Last Updated on February 12, 2019
Let’s face it. Traditional lunch meat is full of preservatives and is not very healthy. Over the years, my family has eaten lunch meat less frequently because of health concerns. Instead, we opt for peanut butter and jelly sandwiches or egg salad sandwiches, or I roast a whole chicken and take the meat off the bones and use it for sandwiches.
Helpfully, though, Aldi began selling Lunch Mate Never Any! lunch meats a few years ago. These lunch meats contain no nitrates, no nitrites, no antibiotics, no added hormones, no preservatives, and are casein free. The animals are not fed animal by-products and are vegetarian fed. The Never Any! line at Aldi also includes chicken breasts, whole chickens, and chicken sausages.
The Lunch Mate Never Any! lunch meats come in several varieties, including Oven Roasted Turkey Breast, Rotisserie Seasoned Chicken Breast, Uncured Black Forest Ham, and Uncured Honey Ham. They are sold in small packages in the refrigerated section with all the other lunch meats and deli cheeses.
The cardboard boxes that contain the lunch meat packets are manufactured using 100% wind energy and are produced at a landfill-free company, where more than “99% of waste removed from the manufacturer is beneficially reused, recycled, reclaimed or converted to clean energy.”
The Never Any! lunch meat costs $3 and some change for one package at my local Aldi, and the packages are small, containing only about 3.5 servings, so this lunch meats costs more than regular lunch meat. However, it is worth it knowing my family is eating a healthier product. These meats are great on cold sandwiches with some mayo and sliced cheese, or tuck a few slices into a grilled cheese sandwich to kick it up a little.
The Verdict:
Aldi’s Lunch Mate Never Any! lunch meats cost a little more than regular lunch meat, and there isn’t a lot of meat in each package, but the meats contain no nitrates or nitrites, no antibiotics, no added hormones, no animal by-products, no preservatives, and are casein free and vegetarian fed. If you are health-conscious, the trade-off may be worth the higher price. Highly recommended.
How do you get one (or two ) slices from packaging without tearing up all the slices?
Easy! Just slide a knife or other thin utensil between the slices and lift.
you don’t! I have tried taking all of the meat out of the package and rolling it around in my hands until it comes apart. usually i end up tearing it until it get the right amount just like you do!
Do you know if this meat is safe during pregnancy? Thanks!
When you’re pregnant, heat your lunch meat to 165 degrees and then it should be safe. The same rule applies to Aldi’s lunch meat. Here’s a link to what the CDC says about the subject: https://www.cdc.gov/media/matte/2011/05_listeriapregnant.pdf
Since the packaging doesn’t seem to be recyclable through my Buncombe county, NC recycling program, I won’t be buying this product again.
I just started my husband on Aldi’s “Never Any” turkey lunchmeat and ancient grains crusted tempura chicken. But now I read on a site that really pushes organics, that Aldi is deceiving with these products. That first, claiming they are hormone free is ridiculous bc by law it is all hormone/antibiotic free now. They aren’t doing anything special with that claim. Also they say the fact they are vegetarian fed is not good bc although they are cage free, they feed them pesticides/chemicals. So it’s not so great, says them, if it isn’t truly organic. What say you? This is so frustrating for me.
I wrote that post a couple of years ago and am still learning some of these things myself. Yes, the labeling about it being hormone-free and antibiotic-free is misleading and unnecessary, and I’m not sure an all-vegetarian diet is good for some animals. The biggest reason, honestly, why I still prefer this lunch meat over others is that it does not contain nitrates, nitrites, and other preservatives that have been linked to cancer.
Thank you!
Does anyone have trouble with mold on the meat with a good expiration date? We bought the smoked honey uncured ham, opened one of the new packs inside and there is mold in the inner folds of the slices and the expire date is still 3 weeks away. :/
I never had a problem with any of their lunchmeats in the past and only buy their “Never Any” roasted oven turkey now, and no problems there. However I have had bad milk and low-fat cottage cheese, way before its expiration date at “Aldi”……..”Jewel-Osco” too actually. “Aldi” will take back their bad product, give you your money back AND give you a free one also. It’s called their (Double Money Back Guarantee). And is only good for their products and products made for them for their stores…..which is practically “most” of the store.
Thank you! But do I have to have the receipt? I didn’t keep it (and never really do keep grocery receipts)
I’ve done both, with and without receipt. Usually since it is clearly an Aldi product, they honor it. But since you do not have the receipt and say you paid $4.00 for it and when you return it, it is on sale for $3 or $3.50……they will only give you what it is currently selling for bc you cannot prove you paid more. Better than nothing…..and you still get a free package so you are really ahead…..except for the inconvenience of the whole matter. They also do the double money back deal if you just decide you didn’t like the taste of something. I thought that didn’t make much sense since you didn’t like/want it, but they are trying to get you to try it again. So I’ve done that. Didn’t like the taste of some of their products, their version of Cheetos and Nacho Cheese tortilla chips in fact…..returned it, got my money back and donated the new bags to the food pantry.
This slice turkey has a lot going for it…… …..Except it has carrageenan, as one of it’s ingredients. Bad red sea weed thickener that causes gut problems and this one I know from experience; raises your blood sugar. I wish these food companies would leave this ingredient out.
Carrageenan is a natural ingredient. Poligeenan is not from nature at all. They are often confused. Are you confusing the two? I know carrageenan is in this lunch meat.
Are these Celiac safe gluten free? Trying to determine if there is gluten cross-contour not.
Is there any Product Formulation Statements or CN labels for the lunch mate or Never Any lunch meats. I work for the Child Nutrition Program and some of our providers purchase Aldi’s deli meats and want to continue to purchase them, but we need a PFS or Cn label for the deli meats. Any help would be greatly helpful. Thanks!
Here’s how to contact Aldi: https://www.aldi.us/en/contact/