Ham for the holidays

If ham is a traditional part of your holiday feasts and you won't have the time to make one from scratch, consider one of the spiral hams we taste-tested. Order your spiral ham early. If you run out of time or don't want to spend for shipping—in one case last year we spent $55 to get a single ham to our headquarters—check company sites for retail stores in your area.

Read about spiral hams that will have you pigging out and best hams for the holidays to find out how we tested spiral hams and learn more about online ordering and delivery. (All prices noted below are the prices as tested.)

Stuck on what to get for everyone in your family? Consumer Reports has you covered, with expert selections for moms, dads, grandparents, kids, and teens. For a comprehensive list, check out our Holiday Gift Ideas page.

HoneyBaked Half ($74)

Our top-rated spiral ham, the HoneyBaked Half is flavorful and complex with balanced tastes of clove, fruit, and brown sugar that complement ham’s natural flavors. Consistently moist and tender. In our tests, it reheated well and didn’t dry out.

Smithfield Brown Sugar Cured and Spiral Siced ($80)

Fairly flavorful; not sweet or complex. Ham flavor complemented by strong salt and smoke. Slightly sour. Texture varied ham to ham.

Applewood Farms Spiral Sliced ($35)

Flavor varied ham to ham, but moist and (at its best) sweet, with fruit and brown-spice flavors. Low smoke, not very complex. Included glaze enhances flavors and balances salt.