermarkets.

3drage

From what I've read recently, the only difference between the deli meat you get sliced and the pre-packed stuff is that pre-packaged is more expensive and usually not as fresh.

As far as nutritional value, likely you are going to get the same amount of sodium either way. I suggest finding a brand/cut of meat that has the least amount of sodium and getting that from the deli slicer (because it's cheaper)

radroadkill

What about just buying some boneless chicken cuts, cooking one or two however you want, and tossing it in the fridge? You could then shred the meat yourself for sandwiches.

Corvus

radroadkill wrote: »

What about just buying some boneless chicken cuts, cooking one or two however you want, and tossing it in the fridge? You could then shred the meat yourself for sandwiches.

I think this is really the healthy way to go for sandwich meat, stuff you roast yourself.

Slo

If you want to put on lean muscle, this is really, really, really a minor part of your diet.

Docken

Delzhand wrote: »

I'm trying to figure out a diet that's more conducive to putting on some lean muscle, and everything I've seen suggests cutting out processed meat from the diet, because it's loaded with sodium. But I really love cold sandwiches, because it's easy to just slap some cold cuts on whole grain bread or bagel and chow down. Is the premium stuff at the deli counter any better sodium-wise than the prepackaged Hormel stuff? Or am I just buying fancier wrapper paper? Should I be buying a ham and slicing it up myself?

Unless you're slamming back cans of coke with your deli meats, the amount of sodium you're getting isn't going to be a huge problem, assuming that the rest of your diet is good and you actually break a sweat when you hit the gym.

Sodium should not in any way affect lean muscle gain.