Honey Baked Ham is a mainstay on American tables during the holidays. For many, they just wouldn’t be the same without it.
But this establishment serves up much more than Thanksgiving fare. And, although some of their menu items knock it out of the park, others just aren’t worth it.
Today, we’re rounding up this family favorite’s best and worst.
Let’s dig in!
About the Honey Baked Ham Company
In the 1920s, Harry John Hoenselaar was a salesman for William Hubenet, who owned the Honey Baked Ham Company in Detroit, Michigan. When Hubenet died, Hoenselaar bought it from his widow. But he didn’t plan to carry on the status quo. He had bigger things in mind.
Hoenselaar was busy tinkering in his workshop when he wasn’t selling meat. He built the prototype for a spiral slicer that could cut bone-in hams using scrap wood, a tire jack, and the motor from a washing machine. In 1949, he patented the device.
Until this point, slicing one required a skilled butcher and plenty of time. His new fully automated machine cut that time down to 30 seconds. Along with his curing process and streamlined cooking procedure, his spiralizer allowed him to take things to the next level.
The Hoenselaar children continued his legacy, expanding the brand to nearly 500 year-round retail locations. These days, besides their world-famous pork shoulder, they serve a range of sandwiches, salads, and soups. Of course, they also have sides and desserts to complete your meals.
Today, the third generation runs the company. They take pride in their products and have a loyal following who order from them for every major holiday.
Why Is Honey Baked Ham So Popular?
Honey Baked Ham is famous for the crunchy, sugary glaze on their signature smoked meats. It’s the perfect ratio of sweet and savory, and you can’t find it anywhere else. They apply this mixture after they slice it so every bite is flavorful.
But the perfect Thanksgiving centerpiece starts before the cooking process. They meticulously select the finest pork and poultry. Then, they smoke them for up to 24 hours over a blend of hardwood chips. Once infused with that woodsy aroma, they’re sliced and glazed with the secret family recipe.
When you bring home a half ham wrapped in gold foil, you’ll feel like you’re opening a present on Christmas morning.
It might seem like a contradiction, but they’re also committed to the well-being of all animals that end up on your dinner table. They only partner with suppliers and independent farmers who take the same stance.
The company also makes a point of giving back to the community in several ways. They have a longstanding relationship with Feeding America, a group dedicated to ensuring everyone can access healthy food. They’ve helped donate about six million meals to needy families.
Finally, the brand takes sustainability seriously. They intentionally partner with other eco-friendly companies and champion water management, energy conservation, and recycling in their stores.
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Is Honey Baked Ham Processed Meat?
When you think of processed foods, you might imagine hot dogs or chicken nuggets. However, anything cured or smoked counts, regardless of whether it contains added preservatives. And that includes our beloved Honey Baked Ham.
While plenty of studies have shown a connection between eating this type of product and adverse health effects, correlation doesn’t equal causation. In fact, other research shows that folks who eat more meat also tend to use tobacco and consume fewer fruits and vegetables. These other factors could contribute to their findings.
So, although ham is technically processed, we won’t be swearing it off, especially on special occasions.
Best Food at Honey Baked Ham
You already know that Honey Baked Ham has a near cult-like following. Folks purchase their hams, turkeys, and specialty sides religiously. Here are a few of their most popular items.
Bone-In Half Ham
The dish that started it all is Honey Baked Ham’s signature bone-in half ham. With a sweet, crunchy glaze and rich, tender texture, it’s hard to pass up. And best of all, no matter how big of a crowd you have on the holidays, you’ll likely have some left over for sandwiches the next day.
And although processed meats get a bad rap, you can feel good knowing that a single serving only has 170 calories and nine grams of fat. Live a little and treat yourself when one of these bad boys is on the table!
Baked Cinnamon Apples
Most folks cut themselves slack on their diet around the holidays, but it’s still nice to know you can indulge in a little dessert without going overboard.
Honey Baked Ham takes fresh Granny Smith apples and bakes them with brown sugar, cinnamon, and butter. The result is a deliciously sweet treat that won’t blow your macros for the day. Each one-third cup serving is about 90 calories and a measly two grams of fat. It does include a significant amount of sugar, but that’s not too bad compared to other desserts.
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Tuscan-Style Broccoli
We know broccoli doesn’t usually make it into lists of favorite menu items. But then again, Honey Baked Ham knows how to jazz up their veggies!
They roast the tiny trees for their Tuscan-style broccoli, then toss them with olive oil, garlic, parmesan cheese, and a squeeze of lemon. Better yet, each cupful has only 150 calories. However, it also has 13 grams of fat, but we like to think the nutrient-dense veggies make up for that.
Worst Food at Honey Baked Ham
Unfortunately, with the good comes the bad. We have to admit we’ve had difficulty finding food at Honey Baked Ham that simply doesn’t taste good. But they have some options you might want to avoid if you’re watching your calorie count.
Double Cheddar Mac and Cheese
We all love mac and cheese, but this side dish from Honey Baked Ham doesn’t sit well after reviewing the nutrition information. Each serving weighs in at 390 calories and 22 grams of fat. Along with those numbers, it contains nearly half of your day’s sodium intake.
Considering that this isn’t a whole meal, it’s hard to justify the stats on this one. If you order it alongside a hearty sandwich, you might come away feeling a little too stuffed.
Tavern Club Sandwich
One of Honey Baked Ham’s most popular items is the Tavern Club. It’s piled high with ham, turkey, and bacon, then topped with lettuce, tomato, and cheddar cheese.
But don’t let its simplicity fool you. This whopper tips the scales at over 1,000 calories. And that’s just the sandwich, not the whole meal. To make matters worse, it contains 59 grams of fat and a staggering 2,830 milligrams of sodium!
Lemon Cream Cake
Our last item comes straight out of the Honey Baked Ham catalog. It’s a frozen lemon cream cake they ship to you. While that sounds convenient, it might be a little less appetizing when you realize you’re paying $50 for a dessert that isn’t even fresh.
Its nutritional stats don’t help, either. At 460 calories and 27 grams of fat, we’d rather have something made locally. That way, we can really enjoy the splurge.
Not near a Honey Baked Ham restaurant? You can pick up their Tantalizing Bar-B-Q Sauce online!
Is Honey-Baked Ham Worth It?
Like any establishment, Honey Baked Ham’s menu has slam dunks and flops. We’d be disappointed to find no ham or turkey on our Thanksgiving table! But we can do without some of their heavier items.
Whether you love them or hate them, we don’t think they will go anywhere soon!
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