Q. What is the best way to store cold cuts?
Katie Olson
Madison, New Jersey

A. Use an airtight container.

Deli meats lose their freshness quickly once sliced, so it’s best to keep them for only three to five days; packaged meats also last that long after they’ve been opened. To prevent spoilage, store both in resealable plastic bags or airtight plastic containers and keep them in the -refrigerator’s meat drawer or toward the back, where it’s usually coldest.

More Cold Cut Solutions

Print Out Sandwich Recipes
Discover 19 quick lunchtime meals that take only minutes to prepare.

Find out How to Spot Spoiled Meat
Learn the signs that your sandwich filling is past its prime.

Check out Lunch-Box Favorites
Pack these food-saver products in your brown bag.

Ask a Question
Do you have another practical dilemma? Submit it online at askrealsimple@realsimple.com and the answer may appear on this page.

Your submission to Real Simple, including full name, city, state, and other contact information, gives us the right to modify, use, distribute, reproduce, publish and display the submission indefinitely in all media, means, and forms without any payment to you. Real Simple cannot guarantee a response to all questions and that submissions will not be acknowledged or returned. You hereby represent that you haven't copied the content from a book, magazine, newspaper, or other commercial source.