5 Healthy Ham Types: Low Sodium Brands for Dinner
Discover healthier dinner options with low-sodium ham brands like Boar’s Head, Applewood Farms, Sugardale, Sahlen’s, Kretschmar, and Butterball.
If you are trying to have healthier dinners, especially this coming holiday season, look into low-sodium whole ham. You can have the same tasty and decadent meals with less salt. Making healthier choices does not mean you sacrifice the tastiness of your food.
Replacing food that is high in sodium with low sodium options is an easy and affordable way to eat healthier. With that in mind, we searched for brands that offer you low-sodium whole ham (also check out our favorite vegan ham options).
We wanted ham with a delectable flavor that did not come from salt alone. So here are the best low sodium whole ham brands for a healthier diner:
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Boar’s Head
Since 1905, Boar’s Head has served us with decadent deli products. From cheese to cold cuts, sausages and condiments, they perfected their products. They now offer low-sodium whole ham.
They have the widest variety of low-sodium ham (and lunch meat in general) on the market. You can find cured and uncured options, spicy ham, Italian roasted ham, and even gourmet ham. If you want ham for a charcuterie board or a sandwich, Boar’s Head is the place to look.
Applewood Farms
Applewood Farms offer a nice variety of low-sodium whole ham options. They have whole glazed and unglazed spiral hams, old-fashioned ham, honey-cured ham, and many others.
You can order directly from them to get a personalized and professionally cured whole ham for your family dinner.
Sugardale Country Inn
Country Inn offers the low-sodium version of classic boneless ham. At 820mg of sodium per 3-ounce serving, this ham has 25% less sodium than their classic boneless ham. You can get this low sodium option from any store that sells Sugardale products.
Sahlen’s
Sahlen’s has a 97% fat-free low sodium whole ham. You can order this ham via Instacart or pick it up from a store that stocks Sahlen’s products. It has 40% less sodium with around 500 mg of sodium per serving.
Kretschmar
Kretschmar is a Wisconsin-based brand that offers high-quality meats and cheeses. They specialize in providing gourmet-level meat and cheese for regular meals to make every meal special.
They have several low sodium whole ham options including a low sodium off-the-bone ham and lower sodium cooked deli ham. You can use any of their options for thanksgiving dinner, Friday night pizza, or a midweek sandwich dinner.
Butterball
If you want to get whole turkey ham, Butterball is the brand for you. They offer family-sized whole turkey ham with low sodium as well as low fat and low carb.
Turkey ham is a great alternative for those looking for a lower-calorie, higher-protein ham. It can make pizzas and sandwiches. You can also add Butterball turkey ham to salads, rice dishes, and any other quick dinner meal.
Tips for Making Dinner With Low Sodium Whole Ham
Buying low-sodium ham is a great step toward healthier dinners. As you look to reduce your salt intake, here are some helpful tips:
Take Serving Suggestions To Mind
While low sodium whole ham already has reduced salt, you can further reduce your salt intake by reducing the portion size (ditto for low sodium sausages, lunch meat, etc). Read the nutrition label to get familiar with the portion sizes of the brand you choose.
Sometimes, the sodium is low because the serving size is smaller than usual. Try adjusting your serving sizes to account for sodium content for a healthier dinner.
Try To Avoid Processed Cheese
For those taking the health and fitness journey more seriously than most of us, low fat, low sodium cheese is the way to go. If you simply want to reduce your salt intake, try to avoid processed cheese as much as you can.
Processed cheese, especially the sliced ones, is very high in sodium. Adding them to your sandwich or pocket pizza with ham can double your sodium intake for the meal.
Skip Canned Soups
Pairing your ham with soup is a perfect dinner option. But, beware that canned soups are notoriously high in sodium.
If in a bind, look for lower sodium varieties of your favorite canned soups. It is however better to make a soup yourself to control the amount of salt going in.
Be Careful of Condiments
Store-bought condiments are notoriously high in sodium per serving. Finding unsalted or low-salt options for your favorite condiments is a game changer for your sodium intake. Always check the nutritional label before purchasing condiments.
If you already bought it, consider taking a smaller serving. You can also skip the store-bought condiments and make your own or use avocado.
Pick Low Sodium Bread
If you are making a sandwich or serving bread on the side, consider picking a low-sodium bread option. While not typically a high-sodium food, bread can boost your salt intake at a meal.
For those with acute health issues or simply trying more mindful practices, bread is the easiest food to switch.
Buy Pre-Sliced
It can feel like blasphemy to buy pre-sliced ham, especially for major holidays. For those who present a whole ham at the dinner table, the next option can work for you. However, if you usually slice the ham before setting the table, this option works great.
There are many low-sodium and reduced-sodium sliced ham options. You can pick from turkey, beef, chicken, or pork ham options. You can also pick deli cuts or thicker cuts.
Hams from turkey and beef usually have a much lower sodium content than pork ham. Buying pre-sliced ham can help you practice further mindfulness on the amount of salt you consume.
You Can Make Your Own Whole Ham
If you feel like the sodium content in these brands is still too high, try making your whole ham. There are many recipes online that helpfully guide you through the process of making low-sodium whole ham.
Don’t look for perfection, just simply start. Making your ham is the best way to control the amount of salt going into the process.
This is especially important for pregnant women and people already suffering from heart and blood pressure issues. Making ham is also a fun activity for the whole family.
FAQs about Low Sodium Ham
Here are some of the most commonly asked questions about low-sodium ham.
Is there a low-sodium whole ham?
Yes, there are several low-sodium whole ham options available on the market. This list features the low sodium brands available. You can also choose to make your low-sodium whole ham.
What kind of ham is the lowest in sodium?
It depends on the brand. Generally speaking, turkey ham and chicken ham have lower sodium content.
If you want low sodium pork hams, look for packaging that indicates low sodium at the back. Alternatively, try organic hams or uncured hams. Uncured organic hams are the best low-sodium ham options.
Does Honeybaked Ham sell low-sodium ham?
Honeybaked Ham does indicate that their hams have 35% less sodium than average ham. The sodium content of Honeybaked Ham is around 800 mg per 3 ounces which is relatively low.
However, it is not as low as actual low sodium ham. You can get many more ham options with lower sodium content.
What is the healthiest ham to buy?
The healthiest ham to buy is any uncured ham. Uncured, cooked ham preserved with a mixture of sea salt, natural nitrite, and celery juice is commonly deemed as the healthiest ham.
