Options considered: 40
Country:
Philippines
Last updated: April 2024
Ranking criteria: versatility, availability, nutritional value, packaging quality
Buyer's remorse summary: the most common issues that customers have with their Luncheon Meat are typically related to Quality and taste , Ingredients and additives , Nutritional value and Packaging and storage .
We compiled the list of the most popular Luncheon Meat of 2024 that have received the fewest complaints in these categories.
Lotte Ham Luncheon Meat 340g
About
This product stands out for its authentic taste, soft texture, and versatility in various dishes. It... read more
Why we recommend it
Purefoods Luncheon Meat
About
This canned luncheon meat offers a variety of tasty flavors, including cheese and bacon, BBQ, and ch... read more
Why we recommend it
Dongwon Luncheon meat 340g
About
This Korean luncheon meat stands out for its delicious taste and versatile uses, making it a go-to c... read more
Why we recommend it
Lotte Luncheon Meat 340g
About
This high-quality luncheon meat is made from fresh pork, rich in nutrients. Its easy-to-can design m... read more
Why we recommend it
HANSUNG Luncheon Meat 340g
About
This luncheon meat is pre-cooked and can be sliced thinly without heating. It is a versatile option ... read more
Why we recommend it
Spam Luncheon Meat 25% Less Sodium 340 g
About
This product offers a healthier option with 25% less sodium, while still providing the same great ta... read more
Why we recommend it
Prem Lite Luncheon Meat 340 g
About
This luncheon meat offers a guilt-free option for those on-the-go, with 50% less fat and the same de... read more
Why we recommend it
Argentina Pork Luncheon Meat 375g
About
This flavorful luncheon meat is made with select pork meat and special spices, making it a delicious... read more
Why we recommend it
Spam Regular Luncheon Meat 340 g
About
This product is perfect for quick and easy meals with its fully cooked and ready-to-eat nature. Enjo... read more
Why we recommend it
Purefoods Chicken Luncheon Meat Set of 3
About
This set of 3 luncheon meat is made from lean shredded chicken breast, contains no transfat, is a co... read more
Why we recommend it
Prem Less Sodium Luncheon Meat 340 g
About
This product stands out for its lower sodium content, convenience of being fully cooked and ready to... read more
Why we recommend it
LUNCHEON MEAT 340g
About
This Korean luncheon meat is a popular food item in South Korea and can be enjoyed straight from the... read more
Why we recommend it
IWG TULIP Pork Luncheon Meat 340g
About
This pork luncheon meat is versatile and adds a delicious meaty flavor to various dishes. It is made... read more
Why we recommend it
CJ BEKSUL Luncheon Meat Pork Can 200g
About
This luncheon meat is a classic and versatile staple that can be enjoyed on its own or used in vario... read more
Why we recommend it
Korean Canned Food Dong Won Luncheon Meat
About
This Korean canned luncheon meat offers a delicious taste similar to spam but with less saltiness. I... read more
Why we recommend it
MaLing Pork Luncheon Meat B2 Original
About
This product stands out for its unique and enjoyable taste that sets it apart from other options in ... read more
Why we recommend it
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As usual, this month we aggregated dozens of popular Luncheon Meat in the Philippines and ranked them based on versatility, availability, nutritional value, packaging quality. According to this April's formal ranking, luncheon meat by Lotte are the most prominent ones, followed by Purefoods and Dongwon .
10 best Luncheon Meat in pictures
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Meta-rankings combine expert endorsements.
ReviewFinder's formal aggregated ranking is a combination of our meta-rankings and consumer score.
Meta-rankings are a combination of all expert reviews we can find on the Internet. When present, meta-rankings are the strongest ranking signal (we trust experts more than consumers).
Consumer score is calculated from customer reviews.
Not all categories have enough expert endorsements online - in such cases we use consumer score weighted by historical brand prominence in the niche (brands that historically specialize in a certain category get a slight bump in that category rankings). Consumer score is a normalized 0-10 score based on customer reviews.
Recently we removed price form our rankings - it no longer affects recommendations. Whether to go budget or premium is consumer's choice, not ours.
Luncheon meat is a type of delicacy. Most times, the meat comes preserved or precooked. The meat could be sliced and then dished as either a hot or a cold meal. Usually, consumers purchase the luncheon meat in a tin or a vacuum container. Some people love to mix it with salad, while some roll it into sausages, bread, etc., it all depends on one's preference.
Statistics report that every second, the Philippines and 44 other countries consume at least 13 various luncheon meat types. Filipinos have further professed to the fact that this sumptuous meat was part of their daily diet while growing. They eat the potted meat baked, fried, braised, baked, or even uncooked!
