Freezing slows bacterial growthm but does not kill bacteria. The biggest sources of meat contamination are hands and slicing equipment, so deli meat has high exposure. In addition, processed meats lose a lot of texture and flavor when you freeze them.

So, it is safe to store them one month, according to the USDA, but if you are close to the deli you will get them fresh, eh? If you are going to freeze, take straight home, package in a thin layer and freeze.

The best to store are the sliced real meats, like corned beef, pastrami, roast chicken or turkey. Worst, bologna, salami, etc. Ham type stuff loses some flavor. I do freeze ham bones or sausage ends that are going into a soup, as soon as they are stripped of their meat.

I can only get capricola one place, so I do freeze this, sliced, laid out thin on a piece of wax paper, in a real freezer bag, in serving size portions for my muffaletta...

If you do freeze, lay out in serving size amounts, thaw ONLY in the refrigerator (or if you are packing a lunch, you make the sandwich with frozen and it stays cold).

Don't refreeze it, and once you have taken it out of the freezer, don't keep putting it in and out of the fridge. If you don't use it in a few days, chunk it into your beans or soup pot.