>>Now there's the deli section (where they probably keep the abbreviated delicatessen), where they'll slice it for you in any amount you want, but it just takes too long to wait, and the sliced stuff doesn't hold too well in the fridge (either gets too dry or develops the same sticky film all over).
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>The store where I shop has a kiosk at the entry where you can order what you want from the deli and they'll get it ready while you shop.

The trouble with that is that I want to see it first. If we did this more often and always at the same place, then maybe this would work, we'd know what they have. But the assortment in the places we shop is so varying, that it's more a matter of chance. Sometimes we just surprise ourselves with something they just happen to have, and sometimes we just buy nothing, because they don't have anything we may like.

Eat little, eat well :).

>This store also uses ziploc-type plastic bags. I find the deli meat and cheese keeps quite well. I buy half a pound of Dietz & Watson London Broil roast beef each week for my lunches; I get four sandwiches out of that. (Yeah, I know most people want more than 2 oz. on a sandwich, but I'm trying to eat carefully.)

Locking bags are pretty much the standard everywhere - haven't seen any other wrapping in quite a while.

Having a slicer at home turns out to be a hammer which finds surprisingly many nails. We slice bread, tomatoes, ham (found really good peasant-style DRY ham, no "water added" stuff), cheese on it. And the thickness of the slice is a matter of moment's inspiration - no need to know what the numbers on the slicer in the deli actually mean :).