---
title: "Can you freeze deli meat? Yes"
description: "Yes — freezing is the safest way to keep sliced deli meat past a few days. What actually happens, what goes wrong, and what to do instead."
url: https://atoneplace.net/can-you/freeze-deli-meat/
site: "At One Place"
---

# Can you freeze deli meat?

**Yes: Yes — freezing is the safest way to keep sliced deli meat past a few days.**

Opened packs of deli meat only last three to five days in the fridge, and they support Listeria, which grows at refrigeration temperatures. Freezing stops that. Texture takes a hit: the higher the water content, the more the slices weep on thawing, so dry-cured salami freezes better than wet-brined turkey or ham. Separating slices with parchment before freezing means you can take out two rather than the whole pack.

## How to do it properly

1. Divide into portions and interleave slices with parchment
2. Wrap tightly and press out the air, which prevents freezer burn
3. Freeze within a day or two of opening the pack, not at the end of its fridge life
4. Thaw overnight in the fridge and use within a day

## What goes wrong

- Wet-brined meats thaw watery and limp
- Listeria grows at fridge temperatures, so thawed meat needs using promptly
- Refreezing after thawing costs a lot of texture

## Other "can you freeze" questions

- [Can you freeze cheese?](https://atoneplace.net/can-you/freeze-cheese/) — It depends — Yes, and it stays safe indefinitely — but hard cheese comes out crumbly and soft cheese comes out wet.
- [Can you freeze milk?](https://atoneplace.net/can-you/freeze-milk/) — Yes — Yes — leave headspace for expansion and shake it hard after thawing.
- [Can you freeze eggs?](https://atoneplace.net/can-you/freeze-eggs/) — It depends — Not in the shell. Beat them first, or freeze whites on their own.
- [Can you freeze bread?](https://atoneplace.net/can-you/freeze-bread/) — Yes — Yes — freezing is the best way to store bread, far better than the fridge.
- [Can you freeze bananas?](https://atoneplace.net/can-you/freeze-bananas/) — Yes — Yes — peel and slice them first, because the peel turns black and welds itself on.
- [Can you freeze cooked rice?](https://atoneplace.net/can-you/freeze-cooked-rice/) — Yes — Yes, and freezing quickly is the safest way to keep leftover rice.
- [Can you freeze raw chicken twice?](https://atoneplace.net/can-you/freeze-raw-chicken-twice/) — It depends — Only if it thawed in the fridge and never got above 4 °C (40 °F).
- [Can you freeze breast milk?](https://atoneplace.net/can-you/freeze-breast-milk/) — Yes — Yes — freeze it flat in bags, and use within six months for best quality.
- [Can you freeze avocado?](https://atoneplace.net/can-you/freeze-avocado/) — It depends — Yes, but only as a purée — frozen slices go grey and watery.
- [Can you freeze soup?](https://atoneplace.net/can-you/freeze-soup/) — It depends — Yes for most soups; cream, milk and potato-based ones separate or go grainy.
- [Can you freeze butter?](https://atoneplace.net/can-you/freeze-butter/) — Yes — Yes — butter freezes better than almost anything else in the fridge.
- [Can you freeze cooked pasta?](https://atoneplace.net/can-you/freeze-cooked-pasta/) — Yes — Yes — undercook it slightly and toss it in oil first, or it thaws into a solid block.

## Common questions

### Can you freeze deli meat?

Yes — freezing is the safest way to keep sliced deli meat past a few days.

### What happens if you freeze deli meat?

Wet-brined meats thaw watery and limp Listeria grows at fridge temperatures, so thawed meat needs using promptly Refreezing after thawing costs a lot of texture

## Related pages

- [Can you freeze cheese?](https://atoneplace.net/can-you/freeze-cheese/)
- [Can you freeze milk?](https://atoneplace.net/can-you/freeze-milk/)
- [Can you freeze eggs?](https://atoneplace.net/can-you/freeze-eggs/)
- [Can you freeze bread?](https://atoneplace.net/can-you/freeze-bread/)
- [Can you freeze bananas?](https://atoneplace.net/can-you/freeze-bananas/)
- [Can you freeze cooked rice?](https://atoneplace.net/can-you/freeze-cooked-rice/)
- [Can you microwave styrofoam?](https://atoneplace.net/can-you/microwave-styrofoam/)
- [Can you microwave aluminum foil?](https://atoneplace.net/can-you/microwave-aluminum-foil/)
- [Can you microwave plastic containers?](https://atoneplace.net/can-you/microwave-plastic-containers/)
- [Can you wash pillows?](https://atoneplace.net/can-you/wash-pillows/)
- [Can you wash sneakers in the washing machine?](https://atoneplace.net/can-you/wash-sneakers/)
- [Can you recycle pizza boxes?](https://atoneplace.net/can-you/recycle-pizza-boxes/)

## Sources

- Food Safety and Inspection Service — US Department of Agriculture (https://www.fsis.usda.gov/) [Public domain (US Government)]