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Frozen pizzas are a fabulous time-saving dish, and can be made into a healthy meal. But with so many frozen pizza options on the market, there are certainly choices out there that are very heavy in calories, artery-clogging saturated fat, and sodium. Regularly eating too many calories can potentially result in weight gain, which can put you at risk for chronic diseases like cardiovascular disease and type 2 diabetes.
If you’re a frozen pizza lover (I know I am!) opt for the better-for-you options. Keep servings moderate and serve with a side salad and fruit for dessert. Do read the nutrition facts panel for the serving size as they change per pizza—sometimes it is half the pizza, while other times it’s 1/5 or even 1/6 of the whole pie! You can even top a plain frozen pizza with leftover veggies to help minimize food waste and add even more veggies to your meal.
Below is a list of 12 frozen pizzas with the lowest quality ingredients that are worth skipping, plus dietitian-approved alternatives to replace them with. Also, for more Healthy Eating advice to help inform your next trip to the grocery store, be sure to check out 6 Lowest Quality Butter Brands, According to Dietitians.
Per 1/4 pizza serving: 640 calories, 23 g fat (11 g saturated), 1,280 mg sodium, 83 g carbs (11 g sugar), 24 g protein
This small pie is topped with creamy Alfredo-style sauce and loaded with mozzarella and parmesan cheeses. The calories for a quarter of the pizza is 640 calories, 55% of the recommended daily amount of artery-clogging saturated fat, 56% of the daily recommended amount of sodium, and the equivalent of 5.5 slices of bread. Even eating one serving of this bad boy isn’t the healthiest idea.
Opt for this pick instead: Opt for Digiorno’s Thin Crust Margarita Pizza which has 270 calories for the same portion and a fraction of the amount of saturated fat and carbs. Even the sodium is cut by more than 50% providing 27% of the recommended daily maximum.
Per 1/6 pizza serving: 360 calories, 13 g fat (5 g saturated), 760 mg sodium, 44 g carbs (5 g sugar), 15 g protein
The serving size for Wegman’s Bake & Rise Supreme Frozen Pizza is one-sixth of the pizza, which is a bit tougher to stick to. If you end up eating more, the calories, sodium, and saturated fat will be just too much. The numerous processed meats do up the saturated fat content, making it the unhealthier choice.
Opt for this pick instead: Choose Wegman’s White Veggie Thin Crust Pizza topped with a white sauce, numerous veggies, and part-skim mozzarella and other cheeses. The serving size on this pie is 1/3 of the pie, which provides 240 calories.
Per 1/6 pizza serving: 400 calories, 21 g fat (9 g saturated), 830 mg sodium, 38 g carbs (3 g sugar), 16 g protein
Walmart’s Great Value Three Cheese Cauliflower Crust Pizza is made with brown rice flour, which contributes to the 38 grams of carbs that is provided by each slice. Plus, with 9 grams of saturated fat per serving, there are certainly better cauli-crust options out there.
Opt for this pick instead: According to Lauren Manaker, MS, RDN, LDN, CLEC, CPT, owner of Nutrition Now Counseling, picking up Milton’s Craft Bakers Cauliflower Crust Pizza because it is a “cauliflower crust frozen pizza that has a craveable consistency and delicious flavor.”
“With cauliflower as the first ingredient, each bite of this pizza provides some serious veggies,” adds Manaker. “Plus, this pizza is gluten-free and free from any questionable ingredients.”
Per 1/6 pizza serving: 390 calories, 19 g fat (9 g saturated), 680 mg sodium, 38 g carbs (7 g sugar), 15 g protein
Red Baron® Fully Loaded™ Pepperoni Pizza is a frozen pizza option made with two types of pepperoni, tomato sauce, and mounds of mozzarella cheese. It provides a whopping 45% of the recommended daily amount of saturated fat, which isn’t the best choice for heart health.
Opt for this pick instead: Alex’s Awesome Sourdough Uncured Pepperoni pizza provides 290 calories for 1/3 pie serving, and 2 grams less saturated fat per serving.
Per 1/5 pizza serving: 360 calories, 19 g fat (8 g saturated), 770 mg sodium, 31 g carbs (3 g sugar), 15 g protein
Made with a cheese-stuffed crust, the Screamin’ Sicilian Pizza Co Stuffed Crust Supreme has over 2.5 feet of cheese around the edge. Toppings include tomato sauce, whole milk mozzarella, pepperoni, sauce, veggies, and olives. The saturated fat of one serving (which is only 1/5th the pizza) is 40% your daily recommended daily max—not the best choice
Opt for this pick instead: Try Sweet Earth’s plant-based Pepperoni Lover’s Pizza for 260 calories and 4.5 grams of saturated fat per serving.
