Pizza is on the menu of many American families each week. You can buy it frozen, you can make your own or you can head out to the restaurant and let them serve you. Which option is the best for your budget and for your taste buds?
Frozen pizzas are plentiful. One visit to your local grocery store will prove this as fact. Most stores have a dedicated section in their frozen aisles for frozen pizzas. You can buy them thick, think or with rising crusts. You can buy them with just cheese, with traditional toppings or with gourmet toppings. There is no shortage of options when you buy a frozen pizza. Cost wise, frozen is not the most economical, with most pies costing between five and seven dollars each. Keep in mind that the contents are usually much smaller than the box!
Making pizza at home is not difficult, but it can be a bit time consuming. This is probably the most frugal option when you want to be able to have this on your menu on a regular basis. You can choose to purchase the dough or make your own, but keep in mind that purchasing the dough makes the process much less economical. If you find a good dough recipe, stick with it. Additionally, you can make your own sauce for pennies a pie. Homemade pizzas can taste terrific if you use quality ingredients and stick to your favorite toppings. With some trial and error you can find your perfect “signature” homemade taste.
There is something to be said about how good pizza tastes from your favorite pizzeria. Few home cooks can replicate the exact taste, and many times the extra cost is well worth it. What is amazing is that pizzerias all produce the same types of products, but tastes vary so much between them. You can expect to pay more per pie (usually $10-15 each for large pies), so if you are on a budget or feeding a large family you will likely have to consider how often to eat out. Pizzerias offer what home cooks and frozen food aisles cannot: a consistent taste that you can depend on.
One other factor that can make or break your pizza is the freshness of the ingredients. While you might not realize it, pizza restaurants are about as fresh as a cheese steak in the grocery store. Therefore, your best bet is to avoid these types of restaurants if you have other concerns about freshness of the ingredients in your pizza.
Curbing Your Pizza appetite
Many people find it difficult to curb their pizza craving when they are on a budget. One way to really cut back on your pizza spending is to limit how much you eat. This does not mean that you cannot eat out at a pizzeria once in a while. However, you might find that you are willing to cut back on your pizza eating in general. Thus, a few tactics can help you to keep your monthly pizza spending down where it is manageable.
One idea is to pick a pizza restaurant that is very reasonably priced. You don’t want to pay more for your pizza than you would for other restaurants. This is an important consideration because you want to get the most nutritional bang for your buck. As previously stated, a nutritious pie is a popular choice but this should not be your only choice when picking a pizzeria.
A second tip is to carefully consider the decor of the restaurant. Choose a place that invites poor dining quality and is almost always covered with linens that are low in calories. A third tip is to avoid chains that have a reputation for only offering a limited selection of pizzas. Instead, make sure you check out other restaurants in the area to see what is on offer. You might have been influenced to try national chain restaurants, but now you want something more authentic.
If you feel like you have enough options, you may want to consider making a custom trip to a pizzeria that is a bit out of the way. Pizzerias can be anywhere from a $2 to $10 hike, depending on the time of year and the chain of restaurants. This can lead to great dining experiences and can make eating out a luxurious Pizza indulgence.
