How Can I Order a Healthy Pizza?

Q: How Can I Order a Healthy Pizza?

A: Yes, you can order a healthy pizza!  To order a healthy pizza, focus on both the ingredients you choose and the serving size.  If you look at most of the pizza servings at the Healthy Dining restaurants, our dietitians usually recommend one slice of an extra-large pizza or two slices of smaller pizza. Some restaurants have personal size pizzas, which are also perfect for sharing with a friend and pairing with a side salad.

When choosing ingredients for your pizza keep these dietitian tips in mind:

  1. If you are watching calories, you might want to opt for a thin crust pizza and request “light on the cheese.”
  2. Pizza is also a great canvas to load up on vegetables.  Topping your pizza with veggies like mushrooms, bell peppers, fresh tomatoes, red onions, spinach, artichoke hearts, and broccoli is a perfect way to increase your fruit and veggie intake.
  3. Many restaurants also offer lean proteins to top your pizza, such as Canadian bacon, shrimp, chicken breast and chicken sausage.
  4. Some restaurants offer a heart healthy whole wheat pizza crust, which is always a great option when available!

In addition to moderation and healthy ingredients, to order a healthy pizza, try to avoid extra ingredients that are high in calories, fat, and sodium, such as Alfredo sauce, extra cheese, and processed meats like pepperoni and bacon.