The Healthiest Pizza To Order From Your Favorite Chains
I often dream about a world in which a fat New York slice has the same nutritional value as, say, a kale salad. Sadly, that's not the world in which we live. I'll wait (impatiently) for scientists to figure out a way of achieving this, but I'm not going to stop eating pizza in the meantime.
If, like me, you value your health but also a good pie—be it New York, Detroit, or Chicago-style (we won't judge)(or only a little)—good news: registered dietitian and nutritionist Naria Le Mire says that pizza can be a part of a balanced diet in moderation!
"To make healthier choices, opt for a thinner crust, but be cautious of trendy options like cauliflower crusts," she tells Delish. "While they sound healthier, cauliflower crusts are often higher in fat and don’t typically offer much fiber, making them no better—and sometimes worse—than regular crusts."
Instead, Le Mire is all about focusing on on ingredient quality over trends, as this has a greater impact on your overall health. "Load up on vegetable-heavy toppings for added nutrients, and go light on the cheese or ask for half the usual amount to reduce saturated fat," she advises.
OK, but what about when we're really craving a slice from our fave chain place? Let's be real—we're not always expecting super high quality. We're expecting convenience and deliciousness!
As a general guideline, Le Mire says that if you want to make the best choice at a fast food-type franchise, prioritize slices under 350 calories and with less than 500 mg of sodium—the "biggest concern" thanks to its direct connection with bloating, increased blood pressure, and heart disease risk.
Saturated fat is Le Mire's close second to watch out for.
Fellow nutritionist Lauren Manaker also suggests opting for thin crust over deep dish or a stuffed crust and requesting half the normal cheese. She also recommends going light on processed meats like pepperoni or bacon, which can drive up saturated fat and sodium levels. "For added nutrition, choose toppings like fresh vegetables (e.g., spinach, peppers, mushrooms, onions) or even lean proteins like grilled chicken," she adds.
With this in mind, we scoured the nutritional facts of our favorite chain pizza joints to find the healthiest (or, ahem, least unhealthy) options at each of them. Cheese, veggie, and Hawaiian styles led the pack, thanks to their largely low-sodium and low saturated fat stats. The last two are especially great options if you're looking to add extra nutrients or protein to your order.
California Pizza Kitchen's California Veggie Pizza
CPK's California veggie pizza is a great pick thanks to its low calorie (170), low sodium (370 mg), low saturated fat (2 grams) combo. It has 25 grams of carbs in total and 8 grams of protein for extra fuel.
Jet’s Veggie Thin Crust Pizza
Jet's small veggie thin crust pizza might not be quite as "healthy" as some of our other slices, but the sodium content still falls below the 500 mg marker. With just 230 calories a slice, 23 grams of carbs, and 3.5 grams of saturated fat, it's a good choice among all the options at Jet's. Plus, at 11 grams, this has the most protein of all our top picks.
Papa Murphy's Thin Crust Garden Veggie Pizza
Papa Murphy's thin crust veggie 'za clocks in at 180 calories for a single slice with 8 grams of protein, 18 grams of carbs, 4 grams of saturated fat, and an impressively low 370 mg of sodium.
Marco’s Pizza Thin Crust Cheese Pizza
While a classic cheese slice might not be quite as exciting as a specialty pizza, it is a pretty healthy option by comparison. Marco's thin crust version has 170 calories, 14 grams of carbs, 4 grams of saturated fat, and 340 mg of sodium. It's not nearly as protein-rich because of the lack of toppings, but you'll still get 6 grams, thanks to the cheese.
Papa John's Gluten-Free Butter Chicken Pizza
Papa John's gluten-free butter chicken pizza is by far one of the healthiest options on the menu—and still allows you to get a little added protein (7 grams, to be specific) from the chicken topping. A single slice has 130 calories, 14 grams of carbs, 3 grams of saturated fat, and 280 mg of sodium.
Little Caesars' Thin Crust Cheese Pizza
Hot 'N Ready: Little Caesars thin crust cheese pizza has 8 grams of protein from the cheese alone (not too shabby) with only 11 carbs, 4 grams of saturated fat, and 218 mg of sodium. Plus, it has just 148 calories per slice.
Pizza Hut's Thin 'N Crispy Veggie Lover Pizza
Pizza Hut's thin 'n crispy veggie lover's slice has the least amount of calories of any slice on our list: 100. The rest of its stats are just as impressive, with 14 carbs, 5 grams of saturated fat, 250 mg of sodium, and 5 grams of protein.
Domino's Thin Crust Pizza With Spinach & Mushrooms
Domino's small thin crust cheese pizza with spinach and mushrooms has just 120 calories a slice, 11 carbs, and 7 grams of protein. And while at 2.6 grams, it has slightly more saturated fat than our pick from Pizza Hut, there's only 173 mg of sodium in each piece. The spinach and mushroom topping packs a little bit more of a nutritional punch, too.
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