Can you freeze prepacked Ham ?

LavenderBees

Fab, thank you! I thought I could...

Cheers!

zippychick

ive merged this with a relevant thread for you

Zip

Bumblee

Part of the problem could be solved with smaller quantities in packets. Packets seem to contain family sized amounts and unless you want mega amounts of ham in sandwiches for a couple of days in a row to use it up I have found there is too much for one person. I have no objection to buying the bigger quantities as I suspect that it may not be cost effective to package smaller amounts, so long as the remainder can be safely frozen.

It's true, that you can go to the deli and get the amount that you require but, it has a shorter life than the usual pre-packed ham and it too cannot be frozen to prevent waste, so you either buy the smaller amount and use, then trek back for more later in the week if you want it or not bother.

Food waste is colossal, yet food is expensive and when we purchase an amount that is really in excess of requirements and the abililty to use within the few days given after the packet has been opened then it finishes up being wasted.

The safest solutions would seem to be:

1. Only buy as much as you need to be consumed within the stated time on package after opening.

2. Suppliers providing packages for those who require smaller amounts.

3. The use what you need and waste the rest principle.

4. More drastic - don't purchase at all if you have concerns about being able to use the quantity in the packet within the given period of time after opening.

The options are not totally ideal, but this is today's world and I guess suppliers are looking for profits too, so it might come down to profits v waste. Who loses?

flubberyzing

ailuro2 wrote: »

No, a work colleague told me the story about how her sister used to make her dh's sandwiches for work at the beginning of the week and put them in the freezer. He got a really bad dose of 'upset tummy' and was very ill. When they went through what he had eaten the ham was found to be the culprit. She had been doing it for ages, but that was the only possible culprit...

Best not to freeze any food that's on it's last use by date for too long, freezing doesn't keep stuff fresh forever.

I freeze sandwiches for work in 2-week batches. Have done for a long time, and never had any problems. Perhaps it was a dodgy ham to start with. It wouldn't have been the fact it was frozen that caused the problem.

maman

Only this week I defrosted a pack I'd bought YS in the Co-op a few weeks back and I'm here to tell the tale.

Personally, I prefer to cook my own from scratch (generally at about £4/5 per kg from Aldi or Lidl). We use some for a meal, some I freeze in slices for future meals and scraps go into soup made from the gammon stock. At that price it's far superior and much better value to packets.

pigpen

we are currently eating defrosted ham dated last November..

cfc1900

This is an old thread but here is the government advice. They say it's safe. Mind you they might want to kill all us skinflints.
https://www.foodsafety.gov/keep/charts/hamstoragechart.html

purpleybat

tru wrote: »

I freeze it too, if it's a big pack I divide it up by putting sheets of greaseproof paper in between the slices (every 4 slices)

I do this too.
ive also been know to make sarnies for work in bulk and freeze them, means theyre just at the right temperature to eat at lunch time, obviously not putting salad bits in the freezer

[Deleted User]

When I was on my spring holiday in Leek in Staffordshire I went into the covered market there and bought about £10.00 of beautiful ham sliced off the bone from one of the shops there.

I bought it on the day I was coming home and when I got home I portioned it up and froze it The ham was absolutely gorgeous as I slowly used it up in the proceeding weeks.I only wish I had bought more as it was the ham from my childhood and had the most delicious flavour

If you live in Leek its the shop halfway down on the right as you go into the market, they are a farm shop and it was a Friday when I bought it.Treat yourself, as its not cheap but its so nice ,nothing like the plastic ham from the supermarkets

They also do home made sausages which I also brought home. I live in Kent, and although there are some smashing farm shops down here, I have not tasted such gorgeous ham for years.

It was fine when I defrosted it, and it took me about 6 weeks a little at a time to eat it all.

I am not a great lover of the 'plastic ' stuff and would rather pay a bit more to have something really nice.

I am a bit like that with sausages as well I would rather have one or two really good ones than ordinary s'market ones.Yer pays yer money, and yer takes yer pick, when it comes to decent bangers or ham.