Historically, luncheon meat was first called SPAM. The name SPAM was given to the meat by its first manufacturer- Hormel foods. The name SPAM became a household name where it was mentioned on an average of 130 times a day. This was where the term "spam mail," given to an unsolicited/incessant email, was coined. Because it was not necessary to cook or refrigerate it before eating, it came in handy during world war II.
With the meat being mixable with almost any kind of food and its long shelf life, it became the soldiers' favorite food during the war.
Luncheon has several other names such as cold cut, deli meats, potted meat, butcher's revenge, sliced meats, and so on.
Each country has its precepts and culture. Since luncheon meat comes from meat, different countries use different kinds of meat, with pork meat being the most prevalent meat used. While some country consumes the deli meat every day, some only eat deli meat on festive occasions.
Below is what I am talking about:
Latin America
In a country like Guatemala, luncheon meat is a traditional meal eaten on some particular festivals like El dia de Todos Los Santos (Translated as All Saints' Day) and El dia de Todos Los Difuntos (Interpreted as All Souls' Day).
They eat the meal on the first and second day of November (the festival period).
Olives, mozzarella cheese, and spam are some of the luncheon meat cuisine commonly found in Brazil.
Central Europe
The people of central Europe love to have their lunch meat sandwiched between bread or rolled into sausage.
Each country in central Europe has its traditional sausage and meat. They use it to make luncheon meat.
Like in Austria and Germany, Fleischkase and leberkase are popular cold cuts. The liver is the meat used.
Asia
Since the American soldiers left the Philippines after the world war, the food has been a favorite meal for the Filipinos.
In Asia, South-Korea is the largest consumer of luncheon meat; in fact, the Koreans offer luncheon meat as a lunar new year gift to their family and friends.
While the Koreans love to have their luncheon meat in their soup, Filipinos love to have it over their rice balls.
Pork, turkey, beef, and other meats are vital ingredients used in luncheon meat production. These ingredients differentiate one type of deli meat over the other; they give the deli meat different flavors and tastes.
Some of the types of luncheon meat include:
Chicken breast luncheon meat:
This type of cold cut is made from chicken; the luncheon meat obtained from the chicken can be fried, smoked, roasted, or baked.
Though the deli meat is eaten hot, it could also serve as cold meat. The meal is low in calories; it could last as long as four years in storage provided it is kept in a dry room at 20-25 Celsius.
Corned beef:
Corned beef is popular lunch meat found in various parts of the world; brisket is another name for the beef. The meat is here is beef.
This luncheon meat gained popularity during the days when little or no people own a fridge; this is why it was cured or preserved with salt.
The corn in the word ‘corn beef’ stems from the fact that the meat is preserved with a load (corns) of salt.
Even now that many people own a fridge, corned beef is still widely used. In several countries, hash (a combination of corned beef and potatoes) is served as breakfast.
Freeze a cooked corned beef for 60-90 days; you can refrigerate it for 3-4 days without it spoiling.
Bologna:
From the name, it is glaring that the luncheon meat name originated from Bologna, Italy. Surprisingly, the natives do not order bologna themselves.
This deli meat is an alternative to many other types of luncheon meat due to its affordability; it is not expensive. Most people refer to it as a ‘mystery meat’ because of the unknown source of the meat.
Contrary to this, the meat is obtained from pork or beef; some butchers combine the two. Regardless of the flesh used, it must be well-grounded and powdered into a smooth paste.
The Italian butchers make bologna into sausage roll by fortifying the meat scraps with spices like salts, onions, etc.
The resulting product is rolled into a casing obtained from an animal intestine. This variety of bologna is called mortadella.
If a bologna tin has been left open, it can last up to 5 days if properly refrigerated. Do not eat if it has been left open at room temperature for more than 120 minutes.
Ham:
Ham is a common household luncheon meat; pork is the meat here. The hind leg of a hog is the pork meat source, which will have repeatedly been cured or preserved by salting or through smoking.
Ham’s meat is not limited to pork alone; chicken ham is also possible. It can be preserved or cured in the same way as the traditional ham.
Ham comes in different flavors, depending on the country; some include serrano ham and prosciutto ham. They are Spanish and Italian varieties, respectively.
Suppose the ham is fresh, unpreserved, or uncooked, refrigerate it for an average of 4 days. For the preserved but cooked ham, refrigerate it for 3-4days.
Other luncheon meats include salami, Dutch loaf, etc.
Now, there is really no difference between spam and luncheon meat. Just as corned beef is a variety of luncheon meat, so is spam. Besides spam is a brand name for a certain type of luncheon meat.
