We Graded Every Deli Meat A–F. The Whole Aisle Caps at C+.

Lean deli turkey and ham get sold as a high-protein lunch staple, so we ran the cold-cut case through the same 6-dimension Labelgrade — and the whole aisle caps at C+. The lean cuts are passable protein, but sodium and processing (the nitrites that cure and color them) drag every single one down before it can climb higher. Bologna, which is more fat than protein, is the floor. This isn’t 'deli meat is poison' — it’s that even the best of it is lunch-in-moderation, and the fattier stuff isn’t really a protein source at all.

The verdict

Hillshire Farm Ultra Thin Oven Roasted Turkey Breast topped a capped field at C+ (69); Oscar Mayer Bologna — more fat than protein — was the floor at C- (57).

Top of the class C+ Hillshire Farm Ultra Thin Oven Roasted Turkey Breast 69/100

Bottom of the class C- Oscar Mayer Bologna 57/100

The full report card — all 5 deli meats, ranked

#	Deli meat	Grade	Score	Weakest link
1	Hillshire Farm — Ultra Thin Oven Roasted Turkey Breast	C+	69	fiber (30/100)
2	Oscar Mayer — Oscar Mayer, Deli Fresh, Blackened Turkey Breast	C+	67	sodium (15/100)
3	Oscar Mayer — Smoked Ham	C+	67	sodium (23/100)
4	Hillshire Farm — Farm Classics Honey Roasted Turkey Breast	C+	65	sodium (16/100)
5	Oscar Mayer — Bologna	C-	57	sodium (20/100)

Worth a closer look

The two ends of the list tell the story. Hillshire Farm Ultra Thin Oven Roasted Turkey Breast tops the class at 69/100 (C+); Oscar Mayer Bologna anchors the bottom at 57/100 (C-). Click any product for its full fact sheet — the six dimension sub-scores, the per-serving label, and what would move its grade. Prefer to slice it yourself? Filter every graded product by the dimension you care about.

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How we graded these

Each product is scored on six dimensions — protein density, ingredient quality, added sugar, sodium, fiber, and saturated fat — combined into a 0–100 score and a letter grade. Every number comes from the product’s own label, verified against USDA FoodData Central. The grade is absolute (relative to all packaged foods), which is why a whole category can land in the same band. See the full methodology. Last graded 2026-06-04.

Frequently Asked Questions

Which deli meat scored highest?

Hillshire Farm Ultra Thin Oven Roasted Turkey Breast — lean, higher protein, lower fat — led the set at a C+, just ahead of the Oscar Mayer turkey and smoked ham. See the ranked table above for the full order and each meat’s weakest dimension.

Why did bologna score lowest?

Bologna is more fat than protein, so it loses on protein density and saturated fat, then sodium and nitrite-style additives finish the job — and those are four of our six dimensions working against it at once. That’s how it lands a C-, the floor of the category.

Is deli meat actually healthy?

The lean cuts — turkey breast and ham — are a reasonable protein in moderation, but the sodium and processing are why even they stop at C+, and why nutrition bodies flag processed meats. Treat lean slices as an occasional lunch and bologna as a treat, not a protein source.

How is the grade calculated?

Six dimensions — protein density, ingredient quality, added sugar, sodium, fiber, and saturated fat — combine into a 0–100 score and a letter grade. Every number is from the product’s own label, verified against USDA data. Full method on our methodology page.