Best Low Calorie Frozen Pizzas
Who Has the Best Healthy (Low Calorie) Frozen Pizza in 2017?
We review microwavable, diet frozen pizzas from Lean Cuisine, Smart Ones, Jenny Craig, and Nutrisystem.
This article is mostly about taste ratings for low calorie pizza. We don't analyze the ingredients nutritionally, as few people are eating pizza as a health food. But we do list sodium and fat content for each pizza, as well as calories.
Our "Variety Award" goes to Lean Cuisine
Lean Cuisine has the greatest variety of low-calorie frozen pizza flavors by far. Their taste reviews range from very good to very bad, depending on the flavor.
Does any "diet pizza" taste as good as a high calorie Digiorno pizza? No!
But some of the low calorie single-serving items reviewed below are actually pretty good, and they won't derail your weight loss efforts or send your sodium levels through the roof.
Our ratings are based on 100 taste reviews from across the blogosphere.
To give you an even greater comparison, we included both supermarket favorites such as Smart Ones and Lean Cuisine, and also included pizzas from diet delivery companies Nutrisystem and Jenny Craig.
related: How to Lose Weight Using Frozen Meals from Your Supermarket!
Too busy to prepare your own low calorie meals? This affordable dietitian-designed program will save you time and money.
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The rules: All pizzas had to be frozen, microwaveable, single-serving, available nationally, and contain no more than 450 calories (9 out of 10 pizzas in this list are under 400 calories.)
Scoring: From worst to best, here are the reviews of 10 single-serving low-calorie pizzas. Remember, they're in order starting with the disappointing “Yechh!” and ending with the “OMG! I'm buying a truckload of these!”
#10 Lean Cuisine Deep Dish Three Meat Pizza
390 calories, 9g fat, 3g fiber, 630 mg sodium
With a drool-worthy name like this one, we thought Lean Cuisine had it in the bag. Alas, we were wrong. It seems the recent recipe update was a flavor strike-out. Reviewers attitudes towards this dish were as unfortunate as the bad smell they claimed it had.
Typical Reviewer Comments:
“It smells funny; the crust is hard like it has been burnt even though it's not and the sauce tastes like it's gone bad in some way.”
"I'm not sure if it was the sauce or the sausage but it just didn't taste or smell right."
#9 Lean Cuisine Thin Crust Margherita Pizza
320 calories, 7g fat, 3g fiber, 525 mg sodium
Let's be honest, the calorie to taste ratio is a mighty one to master with pizza. It seems Lean Cuisine is trying their best, but another one of their 8 pizzas missed the mark. Reviewers admit it's the recipe change that's the culprit, but that didn't stop their almost angry remarks about the overt lack of flavor.
Typical Reviewer Comments:
"The crust is hard and the toppings are sparse. They are terrible!"
" The toppings had very little flavor ...The crust had a funky taste to it."
#8 Nutrisystem Thick Crust Pizza
240 calories, 2.5g fat, 2g fiber, 530 mg sodium
Nutrisystem food is often met with mixed reviews. Though their customers appreciate the variety of dishes, many feel this one is a total miss. It may taste okay, but that doesn't matter if the only way you can enjoy it is by jazzing it up yourself with toppings and herbs.
Typical Reviewer Comments:
"It's basically like eating one sad lunchables pizza. Not as filling as the other dinner meals."
"I think it is better baked in the oven. Loaded up with onions and peppers and any other free veg(gies)."
#7 Smart Ones Thin Crust Pepperoni
310 calories, 4.5g fat, 4g fiber, 570 mg sodium
Barely over 300 calories can be the equivalent to: tasteless and boring. However, this diet-friendly entrée reached the level of "good enough." Comments were passionate on both sides. Some thought the rough texture or the mystery meat toppings were bad while others claimed it satisfied their pizza-hungry appetites.
Typical Reviewer Comments:
"I wasn't a big fan of the sauce but it had a good amount to cheese and pepperoni to balance out the weird taste."
"The crust tasted like cardboard. The toppings were pretty good."
#6 Jenny Craig Stuffed Pizza Bites
240 calories, 7g fat, 4g fiber, 430 mg sodium
Being the pizzaholics we are, we're not surprised that Jenny Craig's pizzas are always on the verge of being out of stock. Customers are usually clamoring for these, but mostly because they're super low-calorie and fun-sized. Customers report enjoying these with a side salad since they're not often filling enough on their own.
