Healthy frozen pizzas are an excellent time-saving dish that can be prepared as a nutritious entrée. With so many frozen pizza options on the market, however, there are undoubtedly options that are high in calories, artery-clogging saturated fat, and sodium. Consuming excessive calories on a regular basis may result in weight gain, putting you at risk for chronic diseases such as cardiovascular disease and type 2 diabetes.
If you enjoy frozen pizza as much as I do, choose the healthier options. Serve portions in moderation with a side salad and fruit for dessert. Consult the nutrition facts panel to determine the serving size, as it varies by pizza — sometimes it’s half the pizza, sometimes it’s 1/5 or even 1/6 of the whole slice! Even ordinary frozen pizza can be topped with leftover vegetables to reduce food waste and increase the vegetable content of the meal.
Below is a list of frozen pizzas with the lowest quality ingredients that should be avoided, along with alternatives recommended by dietitians. Also, for more Healthy Eating advice to help you plan your next grocery trip, be sure to read 6 Butter Brands With the Lowest Quality, According to Dietitians.
1. DiGiorno Chicken Alfredo Pizza
PER 1/4 PIZZA SERVING: 640 calories, 23 grams of fat (11 grams of saturated fat), 1,280 milligrams of sodium, 83 grams of carbohydrates (11 grams of sugar), and 24 grams of protein.
This mini pie is topped with Alfredo-style cream sauce and stuffed with mozzarella and parmesan cheese. A quarter of the pizza contains 640 calories, 55% of the daily recommended amount of artery-clogging saturated fat, 56% of the daily recommended amount of sodium, and the same number of calories as 5.5 slices of bread. Even a single serving of this dish is not the healthiest option.
2. Wegman’s Bake & Rise Supreme Frozen Pizza
PER 1/6 PIZZA SERVING: 360 calories, 13 g fat (5 g saturated), 760 mg sodium, 44 g carbohydrate (5 g sugar), 15 g protein
The serving measurement for Wegman’s Bake & Rise Supreme Frozen Pizza is one-sixth of the pizza, which makes it more difficult to maintain a healthy diet. If you wind up eating more, you will consume too many calories, sodium, and saturated fat. Numerous processed meats increase the saturated fat content, making it the less-healthy option.
Choose this option instead: Choose the White Veggie Thin Crust Pizza from Wegman’s, which is adorned with a white sauce, a variety of vegetables, part-skim mozzarella, and other cheeses. This pie’s serving size is one-third of the pie, which contains 240 calories.
3. Walmart’s Great Value Three Cheese Cauliflower Crust Pizza
400 calories, 21 g fat (9 g saturated), 830 mg sodium, 38 g carbohydrates (3 g sugar), and 16 g protein per 1/6 pizza serving.
Walmart’s Great Value Each portion of Three Cheese Cauliflower Crust Pizza contains 38 grams of carbohydrates, which are contributed by the brown rice flour used in its preparation. Plus, with 9 grams of saturated fat per serving, there are undoubtedly healthier options for a cauliflower crust.
Choose this option instead: According to Lauren Manaker, MS, RDN, LDN, CLEC, CPT, proprietor of Nutrition Now Counseling, Milton’s Craft Bakers Cauliflower Crust Pizza is a “frozen cauliflower crust pizza with a crave-able texture and delectable flavor.”
“With cauliflower as the primary ingredient, every bite of this pizza is loaded with vegetables,” says Manaker. In addition, this pizza contains no gluten or dubious ingredients.
4. Red Baron Fully Loaded™ Pepperoni Pizza
390 calories, 19 g fat (9 g saturated), 680 mg sodium, 38 g carbohydrates (7 g sugar), and 15 g protein per 1/6 pizza serving.
Red Baron Fully LoadedTM Pepperoni Pizza is a prepackaged pizza featuring two kinds of pepperoni, tomato sauce, and heaps of mozzarella cheese. It contains 45 percent of the daily recommended amount of saturated fat, which is not ideal for cardiac health.
Choose this option instead: Alex’s Awesome Sourdough Uncured Pepperoni pizza contains 290 calories and 2 grams less saturated fat per serving than the competitor’s pizza.
5. Screamin’ Sicilian Pizza Co. Stuffed Crust Supreme
360 calories, 19 g fat (8 g saturated), 770 mg sodium, 31 g carbohydrates (3 g sugar), and 15 g protein per 1/5 pizza serving.
The Screamin’ Sicilian Pizza Co. Stuffed Pastry Supreme is made with a cheese-stuffed pastry and has over 2.5 feet of cheese around the perimeter. Toppings include tomato sauce, whole milk mozzarella, pepperoni, sauce, vegetables, and olives. One serving (which is only one-fifth of the pizza) contains 40% of the daily recommended maximum for saturated fat—not the best option.
6. Freschetta Naturally Rising Crust Four Cheese Pizza
PER 1/5 PIZZA SERVING: 370 calories, 14 g fat (7 g saturated), 800 mg sodium, 48 g carbohydrate (9 g sugar), 16 g protein
Cheese can undoubtedly be a healthy component of a frozen pizza, but when added in excess, calories and saturated fat begin to rise. One-fifth of a portion of this Freschetta Naturally Rising Crust Four Cheese Pizza contains a lot of calories and 36% of the recommended daily maximum of saturated fat. This option has 35% of the recommended daily maximum for sodium per serving, as it contains a substantial amount of cheese.
Choose this option instead: Per serving, Amy’s Margherita Pizza contains only 270 calories, 4 grams of saturated fat, and 540 milligrams of sodium.
7. Banquet Pizza Double Stuffed Pepperoni
1 PIECE OF PIZZA CONTAINS 460 calories, 22 grams of fat (six grams of saturated fat), 1,300 milligrams of sodium, 44 grams of carbohydrates (five grams of sugar), and 21 grams of protein.
Two slices of Banquet Pizza Double Stuffed Pepperoni frozen pizza are included in each container. Each portion contains 460 calories and 57% of the daily recommended amount of sodium. If you consume both portions (which is not unheard of), you will consume close to 50 percent of your daily calories and exceed your sodium limit.
Try the Healthy Choice Turkey Pepperoni Flatbread Pizza as an alternative. With only 350 calories and 2 grams of saturated fat per serving, this is undoubtedly a healthier option.
8. Tombstone 5 Cheese Pizza
PER 1/4 PIZZA: 370 calories, 18 grams of fat (nine grams of saturated fat), 740 milligrams of sodium, 33 grams of carbohydrates (four grams of sugar), and 18 grams of protein.
Tombstone Five Cheese Pizza is a frozen pie prepared with one-third pound each of mozzarella, cheddar, Parmesan, asiago, and Romano cheese. Although it may be a cheese lover’s delight, the saturated fat content exceeds the recommended daily allowance by 45 percent.
Choose this option instead: Choose the 365 Rising Crust Four Cheese Pizza. You will still receive an adequate portion of cheesy deliciousness but with 300 fewer calories, less saturated fat, and less sodium per serving.
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