These Are The Best Grocery Store Chains For Spiral Ham, According To Customers

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You know it's going to be a special dinner when a spiral ham makes it to the table as a centerpiece. Whether it's a holiday, a special occasion, or just any regular old day where you're looking forward to some leftovers (and perhaps whipping up a delicious navy bean and ham soup in the Instant Pot), a spiral ham is a great option for an easy and impressive protein that's great for using in a variety of ways. Add ingredients like breadcrumbs or preserves to take that ham to the next level, or simply thin-slice it for some outstanding sandwiches, and it's a total win.

Not all spiral hams are created equal, though, and it's only going to end in disappointment if you get one that's tough, dry, or overly fatty. No one wants that, especially since you're investing a significant amount of time and money into it. So, we wanted to know which stores were the most reliable when it comes to selling really tasty spiral hams.

Since consistency is key, we wanted to see what customers had to say about the hams they purchased from various grocery chains and which ones were receiving the most rave reviews. In addition to chain ratings, we also headed to social media to see what hams customers recommend most to others, and which are lauded for freshness, quality, affordability, and taste. Here's where you might want to shop when picking up your next spiral ham.

Die-hard fans know that there are a lot of benefits to shopping at Costco, from all those free samples to saving money on gas and the fact that refunds are super easy. It turns out that delicious spiral hams are another benefit, as Costco's Kirkland Signature Spiral Sliced Ham gets a lot of love from customers. Some Reddit users report that the now-familiar, red foil-wrapped ham has been a holiday tradition for years, adding that it's not just the ham that's delicious, but the glaze, too.

And we respect that, because we know all too well that a bad, too-sweet glaze can be an absolute dealbreaker. This Costco offering even wins fans from those who don't normally care for ham, and there are plenty of tips out there on how to make your ham even better. For example, some cook it on a rack to prevent a salty bottom. Since you're already at Costco, some also highly recommend picking up a few Hawaiian rolls from the bakery so you're prepared to whip up leftover ham sandwiches. Score!

Others confirm that this ham is so good that they get it a few times a year, not just during the holidays, noting that the glaze is versatile enough to switch up a bit with additions like pineapple, orange marmalade, or even rum. As we're also huge fans of making meals easier, we also love that plenty of customers report getting these hams, cutting and portioning out meal-sized pieces, freezing them for later. It's an all-around win, but we expected no less from Costco.

Aldi is another great option for affordable grocery shopping, and it famously prides itself on offering high-quality items at a low price. That includes the Appleton Farms Spiral Sliced Ham, which plenty of customers cite as their go-to option. Tellingly, even those who don't opt for ham as a regular thing say that Aldi is an absolutely reliable and consistent source for great spiral hams. 

Some Reddit users note that the texture of Aldi hams is a major selling point for them — and when it comes to ham, we all know that texture is everything. Others note that they pick up a few when they see a sale (which typically happens between Thanksgiving and Christmas), and portion them up into more manageable sizes for use throughout the year. That's a particularly helpful tip, as spiral hams can be too big for a single meal and even provide too much meat for use in leftovers, so cutting and freezing it when you bring it home is a great way to guarantee no waste. 

We will say that not everyone has glowing things to say about the glaze packets that Aldi includes with its ham, noting that while the meat was amazing, they'd opt for a different glaze next time. Fortunately, that's not a dealbreaker, as a glaze is incredibly easy to make yourself. (If you're looking for inspiration, we have a recipe for a spiral-sliced honey-glazed ham that's outstanding!)

Trader Joe's has an unexpected connection to Aldi, as both chains are linked to the Albrecht brothers. Long story short: Aldi was founded in Germany but split into Aldi Nord and Aldi Süd after the brothers had a disagreement. Aldi Nord later acquired Trader Joe's, while Aldi Süd owns what we know as Aldi in the U.S. Neat, right? We're here to talk about hams, though, and it makes sense that the Aldi-adjacent Trader Joe's is also offering some outstanding spiral hams that it advertises as coming from hormone-free, humanely-raised pigs. There are no added nitrates and nitrites, and the glaze packet is a straightforward one of spices, sugar, and oil.

