Tuesday, January 15, 2013

When I'm ready to let Bob cook ...

This is a Sponsored post written by me on behalf of Boar's Head. All opinions are 100% mine.

It's hard to believe, but my husband - who has been in the hospital since September 6 - has just been cleared to eat anything he likes. Anything. No need for soft foods or small pieces. He can have anything. And now we're starting to talk about him coming home soon.

And I'm starting to think about what I'm going to cook for him. I can't wait to stuff him with home made food.

But I'm also thinking about what Bob can cook for himself. Because I'm sure there's going to come a time when he's going to want to fix a snack or lunch for himself.

And when I say "cook for himself" I mean "what can he fix to eat that doesn't require heat, fire, or sharp objects?"

Sandwiches fit the bill pretty well. But here's the deal. We don't eat a lot of processed foods in general, and if he's making sandwiches for himself, I'd like them to be made from good-quality products. A little less sodium would be nice.

Since we don't eat a lot of processed products, I think we're doing a good job managing sodium consumption. I don't want to start bringing in all sorts of salty products, but I want the food to taste good. If it's got no flavor, no one's going to be happy. So I thought it was a great opportunity to be able to try some of Boar's Head lower sodium deli meats and cheeses and see if I'd want to buy them for Bob when he gets home.

I picked up three different Boar's Head items - the Black Forest Lower Sodium Smoked Ham, the Lower Sodium Roasted Turkey, and Lower Sodium Bologna.

Of the three of them, I liked the bologna the least. But it wasn't the fault of the product, it was the fault of the store - they sliced the bologna thin and didn't remove the plastic casing. I didn't realize the casing was on it, and it was a bit unpleasant. Next time, I'll check to make sure the plastic is off.

The flavor of the bologna was good, and I have to say that I didn't miss the salt. Boar's Head says the salt isn't needed because the meat is better qualtiy so it doesn't need a lot of enhancements.

The turkey was pretty good. It wasn't like lunchmeat-turkey, it was more like actual roast turkey that was juicy and flavorful. This is something I could see buying for sandwiches or maybe even for recipes. A thick slice could be cut into cubes and used for things like fried rice or maybe a stir-fry or taco filling..

The ham was actually my favorite. It was a little sweet and - hey, how about this - not overly salty. Some deli hams taste overly salty to me. I'm fine with that on rare occasions, but if sandwiches start being a regular for lunch, I think I'd prefer this less-salty version.

This is the first time I've tried Boar's Head products, and I was pleasantly surprised. And the array of mustards caught my eye - I'm bit of a mustard fiend. I'll have to check those out anothr time.

So, tell me, are you concerned about sodium? Are you looking for lower-sodium alternatives? Have you tried Boar's Head products? Do you have a favorite?

Visit Sponsor's Site
Yum