What Is the Life Span of Lunch Meat?

A deviation from peanut butter and jelly, lunch meats add variety to the noon-hour sandwich. To maintain quality and safety, lunch meat must be stored properly and used promptly.

Time Span

• Adhere to the suggested "use or freeze by" dates listed on the package of unopened lunch meat. You can safely store opened lunch meat containers in the refrigerator for three to five days. In the freezer, unopened lunch meat is generally safe for one to two months.

Storage

• Lunch meat can be stored in the original supermarket trays or containers but should be wrapped again to prevent liquid from the package leaking onto other foods. To freeze in these trays, wrap the container with heavy foil or in resealable freezer bags to avoid freezer burn. Keep lunch meats on the lowest shelf or in the deli drawer set between 29 and 34 degrees Fahrenheit.

Organization Tips

• Write the date of purchase or the date you opened the package on the container, foil or bag to track the shelf life of your lunch meat.