Typical Reviewer Comments:
"They give a decent pizza taste."
"I love the pizza bites. They're so perfect as a little finger food."
#5 Nutrisystem Italian Herb Flatbread Pizza
260 calories, 8g fat, 2g fiber, 530 mg sodium
Here's where Nutrisystem scored some major points with their customers. Many have reported that this pizza is one of their faves in the whole program. In fact, many were surprised because it's a very simple recipe, with just crust, herbs, and cheese. Sometimes less is more!
Typical Reviewer Comments:
"I thought the sauce was tasty and the crust was thick and had flavor."
"From my experience diet pizza often tastes like cardboard. This is NOT the case. I found this to be delicious!"
#4 Lean Cuisine Deep Dish Spinach and Mushroom Pizza
350 calories, 7g fat, 3g fiber, 420 mg sodium
Vegetarians can rejoice! Here's a low-calorie, meatless pie that doesn't skimp on flavor. If you're a pizza lover, you'll notice its authentic creamy sauce pairs well with the mushrooms and spinach. Reviewers not only loved the taste, but its healthy nutritional label as well.
Typical Reviewer Comments:
"The alfredo base was flavored with the right combination of spices."
"This... hits the spot when I'm craving pizza. The flavors remind me of a gourmet flavor I would get at a restaurant."
#3 Smart Ones Brick Oven-Style Pizza Pepperoni
430 calories, 13g fat, 5g fiber, 780 mg sodium
Holy sodium Batman! At these salty levels, it would be tough for this pizza to taste bad, right? Well, most reviewers were huge fans, but a select few were a little wary of the nutritional label. Don't expect to be too hungry after this bad boy, many comments were about how filling it was all by itself!
Typical Reviewer Comments:
"Not crazy about the calories, sodium and fat but they sure are good."
"It was surprisingly delicious for a microwavable pizza."
#2 Lean Cuisine Four Cheese Pizza
380 calories, 7g fat, 4g fiber, 600 mg sodium
Some of the most die-hard East Coast pizza addicts claim this one is a home run. Some even say they enjoy this entrée so much, they buy a few boxes at a time. It has to do with its authentic flavor and satisfying texture, plus it cooks very well in the microwave.
Typical Reviewer Comments:
"This is an amazing substitute for a good old slice of NY pizza."
"I eat at least one of these every week. It is a satisfying lunch meal but yet light enough to not make you feel bloated like traditional pizza can do."
"This pizza was great tasting, fluffy crust, perfect amount of cheese and lots of flavor."
#1 Lean Cuisine French Bread Pepperoni Pizza
310 calories, 7g fat, 3g fiber, 700 mg sodium
Here's our number 1 winner for low-calorie, frozen pizza. Surprised? So were we! How could this small pizza pack so much flavor? Whatever Lean Cuisine's secret it is, they totally nailed it with this one. Crunchy, flavorful, and never fails to attack that pizza craving head on.
Typical Reviewer Comments:
"I eat this pizza for lunch all the time and I feel like I'm cheating on my diet - but I'm not!"
"I absolutely LOVE pizza... This pizza is all the great taste and portion controlled so it is relatively low in calories. I eat this at least twice a week it's so delicious."
"I think the French Bread pizza is one of the best products Lean Cuisine offers. Easy to make, the perfect size and portable too. Always surprised how crispy the bread after microwaving."
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To see how things have changed in the past 2 years, read our old 2015 PIZZA RATINGS, below:
We have evaluated reviews from diet and food bloggers across North America to rate the taste of frozen pizzas from Lean Cuisine, Healthy Choice, Weight Watchers Smart Ones, Jenny Craig and Nutrisystem.
All pizzas are ranked on a scale of one to ten, with "ten" being the best tasting.
Here are the results:
FIRST PLACE (TIE):
* Smart Ones Cheese Pizza Minis
Score: 10 out of 10
Description: 270 calories, 124 grams
Bite-sized morsels of cheese and tomato offer fresh Italian flavors and convenient snacking.
Typical Reviewer Comment:
“The crusts are like empty tarts. They have sides that hold all the fillings…like a mini deep-dish pizza.” This reviewer goes on, “I don’t feel like I am sacrificing at all. They are a good value too, since you get two servings in one box.” (http://www.viewpoints.com/Weight-Watchers-Smart-Ones-Cheese-Pizza-Minis…)
* Nutrisystem Margherita Pizza
Score: 10
Description: 190 calories
A simple, meatless recipe that marries traditional Italian herbs and spices with low calorie crust.
