Welcome to “Is It Price It?”, a MyFitnessPal sequence that breaks down the professionals and cons of store-bought versus home made meals. The objective of the sequence is to provide the data you should make diet choices that align along with your way of life, funds, values, and well being objectives.
Pizza, is by far, my favourite meals. The truth is, I served it for dinner at my wedding ceremony reception. However when it’s pizza night time, many are at a crossroads: do you have to maintain it handy with a store-bought pie or throw on an apron and make it from scratch?
For the health-conscious and budget-savvy, this determination isn’t nearly style. It’s about the associated fee, environmental influence, well being advantages, and the funding of effort and time.
So, let’s weigh the professionals and cons to reply the query: is home made pizza actually price it?
Well being Advantages of Selfmade vs. Retailer-Bough Pizza
- Selfmade Pizza: Making ready pizza at dwelling lets you management precisely what goes into your physique. You may go for entire grain flours, recent greens, and home made sauces with out added sugars or preservatives. It’s a possibility to spice up your consumption of more healthy elements whereas decreasing fats, sodium, and total calorie rely.
- Retailer Purchased Pizza: Dietary content material can differ broadly amongst store-bought pizzas. Whereas there are more healthy choices obtainable, many frozen pizzas are excessive in sodium, preservatives, and synthetic components. And pizzeria pizzas, whereas recent, are sometimes loaded with extra cheese and fatty meats than you would possibly put by yourself home made pizza. The quantity of oil used to arrange the pizzas could also be greater than what you would possibly use at dwelling, too, rising energy and fats content material.
MyFitnessPal makes it simple to log meals or elements forward of time. That method, you can also make an knowledgeable determination on whether or not home made or store-bought is greatest to your subsequent pizza night time.
Value Comparability of Selfmade vs. Retailer-Bough Pizza
- Selfmade Pizza: Once you choose to make pizza at dwelling, the preliminary setup of elements may appear pricey, however these provides could make a number of pizzas over time. Flour, yeast, and staple toppings like cheese and tomato sauce are typically cheap, particularly when bought in bulk.
- Retailer Purchased Pizza: Retailer-bought choices can vary from inexpensive frozen varieties to dearer connoisseur or natural choices. Whereas ordering from an area pizzeria is handy, the associated fee per pie can shortly add up, particularly for those who’re feeding a crowd or choosing supply with additional charges.
For instance the serving dimension comparability, take into account making a big 14-inch pizza at dwelling versus ordering the same dimension from an area pizzeria:
- A home made pizza can simply serve 4 to 6 individuals, relying on the way it’s sliced. With the price of elements for a primary cheese pizza being comparatively low, the worth per particular person could possibly be as little as $2 to $3.
- Alternatively, a 14-inch pizza from an area pizzeria sometimes prices round $18 to $25, making the worth per particular person (assuming the pizza serves the identical 4 to 6 individuals) roughly $4.50 to $6.25.
This comparability not solely highlights a price benefit but in addition demonstrates how home made pizza may be equally satisfying in serving dimension, with doubtlessly greater financial savings and personalization of toppings based mostly on particular person preferences.
- Selfmade Pizza: Whereas making pizza at dwelling can cut back some packaging waste in comparison with store-bought choices, it’s essential to notice that many elements like cheese, meats, and dough usually are available in their very own packaging. Nevertheless, you’ll be able to nonetheless decrease your carbon footprint by selecting native produce and searching for out elements with much less packaging when potential.
- Retailer Purchased Pizza: Frozen pizzas are available in cardboard containers, usually with plastic wrapping, which contributes to landfill waste if not recycled correctly. Freshly made pizzas from a retailer or restaurant additionally sometimes are available in cardboard containers, posing comparable environmental concerns.
If minimizing environmental influence is a precedence, home made pizza presents alternatives for extra eco-friendly choices, given that you simply spend the time required to pick elements with minimal packaging and assist native produce suppliers. Which brings us to…
Time & Effort of Selfmade vs. Retailer-Bough Pizza
- Selfmade Pizza: Making pizza from scratch requires effort and time. It’s important to supply elements, kneading the dough and let it rise, put together the toppings, after which assemble and bake. For those who love cooking, this could be a rewarding expertise. And choosing pre-made pizza doughs or meats can save time. However, regardless of the way you slice it (pun meant), home made pizza will possible all the time take longer than heating up a store-bought selection or selecting up out of your native pizzeria.
- Retailer Purchased Pizza: Comfort is king with store-bought pizzas. Frozen pizzas may be popped within the oven with minimal effort, and recent pizzas are solely a cellphone name or an internet order away. If time is tight otherwise you’re not within the temper to prepare dinner, store-bought gives a fast and simple various.
The Verdict
In the long run, the selection is determined by your priorities—and your well being objectives. Is controlling dietary content material essential to you? Or does the simplicity of a fast, ready-made meal align higher along with your plans? No matter you select, each paths result in deliciousness, as a result of, actually, when is pizza not price it?
