Ham Sandwiches On The Cheap

     My husband takes a sandwich everyday for lunch. Occasionally he will take leftovers but he really prefers sandwiches. Lunch meat can get expensive if you let it, especially if you prefer real meat and not the "puréed with fillers and poured in a mold" kind. However, there is one way I keep the cost down.

     In the refrigerated section of the grocery store I have been able to find some hams that are a little smaller and boneless. They look like they've been cut. I take this ham to the deli and they slice it however I want for free. They attach the original barcode to my package and I pay the price of the ham before it was sliced. I bring the 4-5 pound package of ham home and separate it into the amount we will eat in 1 week. I seal it into freezer bags and label with the date. Dating each package is important because "hypothetically" a package could get buried in your freezer and you would want to know how old it is. Not that I've done that or anything (wink). You could also do this with a cooked boneless turkey breast but I haven't found any that I would call "real meat."

     Two disclaimers: I have not noticed a change in the quality or texture of the ham doing this however we almost always eat all 4-5 pounds in one month. Also I have not encountered a deli that wouldn't do this but that doesn't mean you won't.

     I hope this helps! Let me know what you do to save money on groceries.