Craving Pizza

Ok, first week with Calorie Count. I'm an emotional eater and I miss some of my comfort foods. One that I'm craving right now is PIZZA!! I could eat a whole veggie medium from the hut right now. I looked up a couple of alternatives, South Beach, Lean Pockets, etc. still they are around 350 calories. HAS ANYONE FOUND A GOOD CHOICE THAT IS LOWER IN CALORIES??? Jan

I have been craving pizza too but am too scared of the calories in them. I'm curious to know too.

I love pizza too!

My favorite "healthy" pizzas are from Lean Cusine or Weight Watchers.  All of them are good. 

You can also take an english muffin split it and put sauce and cheese on top and then add your favorite topping.  Also a really good alternative.

Good Luck!

A great way to watch your calories and still get what you want. cut up allt he veggies you LOVE on your pizza and than ADD broccoli because it is soooo good on there. do a low fat low cal cheese or one that is within your limits. Put it on  a whole wheat tortila and back it in the oven. they turn out GREAT I do that all the time. makes a great thin crispy pizza.

I use a 50 cal tortilla 50 calories worth of veggies. tomato sauce with my own seasonings in it. 20 calories for that. and than a cheese that runs me 50 calories. for the amount I use. that is only 170... than I am able to have a salad on the side.

Ok so this isn't exactly pizza but it's really good- You take an english muffin and put a slize of tomato on it and some low fat cheese, then you sprinkle some spices on it, basil, oregano, pepper, whatever you want and put it in the oven until the cheese has melted. You can use regular tomato sauce instead of an actual tomato but that just makes it more calorie friendly. It's yummy. :-)

I use whole wheat pita bread, some home made tomato sauce, veggies and some low fat cheese!  i've been eating this forever and its yummy! with the products i use i think i calculated between 225-250 calories for one (obviously depends on the size of pita and amount of cheese)

Thanks for all the suggestions, it's just going to take some "adjustment" mainly in attitude, and in taste..lifestyle change....the support of this forum helps so much...not let me go see if I can find that basil................love to all :) Jan aka Peacegirl

hey peacegirl! here's my suggestion:

not sure if you have them where you live, but i use joseph's low carb pitas as a pizza crust. they are only 60 cals a piece! i think it's ragu that makes a special "pizza sauce" it comes in a smaller jar, and is only 30 cals per 1/4 cup. and you probably won't even need that much! then top with some low fat mozz, and as many veggies as you can fit on there.

if you go easy on the cheese, it can be under 200 cals and is about the same size as one of those lean cuisine pizzas!

also, remember, you CAN still have real pizza once in a while, you just need to control your portions. have a big salad first, then have one or two slices.

I might get a lot of heat for this but...

Eat the pizza but keep it in moderation.  This is a lifestyle change not a diet.  Do you think you will be able to go the rest of your life without pizza?  I know I can't.  I allow myself enough calories once a week to get my pizza in.  Sure, veggie pizza is lower in cals and I opt for that sometimes but my family eats cheese & sausage.  I eat with them and I'm good to go.  If I didn't allow enough to sustain the calories of all the pizza I planned on then I either eat less or exercise more to make up the difference.

You can also go with the frozen pizzas like lean cuisine or whatever but if I'm going to indulge, I'd rather indulge in my favorites and compensate for the calories elsewhere.

Use a massive mushroom as the base. Like the size of your hand. Steam it and use it like dough. Saves so many cals and is yum

why not try making your own home made "pizza"?

go buy pizza sauce, low sodium part-skim shredded mozzarella, your favorite veggies.. and a few slices of your favorite whole wheat bread.. put on the toppings, then pop it in the oven for like 10 minutes on 300..

that's how i made my home made whole wheat french bread pizzas.. no excess salt, no hidden fats.. just the good stuff =)

Sometimes I'll use Tumaro's whole-grain soft tortillas for the base.  Each is 100 cals with less than 3 g of fat, TONS of fiber and a touch of protein.

1/4c part-skim mozzie = 80 cals

1/2c sauce = 70 cals

That's 250 cals in total.  Though I have to admit I like the South Beach chicken pizzas.  350 cals, plus carrots and celery is a perfect meal.

mmmm I'm excited to try a few of these! Great ideas everyone! :)

Get a small if you're really craving it, or treat yourself once in awhile. Say, if you can stay on track for one or two weeks with no binges or too many treats, go out for a pizza and savour every bite!

