What's bad about processed lunch meat?

[Anonymous]

I now have to pack DC's lunch daily, for camp and school. He lives turkey and chicken sandwiches. Can't do PBJ because of nut allergies. But I know lunch eat isn't that great. Is it just nitrites/nitrates that make it bad? Can I buy deli meat at Whole Foods or something that's better?

[Anonymous]

You could do Sunflower Seed Butter instead of peanut butter if your kid will eat it.

Nitrates/Nitrites, high in sodium, added chemicals preservatives.

You could cook whole chickens/turkeys and use the legs/thighs for dinner then cut the breast thinly for the lunch meats.

[Anonymous]

WF sells real roast turkey breast (as well as the deli version). It dries out quickly though.

[Anonymous]

It's also the type of meat that goes into it. I doubt that best cuts are used for luncheon meats. Could also include bone fragments, etc...

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I now have to pack DC's lunch daily, for camp and school. He lives turkey and chicken sandwiches. Can't do PBJ because of nut allergies. But I know lunch eat isn't that great. Is it just nitrites/nitrates that make it bad? Can I buy deli meat at Whole Foods or something that's better?

Sodium.
I HATE WF deli meat. The best is to get the deli turkey that comes from an actual turkey breast cooked in-house. WF has it but it's awful. What about Ham? I say buy a roasted turkey breast and slice your own.

[Anonymous]

Look for Applegate Farms brand. I know Peapod has their turkey breast. No nitrates/nitrites, minimally processed, organic, etc.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Look for Applegate Farms brand. I know Peapod has their turkey breast. No nitrates/nitrites, minimally processed, organic, etc.

Thanks! That sounds like an easy first step. Will try other suggestions as well.

[Anonymous]

I like Trader Joe's.

What's bad about processed lunch meat: nitrates/nitrites, sodium, preservatives, and then like regular meat, unless you specifically buy otherwise, we're talking animals treated with hormones and antibiotics.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Look for Applegate Farms brand. I know Peapod has their turkey breast. No nitrates/nitrites, minimally processed, organic, etc.

Dairy products such as lactose, casein, and caseinates are often added to processed meats and deli meats to act as an emulsifier or contribute to the flavor of the meat. DD can't have dairy and we also buy the Applegate Farms brand from Trader Joe's