What Can Be Frozen

• Lunch meat that is vacuum packed can be frozen provided the packaging has not been opened. This would include any type of lunch meat and bacon. Frozen lunch meat should be thawed and eaten within three months. Thaw lunch meat in the refrigerator overnight. You should never thaw meat of any type at room temperature on the counter as this can allow bacteria to grow, causing the meat to be unsafe to eat.
  
  

Other Types of Packaging

• Deli wrapped or other types of packaging should be stored in the refrigerator and eaten as quickly as possible. The problem with lunch meats that are not vacuum sealed is that they can quickly develop a rancid flavor, often in as little as a few days. Opened lunch meats will keep about a week in the refrigerator, while unopened packages will keep up to two weeks. If you notice any type of off-smell or mold growing on the lunch meat, throw it out.
  
  

The Alternative

• In order to be able to buy lunch meats on sale and freeze them for later use, you can invest in a vacuum sealer for home use. When you get the packaged lunch meat home, repackage in the sealer bags and use the vacuum sealer to seal the packages. They can then be stored safely in the freezer with very little degradation to the meat.
  
  

Freezing Lunch Meat Sandwiches

• If made into sandwiches first, lunch meat can be frozen for up to a day. Prepare sandwiches as normal. Wrap tightly in plastic wrap and then place the sandwich into a freezer bag. Freeze the sandwich for up to 24 hours. Place the frozen sandwich in your lunch bag or box. By the time you are ready to eat lunch the sandwich should be thawed and ready to eat.