Typical Reviewer Comment:
“It’s like a treat without cheating”, said one blogger. (http://momccupation.com/2011/09/nutrisystem-week-9-10.html). The bad news is that this pizza is only available to those signing up for Nutrisystem Select which costs over $400 per month, (or about $300 per month, if you sign up for monthly auto-delivery.) To see all Nutrisystem prices, click here.
2nd place:
Lean Cuisine Pepperoni Pizza
Score: 9
Description: 380 calories, 6 ounces
Common recipe with large pepperonis and a 4 cheese blend that satiates even the biggest cravings.
Typical Reviewer Comment:
“The flavor's pretty good and the pizza isn't too tiny. I like that the crust is fluffier than it is crispy so it feels bigger than most frozen personal pizzas.”
3rd place (tie):
Lean Cuisine Pepperoni French Bread Pizza
Score: 8
Description: 310 calories, 5.2 ounces
A crunchier crust bodes well for taste buds and gives great texture, but doesn’t always heat perfectly evenly.
Typical Reviewer Comment:
Reviewers at Tasty Lies remarked how “it cooked well and wasn’t overly greasy. Some of the bread was a little tough, but the majority of it was nice and soft.” (http://tastylies.com/?p=3531)
Lean Cuisine BBQ Chicken Pizza
Score : 8
Description: 340 calories, 6 ounces
BBQ sauce tops off the cilantro, onions, and chicken, fulfilling an appetite for sweet and tangy flavors.
Typical Reviewer Comment:
One reviewer claimed the BBQ’s meat was “evenly spread over the top of the pizza and tastes like REAL chicken.” (http://www.iateapie.net/reviews/archives/pizza/lean-cuisine-br-1.php)
Lean Cuisine Spinach and Mushroom Pizza
Score: 8
Description: 340 calories, 6.1 ounces
Great for vegetarians, the velvety, cheesy texture mixes well with the veggies in each tasty bite.
Typical Reviewer Comment:
A reviewer on Yahoo said, “The spinach and mushroom flavor doesn't fail on this…In fact, their flavor is enhanced by the rich taste of the cheese combination.” What also stood out was “the Alfredo sauce topping.” (http://voices.yahoo.com/review-lean-cuisine-spinach-mushroom-pizza-deep…)
Lean Cuisine Deluxe Pizza
Score: 8
Description: 340 calories, 6 ounces
This recipe calls for “the works,” but is actually heavy in toppings and light in cheese.
Typical Reviewer Comment:
“The thin sheen of tomato sauce had a good tomato flavor, and the four slices of pepperoni and the crumbles of sausage also had good, classic flavors,” one reviewer noted. But, the lack of cheese was “disappointing.” (http://www.drgourmet.com/reviews/060812.shtml)
4th place:
Smart Ones Pepperoni Pizza
Score: 7
Description: 410 calories, 173 grams
Spicy pepperoni and herb-infused cheeses couple nicely in this customary recipe.
Typical Reviewer Comment:
“This also has a LOT of pepperoni on it, compared to some other pizzas…” said a reviewer. “The sauce is nice, has a bit of a bite to it…and the cheese wasn’t rubbery.” (http://tastylies.com/?p=953)
Lean Cuisine Four Cheese Pizza
Score: 7
Description: 350 calories, 6 ounces
A basic culinary treat with a four Italian cheese blend and featuring a new crust.
“The crust was such a let down, it wasn’t even really doughy, kind of airy,” one reveiwer said. “(But) the cheese and the sauce were pretty good.” (http://healthnuttxo.com/tag/lean-cuisine-four-cheese-pizza-review/)
Smart Ones Four Cheese Pizza
Score: 7
Description: 350 calories, 170 grams
Mozzarella, Asiago, Parmesan, and Romano cheeses unite for a melt in your mouth zesty experience.
Typical Reviewer Comment:
Reviewer Bridgitte Williams noted: “It is…full of cheese flavor and very pleasing. I did not even want a snack or another meal for more than four hours.” (http://voices.yahoo.com/a-review-weight-watchers-smart-ones-stone-fired…)
Lean Cuisine Roasted Garlic Chicken Pizza
Score: 7
Description: 350 calories, 6 ounces
If chunks of garlic aren’t enough, the rich and creamy garlic sauce drizzled over the chicken will be.
