Lightlife Smart Deli - various flavors Review

One thing that you miss out on by being a Vegetarian is a good old fashioned sandwich.  Sure you can still have PB&J, or Grilled Cheese, but neither of those satisfy the craving for yummy mustard!  Before I was a vegetarian, I didn't eat lunch meat all that much, but it did help because I wasn't going to eat a cheese and mustard sandwich.

When I found Smart Deli Veggie Protein Slices, I finally found a reason to buy yummy mustards again!  I could actually make a sandwich.  Smart Deli comes in various flavors with the ones I eat being Turkey, Ham and Bologna.  You can also buy Chicken or Pepperoni but I never tried those.  The one that is the most realistic tasting is the Bologna, but none of them taste like Meat.  That's not why I eat them!  I don't need it to taste like a Turkey sandwich, I just need it to taste good.  My sandwich is always yummy and satisfying when I make it with Smart Deli.  However, meat eaters I know do not enjoy it because it doesn't taste like meat.

Each package comes with about 12 slices and you need 4 to make a meal.  I usually buy the 3 kinds listed above and use a mix of them for my sandwich.  The slices come vacuum sealed with an expiration date that is usually a month or two out.  I like that they last a long time.  What I don't like is that once you cut open the package, there is no way to seal it back up.  I get around this by storing all 3 packages in a large zip lock bag.  The slices can be hard to pull apart at times, but you get used to it and you'll get the hang of it if you are patient. 

As for health, these slices seem to have all the benefits of meat with none of the downsides.  You get 14 grams of protein per serving which is great for a Vegetarian who otherwise doesn't get much protein!  There is 0 fat and only 80 calories.  Now you can feel guilt free using the fattening cheese because you know the meat is 0 fat.  The only downside is that, as with lunchmeat, there is about 500 mg of salt.  You can't get around that with any prepackaged food, so it isn't that much of a downside.  Just drink lots of water!

I've also tried Yves veggie slices and I didn't enjoy them as much.  I now buy Smart Deli whenever I'm craving a sandwich.  I don't buy them often, perhaps once every other month.  The 3 packages last me a little over a week because I'll eat a sandwich often until they are gone.  If I weren't trying to mix up my diet, I'd buy them more often :)  If you are looking for an alternative to lunchmeat, or you don't exactly care for the regular Meat taste, then check the Vegetarian section of your grocery store today! 

Note: These are not found at all stores.  One Kroger has them, another does not.  Usually they are not in the regular Meat or Fridge section.  My Kroger has a special fridge just for Vegetarian.  Check out the store locator on lightlife.com to find where you can buy them.