Customers say that the ham is delicious, and love that the store usually has a variety of sizes on offer — including hams that are perfect for one or two people. Others note that it's the best they've ever tried, and it's even been compared to the gold standard of hams, Honey Baked. 

Trader Joe's is a great option if you prefer a ham that's on the less salty side, as these are uncured. They're still fully-cooked, though, and take an average of just about 12 to 15 minutes per pound (in other words, around two hours in the oven). That's great news if you also need that oven space for any one of a number of delicious pie recipes, because what goes better with a ham dinner than pie for dessert?

Here are a few pro tips for you. First, the best time to shop at Walmart for the freshest options is first thing in the morning, and secondly, if you're looking for variety when it comes to spiral-sliced hams, Walmart has several varieties. Head here to pick up your hams, and you'll be able to choose from options like the fan-favorite brown sugar as well as honey-cured, or hams with a salted caramel, bourbon, or maple butter glaze. There are also options for bone-in or boneless, depending on your personal preference. (We will, however, say that the ham bone is ideal for making a ham split pea soup.)

All of Walmart's options come highly rated by customers, and at the time of this writing, the bone-in brown sugar variety has more than 9,500 ratings. Five-star reviews praise these hams for being incredibly tender, delightfully juicy, and downright delicious, whether you're slicing them for dinner, using them for sandwiches, or even incorporating them into dishes like scalloped potatoes.

Other reviews note that they feel Walmart's hams don't just have great taste, but also provide great value. Some have this on their monthly to-buy list and end up using it for multiple meals. The reasonable price tag and high quality come together to make this one a favorite that's great for holidays and special occasions, but affordable and versatile enough for everyday meals, too. As for options like the salted caramel, that one gets some serious praise for being downright delicious and, surprisingly, not at all too sweet.

Is Target the first place that really comes to mind for picking up a spiral-sliced ham? Maybe not, which is probably why there aren't nearly as many reviews and ratings for the hams on Target's website as for other stores we looked at for this list. The reviews that do exist are largely favorable, with some customers saying that they were initially hesitant because of the low price point but that it's become a staple. 

Both Market Pantry and Good & Gather hams get high praise for being delicious, tender, and a reliable staple for holiday meals. Some note that these are perfect for first-timers, with easy-to-follow instructions that will make you look like you've done this countless times before.

There is one more thing we'd like to mention about Target's hams, and that's the fact that in our research, we found some places noting that Target occasionally offers online coupons for half off the spiral-sliced hams, usually in the week after Easter. It usually applies to both store brands of ham, and it's a great way to fill your freezer in a more affordable way.

There's a lot of debate over which has the better meat department, Sam's Club or Costco. Both have strengths, but it turns out that Sam's Club has won over a lot of fans with its Member's Mark spiral-sliced hams. The overwhelming number of five-star reviews for the brown sugar double-glazed ham praise it for being very convenient and easy to completely slice for freezing. Customers love that these are pre-cooked and easy to reheat, that they come out juicy and flavorful without being overly salty, and others love that the boneless option makes serving it extra-easy. 

We found multiple reviews that explained they were so good that customers picked up a few, loving the affordable price point and the fact that they made excellent leftovers and a variety of meals. Some note that it's flavorful enough that there's no need to use the glaze, while others say that the spice packet and glaze are downright delicious additions if you do choose to use them.

The standard fully cooked, double-glazed version also receives a lot of favorable reviews, with customers saying that it's an across-the-board win at holiday gatherings, not to mention much, much better for sandwiches than anything that comes out of a deli section. We get that — especially with the boneless variety being so easy to slice — and when you sauté some of the glazed leftover slices, you'll get deliciously caramelized ham for a next-day win.

In order to bring you some recommendations on which grocery stores have the best spiral-sliced hams, we wanted to get a wide selection of options. So, we started by scouring reviews and ratings from customers, and looked for those that came highly rated and favorably reviewed.

We looked for hams that were not only praised for being consistently flavorful and juicy, but hams that had customers buying multiples of. Affordability and quality were also important factors, along with a flavor that lent itself to a variety of uses and a texture that made for a winning dinner experience.