When it starts changing to a different color, it’s a sign that the ham could be starting to turn. Gray, brown, black or green tones aren’t typical. If you see these colors, it’s likely time to toss the ham.

It’s perfectly fine and safe to eat. If you notice that the smell of the ham isn’t quite right, even if ever so slightly, it’s past its prime, and you should discard it. Fresh hams turn a whitish gray color when they are cooked.

Sometimes, ham turns brown or grey as a result of proteins breaking down. In their normal state, hams appear brightly coloured with a pinkish-grey hue. Sometimes hams can appear pale pink, but the pale colour doesn’t indicate bacteria growth. Instead, it simply means that the ham contains a lot of water.

But in many cases, consuming food a day or two past its best by date isn’t the worst idea. However, that’s not to say that eating expired food is without risk. Eating expired foods or foods that are past their best-by date can expose your body to harmful bacteria that can cause vomiting, diarrhea, and a fever.

A plastic-wrapped ham will keep about one week. A vacuum-packaged ham should be consumed by the “use by” date or within 1 week after the “sell by” date. Both plastic-wrapped and vacuum-packaged hams can be frozen.

Ham, like any other meat, can go bad. When it comes to signs that ham is spoiled, your senses is pretty much what you work with to decide if the meat is still okay or not. When it comes to visual signs, if it’s cooked or cured and it turned slimy, it’s definitely past it’s prime, and you should get rid of it.

three to five days

3 to 5 days

Not all deli meats are created equal — here are the best and worst ones for you

• No. 8: Salami. Hollis Johnson.
• No. 7: Bologna. Hollis Johnson.
• No. 6: Pastrami. Hollis Johnson.
• No. 5: Honey Ham. Hollis Johnson.
• No. 4: Roast Beef. Hollis Johnson.
• No. 3: Black Forest Smoked Ham.
• No. 2: Oven-Roasted Turkey.
• No. 1: Smoked Turkey.

Along with cold cuts, other processed meats include bacon, salami, bologna, hot dogs and sausages. Fresh chicken, turkey, beef, pork and fish that have not been modified are considered unprocessed meats.

1. Chicken, tuna or hard-boiled egg salad using plain Greek yogurt or avocado instead of mayo.
2. Get creative with ingredients like tofu, tempeh or legumes (like chickpeas) to fill your sandwich (Check out this egg-less egg salad recipe or this curried chicken-less salad.)
3. Hummus with or without fresh or roasted veggies.