Typical Reviewer Comment:
A blogger was surprised by how “The chicken’s texture turned out really well,” and especially “the chunks of garlic. They were POWERFUL! They had a great flavor to them.” (http://pechinspizzaoftheweek.blogspot.com/2012/08/lean-cuisine-roasted-…)
Lean Cuisine French Bread Cheese Pizza
Score: 7
Description: 340 calories, 6 ounces
Crunchy crust, hints of basil and garlic, and an overly sweet sauce make for a quick and average meal.
Typical Reviewer Comment:
“I thought the sauce a little sweet….(But) there’s definitely plenty of tasty cheese and a good proportion of the two.” (http://www.epinions.com/review/Lean_Cuisine_French_Cheese_Bread_Pizza_e…)
Lean Cuisine Deluxe French Bread Pizza
Score: 7
Description: 340 calories, 6.1 ounces
French bread enthusiasts celebrate the deluxe version, if only the toppings would stay on.
Typical Reviewer Comment:
“My only complaint about the toppings is that they kept falling off…” This reviewer also mentioned that “…the pizza comes out much better if you put it in the oven…If you microwave it the crust gets mushy.” (http://www.reviewstream.com/reviews/?p=139984)
5th place:
Lean Cuisine Mushroom Pizza
Score: 6
Description: 300 calories, 6 ounces
Sautéed mushrooms paired with tomato sauce creates a meal that only some veggie lovers enjoy.
Typical Reviewer Comment:
“I can eat one of these small pizzas,” said one reviewer, “and feel like I’m indulging without actually indulging too much.” (http://www.reviewstream.com/reviews/?p=138618)
Jenny Craig Rising Crust Pizza
Score: 6
Description: 300 calories, 153 grams
Supreme-style with meatless sausage crumbles and a “rising crust” that won’t rise for the occasion.
Typical Reviewer Comment:
“The rising crust has been a fail twice now….The bottom is just way too soft,” said one Jenny Craig dieter. (http://community.jennycraig.com/index.php/topic/78246-jc-pizzas/)
Jenny Craig Personal Pizza
Score: 6
Description: 230 calories, 133 grams
Tasteless and boring. Many people try adding spices or cooking it in an oven instead of a microwave to make eating it more fun.
Typical Reviewer Comment:
One reviewer suggested eating it “like a flatbread sandwich….If you eat it like an actual pizza, I find it pretty disappointing.” (http://community.jennycraig.com/index.php/topic/78425-personal-pizza-bl…)
Lean Cuisine Three Meat Deep Dish Pizza
Score: 6
Description: 390 calories, 6.4 ounces
Pepperoni, Italian sausage, and ground beef give an explosion of protein, but the new recipe is less than a hit with some.
Typical Reviewer Comment:
One blogger claimed, “I certainly didn’t taste any ground beef…” but “the crust is really buttery and nice.” (http://peanutfreereviews.blogspot.com/2011/10/lean-cuisine-three-meat-p…)
6th place:
Lean Cuisine Margherita Pizza Wood-Fire style
Score: 3
Description: 310 calories, 6 ounces
Classical Italian recipe that’s missing authentic ingredients and doesn’t fill up.
Typical Reviewer Comment:
“I guess the intent was to use the herbs to cover up the tastelessness of the ‘mozzarella’ cheese, which tasted like a combination of salt and bad dreams.”
(http://seehawer.blogspot.com/2010/11/lean-cuisine-review-3-pizza-marghe…)
7th Place:
Lean Cuisine Roasted Vegetable Pizza
Score: 2
Description: 320 calories, 6 ounces
Onion, red and green pepper, and mushrooms mingle with cheese and herbs, but where’s the flavor?
Typical Reviewer Comment:
One blogger claimed, “I didn’t taste the roasted part of the vegetables and there were hardly as many vegetables or cheese as there is on the package…The bread also had no flavor.” (http://timetocomer.blogspot.com/2012/01/lean-cuisine-roasted-vegetable-…)
HOW TO LOSE WEIGHT with FROZEN MEALS FROM YOUR SUPERMARKET
All pizzas in the study had less than 410 calories per six ounce serving.
“The survey produced some interesting results,” said Candace Abbott of Best Diet Tips.com. “It proved fewer calories doesn’t always mean less tasty. We hope the survey will prove useful to the many thousands of pizza lovers across the country who want to enjoy their favorite dish without worrying about the amount of calories they’re eating.”