Per 1/5 pizza serving: 370 calories, 14 g fat (7 g saturated), 800 mg sodium, 48 g carbs (9 g sugar), 16 g protein
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Cheese can certainly be a healthy part of a frozen pizza, but when you put a little too much cheese, the calorie and saturated fat start to increase. In this Freschetta® Naturally Rising Crust Four Cheese Pizza, the calories are rather high for eating 1/5 of a slice, and the saturated fat is 36% of your daily recommended max. With loads of cheese also comes salt, and this option weighs in with 35% of the recommended daily max of sodium per serving.
Opt for this pick instead: Amy’s Margarita Pizza is a nice option that has only 270 calories, 4 grams of saturated fat, and 540 milligrams of sodium per serving.
Per 1 slice pizza: 460 calories, 22 g fat (6 g saturated), 1,300 mg sodium, 44 g carbs (5 g sugar), 21 g protein
Banquet Pizza Double Stuffed Pepperoni frozen pizza comes as two slices in a package. Each slice has a whopping 460 calories and 57% of your daily recommended sodium. Eat both slices (which isn’t unheard of), and you’re close to 50% of your total daily calories and over your daily sodium limit.
Opt for this pick instead: Try Healthy Choice Turkey Pepperoni Flatbread Pizza. With 350 calories and only 2 grams of saturated fat per serving, it’s certainly a better-for-you choice.
Per 1/4 pizza: 370 calories, 18 g fat (9 g saturated), 740 mg sodium, 33 g carbs (4 g sugar), 18 g protein
Tombstone 5 Cheese Pizza is a frozen pie made with 1/3 pound of mozzarella, cheddar, Parmesan, asiago, and Romano cheese. Although it may be a cheese-lover’s delight, it’s just too much of a good thing driving up the saturated fat to 45% the recommended daily amount.
Opt for this pick instead: Choose 365 Rising Crust Pizza Four Cheese. You’ll still get a reasonable potion of cheesy goodness but for 300 calories, and less saturated fat and sodium per serving.
Per 1/2 pizza: 390 calories, 13 g fat (8 g saturated), 1,000 mg sodium, 48 g carbs (11 g sugar), 19 g protein
Although you may think a cauliflower crust automatically makes a frozen pizza healthier, it also depends on what’s on the pizza. One serving (or half) of California Pizza Kitchen Cauliflower Crust BBQ Recipe Chicken Pizza provides 40% of saturated fat and 43% of the daily recommended maximum of sodium.
Opt for this pick instead: With only 350 calories, 5 grams of saturated fat, and 540 milligrams of sodium per serving, Caulipower’s Margherita Pizza is a better-for-you cauliflower crust-powered choice compared to the latter. Top it with a few pieces of leftover barbecue chicken, and it’s still a healthier option—plus, this is a good way to minimize food waste, too.
Per 1/4 pizza: 400 calories, 24 g fat (10 g saturated), 990 mg sodium, 29 g carbs (5 g sugar), 16 g protein
When you pick up a frozen pizza at your local membership warehouse store, it’s not only about quantity—you also want quality. With more saturated fat than any other brand, there are better choices than Costco’s Kirkland Signature Pepperoni Pizza out there that you can buy with coupons or on sale.
Opt for this pick instead: If you must have pepperoni on your pizza, Newman’s own has a killer Uncured Pepperoni Pizza for 370 calories and 2 grams less saturated fat per serving. If you can forget the pepperoni, Newman’s Own makes a delish margarita pizza for only 320 calories and 7 grams of saturated fat per serving.
Per pizza: 460 calories, 25 g fat (9 g saturated fat), 1,070 mg sodium, 40 g carbs (3 g fiber, 5 g sugar), 18 g protein
French bread may sound delightful, but those carbs add up in Stouffer’s Three Meat French Bread Pizza. Along with the variety of meats, it ups the value to a whopping 460 calories per serving.
Opt for this pick instead: Good and Gather’s Signature Wood-Fired Mushroom & Caramelized Red Onion Frozen Pizza provides 320 calories, 7 grams of saturated fat, and 640 milligrams of sodium. Also, those mushrooms provide a similar umami flavor as meat, so it’s a nice alternate option to have.
Per 1 pizza: 430 calories, 18 g fat (10 g saturated), 870 mg sodium, 50 g carbs (9 g sugar), 16 g protein
Red Baron® Deep Dish Singles, Four Cheese Pizza‘s deep dish element makes those carbs add quickly, with these pies containing more carbs than three standard slices of pizza. This is also on top of using numerous kinds of cheese, and having saturated fat is quite high, at 51% of the daily recommended maximum.
Opt for this pick instead: If you’re looking for a frozen pizza-type dish, try Snow Days Pizza Bites. These babies are grain free and made with cassava flour. Per serving, you’ll get 240 calories, 6 grams of saturated fat, and 450 milligrams of sodium—a fraction of the deep dish stuff.
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