I used to be a pizza addict too, but now when I'm craving it I use a pita (~150 cal), about a 1/4 cup pizza sauce (< 40 cal) a whole lot of veggies (<25 cal) and about a 1/3 cup shredded skim cheese (60 cal) so for a nice heaping veggie pita pizza, for less than 275 cals. and, I over-estimated all of that but the cheese. Serve with a nice salad on the side. yum!

Hmmm I like the idea of the low carb baking tortilla pizza thingy. I think I will have to try that one. Thanks

But also i agree - dont swear off it, just have a piece with salad, maybe order without cheese

Ps 100g mushroom base = 22 cal. 30g bread = usually about 50 cal. I find pitas too thin, although many dont like mushrooms. I like to season first with garlic and then steam microwave, and then top and grill.

More than welcoms Shiagirl. It is my FAV!!!!!!

Yeah, if you're craving pizza, have pizza, in moderation.  Yes, you can still have pizza.  ;-)  Have a big salad with lots of veggies and a LITTLE light/low-fat dressing first.  Then, have a slice or two of pizza (depending on what you have and how big the slices are).  You can always choose thinner crusts, get extra sauce and/or less cheese, and/or do a veggie pizza.  I have recently learned that the "Hut" veggie lover's pizza is amazingly good.   And, an entire personal pan veggie lover is 580 calories which, if you plan ahead, should not be totally out of the question of doable, occasionally.  Point is, as was already said, this is not a diet.  Learn to eat and enjoy things in moderation, portion control, and try to arrange your calories for the day around a small serving of pizza if you know you're going to have pizza once in a while.   

I've also recently discovered the joy of homemade pita pizzas.   I'm currently loving a whole wheat pita (160 cals) with 2 heaping tablespoons of an organic fire-roasted tomato spaghetti sauce (20 cals), 1/2 serving of turkey pepperoni (35 cals), a buttload of sliced red onion and red, green, yellow, and orange bell peppers piled up on top, and then topped with about 1 to 1-1/2 oz shredded part-skim mozzarella (120 tops).  I prebake the pita to get it extra crispy, flip it over, top it, and then bake it again.  A killer good, filling meal, quick to make, under 15 minutes total, under 350 calories.  A sure fix to a pizza craving AND healthy!

My store that I've seen that carries those "pita alternatives" which are lower cal has been out of them the last few times I've looked.  I'm hoping to catch them in stock and try those next!

Wow, some really great recipes!! Can't wait to try some of them. I love veggies, never tried wheat pita, but if it crisps up, then that will be great. And yes, I heard the moderation suggestions. Right now I'm too weak to go out, I will overdo, I know. This is my first week, so....... I will get stronger. This is not a diet for me, it is a lifestyle change and after 5 days in the hospital, I will make this work. I may have fall-backs and flip-flops, but I will get back on track.  I want to teach like I used to and get back in my graduate program. I so messed up this semester with the illness. Mind over matter, right?? Anyway, thank you, all of you for responding, no-one knows what this is like unless you are doing it! My husband is understanding but he doesn't know how hard I fight the cravings, as I said earlier, I'm an emotional eater and do have several stressors. But...one thing at a time, right? And, I have God on my side, my faith is getting stronger too, or should I say, getting my faith back. Good night everyone on the East Coast, and later to the rest. Thanks Much!! Always, Peace!

Lean Cuisine has some good pizzas. The french bread one is 290 calories. I don't  eat red meat so I take off the pepperoni before I cook it but it still tastes fine. I actually prefer Amy's spinach pizza the most. But that's about 440 calories. You can also just make your own. Use low fat tomato sauce (very easy to find) 2% cheese, turkey pepperoni or vegetarian meat substitute, veggies, etc.

I love mushroom pizzas! But not the kind you might think- take an extra large, cleaned portabello, and flip it so the curved side's down(depending on the size, 25 cal?). Put on a slice of tomato(3cal), 1 oz skim motz. cheese (80cal), or a mix of 1/2 that and 1/2 Cabot 75% Reduced Fat cheddar (70cal), a basil leaf or two, and broil it until the cheese is melty. You can also try a mix of spices, or real tomato sauce. With the 1/2 and 1/2 mix, its all of 97 calories =)