Though luncheon meat comes as pre-cooked, smoked, or roasted, eating an uncooked luncheon poses no health threat. The flesh contains nitrites; these chemicals kill all the germs that might be present in the meat.
The meat contains the appropriate nutrients, which will aid the proper functioning of the body. For instance, 10dekagram of luncheon meat can supply 16% of the total energy needed in a day.
Ten dekagrams of luncheon meat on consumption give a 0.11dekagram of fat, a 1.44 dekagram of protein, a 0.29 dekagram of protein, and 5.25 dekagrams of water.
It is also rich in cholesterol, which is useful in helping young people build their bodies. It has a sufficient amount of various vitamins required to boost the immune system.
The meat is free of fiber or fat; this makes it suitable for you, provided it is eaten in the right quantity.
It also supplies the body with 52.5% of water and 29% of protein of the total daily need.
The way you preserve your lunch meat will determine how long it will last; it also determines if it will lose or retain its taste. The safety of the luncheon meat is directly related to its preservation.
While some refrigerate their luncheon meat, others freeze theirs. According to the USDA food and safety inspection service, opened luncheon meat tin can stay fresh for 3-5days if refrigerated.
If you are on a journey, load the deli meat in a cooler packed with ice and then move it straight to the fridge once you reach home.
It is would also be great if you refrigerate at a temperature of about 40 degrees Fahrenheit, as this slows the replication of micro-organisms.
When kept in the fridge, ensure that the meat is well wrapped, reducing its chances of absorbing odor or being contaminated.
The uncooked and cooked luncheon meat forms should not be preserved in the same container. USDA food and safety inspection service advises that deli meat has to be frozen for 30-60 days. Before use, ensure that the meat is defrosted. It is best not to refreeze afterward.
Lastly, USDA food and safety inspection recommend that luncheon meat should be refrigerated at most 120 minutes after purchase.
Though the meat has the necessary nutrients, it also has its downsides.
A research carried out analyzed the sodium and fat content of luncheon meat. It was on the high side.
Excessive consumption of sodium is a risk factor for hypertension. Also, frequent intake of fat could lead to obesity and other health challenges.
The International Agency of research on cancer (IARC) classified luncheon meat as a substance that can cause cancer; it was put in group 1.
According to JAMA internal medicine, for every 50g of luncheon meat consumed, it raises the chances of one developing colorectal cancer by 18%. The reason for this is due to its high nitrites content.
Mere consumption of 4 slices of bacon in a week could increase one's chances of coming down with a cardiovascular-related disease. Hence, it is advisable to consume this meal healthily.
Several foods go well with luncheon. Here are some of the recipes you can make with luncheon meat:
Both are cool actually, but frying brings out the taste better; it also extends the meat's life span compared to the cooked one.
Though luncheon meat has its health risks, doing due diligence can help lessen the odds. Below are some of the things you need to check out before buying lunch meat:
Do not buy pre-packaged meat; most of them contain preservatives that are injurious to one's health.
The chances of buying fresh luncheon meats are high when you buy directly from the counter. You must know that cheap deli meat is stuck with a lot of fillers and preservatives.
Whenever you want to buy lunch meat, go for the one with low sodium content.
Also, check the sugar content; if you are watching your weight, it is better to go for the one with little or no sugar.
Compared to other luncheon meats, roast beef, chicken beat, and turkey are cool options to go for.
When the label says it is organic, it means it was processed free of antibiotics, additives, and the likes.
This ingredient is used to thicken the meat. This ingredient alone has been said to cause kidney issues. That is why you should always buy freshly cut luncheon meat.
As the saying goes," too much of everything is not good..." ensure you don't eat lunch meat too often. If you are pregnant, it is better to avoid it.
Spotting bad or unhealthy luncheon meat does not require getting a special skill; it just requires you to put your five sense organs to work. These are some little things you can be on the look for:
The color is like the first thing to check when you are about to purchase one. If you notice some brown or yellow patch on the lunch meat, it is an indicator that that meat is not healthy for eating.
Do not buy the deli meat if you perceive any foul smell.
Run your fingers through the lunch meat; if it is hard or sticky, that might signify that the meat has spoilt.
The cost of luncheon meat is dependent on the type of meat used, the packaging materials, the brand, quantity, and some other factors.
In 2015, in the Philippines, the prices of imported lunch meats increased by 40%. The increase in the import duties paid to the government was said to be the cause.
Depending on the factors mentioned above, the prices range from ₱120 to ₱400. Luncheon meat like chicken luncheon meat costs as low as ₱149 while, canned beef tomatoes (550g) go for ₱279.
Luncheon meat is a delicious meal; in fact, it goes well with other foods, but it is advisable to apply caution on the frequency of consumption.
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