by Elizabeth Magee, LRD
The focus today is pizza. I’m thinking hardly anyone will be disappointed in hearing all the positive things I’m about to tell you about everyone’s beloved pizza. There are so many things I love about it too, so this list will be in no particular order.
- No complaints. When pizza is being served, no one complains or says “Ewww gross” or “We just had that yesterday” or “I don’t want pizza!” When trying to serve multiple kids dinner, the less complaints the better.
- As a dietitian, this is a goody. It contains all forms of energy – carbs, protein and fat. Carbs from your crust, protein from your cheese and meat, and fat from various sources – olives, maybe olive oil, and depending on your meat you’ll have some fat from that.
- Customizable. Whether your having family pizza night at home and everyone makes their own personal pan with as many toppings as they want or you’re out to eat and sharing a bunch of pizzas with friends or family, it works for everyone.
- Which brings me to my next point of pizza bringing people together. It’s not always about the food: Parties, after kids’ activities, gatherings, celebrations, not to mention late night food choices when everything is closed except pizza delivery.
- Affordability. Goes right up there with crowd pleaser. It can be an inexpensive option and easy to pull off at home.
- There’s no special season for pizza. It’s available all year long! Throw it on the grill in the summer, or whenever you get the grill out. And cooking it in the oven all year long is still acceptable. As well as good old fashioned pizza delivery.
Ways to make sure you’re amping up all the nutrients is even easy to do!
- Go for a whole wheat crust. Get those whole grains in. Cauliflower crust will offer you extra veggies if that’s what you prefer. And in my opinion, there are some delicious gluten free pizza options, so if you have Celiac Disease, pizza is still an option.
- Get in the veggies! I’m an extra sauce kind of gal and I love ALL THE VEGGIES on my pizza. (And to be controversial, pineapple too) If I have enough veggies on my pizza I don’t even care if there’s cheese.
- Counting carbs or trying to cut calories? You can still enjoy pizza. Try a thin crust and have a salad with it to help fill you up.
Pizza seems to make people happy. Who doesn’t want that? My favorite pizza memory is hands down “Book It” and I’m sure I’m not alone. Who doesn’t want to be rewarded for reading with your very own personal pan pizza that you don’t have to share? No matter what, I bet you have happy memories involving pizza somehow.
Elizabeth Magee is a licensed registered dietitian. Her posts appear monthly on OYT.
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