If you’re focused on eating healthy, maybe you’ve been avoiding the “p-word” for quite some time – but it’s time to rethink what pizza has to offer. We’ve compiled a list of the healthiest pizza places, as well as our top pick from each. So when it comes to pizza – there’s no more guilt, no more avoidance, and a whole lot more satisfaction (and veggies).
Blaze Pizza
Healthy Pick from Blaze Pizza: Veg Out
Ingredients: Red sauce, gorgonzola, mozzarella, mushrooms, red onions, zucchini
Nutrition: 130 calories per slice, 6 grams of protein, 1 gram of sugar
Blaze Pizza is one of the healthiest pizza places, offering fresh ingredients and an option to build your own pizza (BYO). With freedom like that, you’re able to decide if you want to go all out with the veggies or pile your pizza with cheese.
Pieology
Healthy Pick from Pieology: Spicy Italian Pizza
Ingredients: Basil, crushed red pepper, garlic, red sauce, salami, sea salt, mozzarella cheese, spicy Italian sausage
Nutrition: 64 calories per slice, 3.7 grams of protein, .3 grams of sugar
If you’re lucky enough to have a Pieology in your town, you know it’s one of the healthiest pizza places with some of the best quality ingredients. Just like Blaze Pizza, you can create your own pie or choose from one of the “Chef-Inspired Pizzas.”
Domino’s
Healthy Pick from Domino’s: Veggie and Chicken Pizza
Ingredients: Chicken, spinach, tomatoes, black olives, mozzarella cheese
Nutrition: 185 calories per slice, 10 grams of protein, 2 grams of sugar
The Veggie and Chicken Pizza is part of Domino’s “Lighten Up” pizza series, offering other healthy options like the Veggie Pizza, the Chicken, Green Pepper, and Onion Pizza, the Chicken and Ham Pizza, and the Ham and Pineapple Pizza. Each of these pizzas has less cheese than the standard and is loaded with veggies and lean meat.
California Pizza Kitchen
Healthy Pick from California Pizza Kitchen: California Veggie
Ingredients: Broccoli, eggplant, mushrooms, red onions, corn, sun-dried tomato, mozzarella
Nutrition: 180 calories per slice, 8 grams of protein, 3 grams of sugar
You may recognize CPK from the frozen food section at the grocery store, but unless you have one nearby, you might not know they serve piping hot pizzas at their very own restaurant, too. California Pizza Kitchen offers a lot more than healthy pizza, though. The menu includes small plates, appetizers, flatbreads, soups, salads, main plates, and pasta.
And for those of you who are trying to avoid a carb load, California Pizza Kitchen now has a cauliflower crust available for an additional charge.
Pizza Hut
Healthy Pick from Pizza Hut: Veggie Lover’s Thin N’ Crispy Pizza
Ingredients: Onions, tomatoes, black olives, mushrooms, green peppers
Nutrition: 180 calories per slice, 7 grams of protein, 5 grams of sugar
Pizza Hut is not known for being one of the healthiest pizza places around, but it is making efforts to cater to the health-conscious crowd – The Veggie Lover’s pizza being one of their top sellers. Without the thick, greasy crust, you won’t have to worry about consuming too many carbs, and loads of veggies on top replace other fatty toppings.
Cici’s Pizza
Healthy Pick from Cici’s: Spinach Alfredo
Ingredients: Alfredo sauce, mozzarella, provolone, parmesan, spinach
Nutrition: 160 calories per slice, 5 grams of protein, 1 gram of sugar
The Spinach Alfredo is part of Cici’s flatbread line, which has played a huge part in making Cici’s one of the healthiest pizza places to visit. The two other flatbreads are the Chicken Bacon Club and the Honey BBQ Chicken.
Papa John’s
Healthy Pick from Papa John’s: Garden Fresh Pizza with thin crust
Ingredients: Olives, mushrooms, green peppers, onions, Roma tomatoes, mozzarella
Nutrition: 230 calories per slice, 8 grams of protein, 3 grams of sugar
Papa John’s, like other traditionally unhealthy pizza joints, has been making strides to become one of the healthiest pizza places. Now, they offer what they call “Lighter Choices” including the Mediterranean Veggie, Hawaiian Chicken, Tropical Luau, and Chicken and Veggie.
Marco’s
Healthy Pick from Marco’s: Hawaiian Chicken Pizza
Ingredients: Ham, chicken, bacon, pineapple, three-cheese blend, Marco’s sauce
Nutrition: 230 calories per slice, 14 grams of protein, 2 grams of sugar
The Hawaiian Chicken Pizza from Marco’s might have slightly fewer calories per slice than other options from the healthiest pizza places, but the majority of those calories are from protein, so it’s a fair trade-off.
Papa Murphy’s
Healthy Pick from Papa Murphy’s: Herb Chicken Meditteranean
Ingredients: Mozzarella, garlic, chicken, spinach, sun-dried tomatoes, feta cheese, herbs
Nutrition: 220 calories per slice, 12 grams of protein, 3 grams of sugar
Papa Murphy’s was made famous for being one of the healthiest pizza places, but also for being the biggest “Take ‘N Bake” restaurant, meaning customers come into the store, order the pizza, and take it home and bake it at their own convenience. You can create your own pizza or order one of the signature recipes, but if you want to ensure the pizza you take home is as healthy as can be, it’s best to select the ingredients yourself.
Tips When Ordering From the Healthiest Pizza Places:
The healthiest pizza places can only do so much for your diet. Your choices would still determine how “healthy” they actually are for you. Here are some tips for when you order your next pizza box or meal from your pizza place of choice – wherever it may be:
- Try to eat no more than two slices a day. This way, you can stay under 500 calories from your pizza consumption. Think of it as a treat instead of a diet cheat. Thinking of it as a cheat day item would make you crave for it more!
- Stick to thin crust offers. A thick crust pizza may immediately add 300 calories for two slices while thin crust pizzas would only have around 150-200 calories for two slices.
- Choose your toppings well. Stick to veggie pizzas which have wholesome toppings like spinach, mushrooms, olives, green and red bell peppers, or pineapples. If you can, request for less ham on your ham and pineapple pizza.
- Know your cheeses. One big trick would be to choose less cheesy-topped pizzas and go for the more tomato-based ones. Less cheese would mean fewer calories, but when you can, try asking for cheddar instead of mozzarella cheese because it has a 1 /3 of usual mozzarella pizza calorie-content.
- Go for personal sizes. These are smaller and you can enjoy the thought of having a “whole” pizza for yourself when you decide to order this. To make this even better, go for a thin-crust personal pizza and enjoy the same pizza goodness without too much bulk.
- Balance it out with the drink you choose. Instead of going full out on your pizza dinner treat, cut back on the calories by having juice with it instead. Pineapple or orange juice can make great pizza accompaniments especially if you already ordered a veggie-based pizza.
If you’re not looking for the healthiest pizza places, try these other healthy fast food options.
