5 Best Lunch Meat Brands: Boar’s Head & More Favorites

Many deli meat brands flood the market, but which ones are the best? This list reveals the top-selling deli meats that carnivores should try for their protein-packed diet. Find out the best choices for your gourmet sandwich or platter.

The top-selling deli meat brands are popular for good reasons, usually their flavor, affordability, and healthiness. Statistics show that a vast proportion of Americans choose Boar’s Head as their favorite brand. Other favorites include Hillshire Farm, Oscar Mayer, and more.

A 2020 survey asked Americans which brand of deli meats they preferred and bought. 73.77 million Americans chose “store brands,” and 39.98 million selected “other brands” under the options. But these were the most popular deli meat brands you could add to your list to try in order of their popularity.

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Boar’s Head Is The Top Seller

Boar’s Head has a vast selection of products, including maple honey ham, pastrami rounds, sliced ham, and even mortadella, to name a few.

Their products are delicious, thinly sliced, and remain moist. 84 million Americans chose Boar’s Head as their preferred brand in 2020. That must mean the company is doing something right!

Oscar Mayer Is A Popular Brand

After “store brands,” Oscar Mayer was the next favorite deli meat brand in the 2020 survey, with 66.14 million votes. Oscar Mayer’s Deli Fresh line offers the typical deli meats most other brands produce. They have good sliced chicken and turkey options, but if you’re a bologna fan, Oscar Mayer’s is a cut above the rest, and their cotto salami and oven-roasted turkey rolls are excellent too. 

Hillshire Farm Has Some Meaty Reasons For Its Popularity

Hillshire Farm is one of the most well-known brands of deli meats and is found on most grocery store shelves. They offer thinly sliced and thicker-sliced options. The meat is flavorful, but it also gives you the most value for your money, and 50.97 million people prefer it. That’s a good reason to try a new brand.

Butterball Is A Favorite Deli Turkey Brand

Except for their Buffalo Style Chicken Breast, Butterball focuses entirely on turkey meat. Turkey meat is a leaner option, and Butterball also adds no nitrites and nitrates to their products, which makes it a healthier choice. There is no form of turkey that Butterball doesn’t offer, so if you’re a fan of this type of poultry, give it a try. 29.4 million Americans say it’s their favorite.

Bar-S Is One Of The Top-Selling Deli Meat Brands

Bar-S’s deli meat options include poultry and ham products, bologna, and a variety of other lunch meats. The company has been in operation for nearly four decades, focusing on producing quality meat that more than meets the required health and safety standards. Their meats are favorites because of their variety, quality, and delicious taste.

Many Americans Buy Tyson Deli Meats

Tyson has a three-tier range of gluten-free, lean turkey, beef, and ham cold cuts, including the Premium, Favorites, and Basics tiers. Their products are tasty and low-risk when it comes to food safety, as they use natural antimicrobials in their meats. With a wide selection of deli meats and cost-effective choices, it became a favorite of 20.49 million people.

Dietz & Watson Have Many Fans

With the focus on healthy food these days, Dietz & Watson would be a good brand to try because their lunchmeats are low in sodium, carbohydrates, and fat and go through the minimum amount of processing. Dietz & Watson is the preferred brand of 17.39 million people.

Sara Lee Premium Meats Is A Favorite

In their range of 15+ varieties, Sara Lee offers traditional favorites like Honey Ham and Oven Roasted Turkey and bolder options like Chipotle Seasoned Chicken and Mesquite Smoked Turkey. Sara Lee only uses the best cuts of meat, roasted slowly in the oven. Nearly 16 million Americans love this brand.

Jennie-O Is A Preferred Turkey Brand

Turkey is the preferred choice for most of those concerned about health. Jennie-O does minimal processing and does not include any artificial ingredients. 13.26 million Americans fancy Jennie-O’s turkey options, so it’s worth giving it a try.

Is A Popular Deli Meat Brand Choice

The big plus for Land O’ Frost is its affordability. 12.4 million people spend their deli meat budget on Land O’ Frost’s products. While it doesn’t have a massive range, it still offers some classics like Black Forest ham, oven-roasted turkey, and tasty peppercorn beef. 

What Are The Most Popular Deli Meats? 

Turkey is the most popular option. You can see the deli meat market division below. 

Deli Meat Type	Percentage Of Market
Turkey	34.6%
Ham	30.9%
Beef	11.7%
Chicken	7.8%
Salami	5.7%
Bologna	3.6%
Other	5.7%

What Is The Best Deli Meat To Buy?

There is some debate over whether to buy fresh or prepackaged deli meat. On the one hand, fresh meat comes straight from the bone or slab, has natural nitrates, and goes through less processing. On the other hand, prepackaged lunch meat has definite expiry dates, while nobody knows how long fresh meat stays in the deli under the glass.

If you choose prepackaged meat, look for the leanest cuts, like chicken breast, turkey, roast beef, or lean ham. Check the list of ingredients and look for nitrate-free, low-sodium brands. Also, avoid BHA, BHT, Aspartame, corn syrup, and smoked flavors, as these can cause inflammation or cancer.

What Is The Most Popular Cold Cut?

Boar’s Head is the most popular cold-cut brand, taking the largest portion of the deli meat market. It’s gluten-free, has less sodium, is milk-free, sugar-free, and MSG-free. It does not contain fillers, by-products, or any hydrogenated oil trans-fats.

What Is The Best Brand Of Deli Turkey?

365 Whole Foods Market’s Oven-Roasted Turkey Breast is the healthiest option. It contains no antibiotics or hormones. The curing ingredients consist only of sea salt and vinegar powder.