Healthier fast food at pizza chains

Healthier fast food at pizza chains

Pizza isn’t considered health food—and for good reason. It’s high in calories and typically loaded with fatty meats and cheese with little nutritional value. But it is possible to indulge in pizza now and again without completely undoing your healthy diet—the key is portion control. Just two slices can easily add up to 600 calories, 12 grams of sugar, and more than a full day’s worth of sodium. Eating any more than that and it’s almost impossible to stay within healthy limits for calories, fat, sodium, or sugar.

Of course, not all pizza slices are equal. A large slice of pizza is almost 40% bigger than a medium slice of pizza, with the corresponding calorie bump. And don’t be fooled by the personal pan pizza, which are usually 800 calories or more. If you do choose a personal pizza, eat half and save the rest for later.

Tips for making smarter choices at pizza joints:

• Order thin crust instead of regular crust, and avoid deep-dish or pan pizza at all costs! Not only is thin crust the healthiest option, but it’s also the most authentic version of a true Italian pie.
• Order by the slice rather than a whole pizza, especially if you’re eating alone. It will satisfy your craving for pizza without tempting you to overindulge.
• Order your pizza lighter on cheese. A little cheese can go a long way! You can also try substituting lower-calorie ricotta cheese for mozzarella. At the very least, don’t order extra cheese—many pizza chains use low quality, sometimes processed cheese.
• Load your pizza up with veggie toppings. Most chains have lots of healthy options, including tomato, peppers, mushrooms, spinach, artichoke, garlic, onion, and broccoli.
• Limit processed meat toppings, such as pepperoni, bacon, sausage, and ham. If you must have meat, stick to chicken or steak.
• Avoid pasta, which tends to be less healthy than the pizza at fast food joints. Fast food pasta dishes are usually little more than a heaping serving of refined-carb noodles and calorie-heavy sauces.
• Skip the sides. Say no to garlic knots, mozzarella sticks, and cheesy bread. You’ll cut out a lot of extra calories, carbs, and unhealthy fat.
• Check out small, local pizza joints instead of the national chains. Some may use higher quality ingredients and offer healthier options.

Healthier pizza and Italian fast food options
INSTEAD OF…	TRY…
Cheese-filled or deep dish pizza	Thin-crust pizza (whole-wheat, if available)
Meat lover’s pizza	Veggie lover’s pizza
Pepperoni, meatballs, bacon, or sausage toppings	Chicken or steak
Garlic or “cheesy” bread	Plain rolls or breadsticks

Best menu choices at top pizza chains

When it comes to pizza, “best menu choices” really translates to “less bad menu choices.” Please also notes: these nutrition figures refer to one or two slices only, even for those products sold as whole pizzas.

• California Pizza Kitchen Pepperoni Supreme Thin Crust (2 slices): 338 calories, 7 grams saturated fat, 1,016 mg sodium
• Chuck E. Cheese Canadian Bacon and Pineapple Pizza (1 large slice): 272 calories, 8 grams fat (3 grams saturated fat), 678 mg sodium
• Cici’s Pizza Ole Pizza – To-Go (2 slices): 339 calories, 8 grams fat (4 grams saturated fat), 700 mg sodium
• Domino’s Pacific Veggie Thin Crust (1 slice): 230 calories, 12.5 grams fat (5.5 grams saturated fat), 450 mg sodium
• Little Caesar’s Pizza Green Pepper, Onion and Black Olives (1 slice): 196 calories, 8 grams fat (3 grams saturated fat), 336 mg sodium
• Papa John’s Pizza Mediterranean Veggie Pizza for One (eating only 1/2 the pizza): 380 calories, 10 grams fat, 920 mg sodium
• Papa Murphy’s Take ‘N’ Bake Veggie DeLite Pizza (2 slices): 322 calories, 8 grams saturated fat, 437 mg sodium
• Pizza Hut Fit 'N Delicious Chicken & Veggie Pizza (2 slices):  208 calories, 9 grams fat (4 grams saturated fat)
• Sbarro Thin Crust Tomato and Basil Pizza (1 slice): 450 calories, 14 grams fat, 1,040 mg sodium
• Uno Chicago Grill Individual Cheese and Tomato Flatbread Pizza (eating only ½ the pizza): 405 calories, 16.5 grams fat (7.5 grams saturated fat), 1,065 mg sodium

Worst menu choices at top pizza chains

• More than one or two slices of virtually any pizza from any pizza chain.
• California Pizza Kitchen Greek Pizza with Honey Wheat Crust (2 slices): 474 calories, 3.5 grams saturated fat, 992 mg sodium
• Chuck E. Cheese All Meat Combo Pizza (2 small slices): 454 calories, 18 grams fat (6 grams saturated fat), 1,090 mg sodium
• Cici’s Pizza Cheese Pizza – To-Go (2 slices): 446 calories, 15 grams fat (11 grams saturated fat), 1,075 mg sodium
• Domino’s Pizza California Chicken Bacon Ranch (1 slice): 480 calories, 32 grams fat (11.5 grams saturated fat), 1100 mg sodium
• Little Caesar’s 14” Deep Dish Pepperoni Pizza (2 slices): 720 calories, 32 g fat (12 g saturated fat), 1,220 mg sodium
• Papa John’s Favorite with pepperoni, sausage and a 6-cheese blend (1 slice ): 430 calories, 22 grams fat
• Papa Murphy’s Take ‘N’ Bake Large Murphy’s Combo Fresh Pan Crust Pizza (1 slice): 525 calories, 28.7 grams fat (11.1 grams saturated fat), 1,230 mg sodium
• Pizza Hut Triple Meat Italiano (9-inch personal pizza): 1,280 calories, 23 grams saturated fat, 3,070 mg sodium
• Sbarro Thin Crust Pepperoni Pizza (1 slice): 730 calories, 37 grams fat, 2,200 mg sodium
• Uno Chicago Grill Chicago Classic Deep Dish Pizza: 2,310 calories, 162 grams fat, 4,470 mg sodium

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