Homemade vs Takeaway: Pizza
Homemade pizza is an easy, delicious and healthy meal to make!
Although buying a takeaway pizza may seem like an easier option at the time, by making it at home you will be saving yourself from lots of kilojoules, added sugars, unhealthy fats, preservatives and salt! It’s a simple option for the sake of your health and happiness.
What’s the difference: Homemade Chicken Pizza and Takeaway Meatlovers pizza
1 serving size is 4 slices or ½ a pizza.
Kilojoules
When trying to lose or maintain weight a meal should be around 2000kj.
Takeawa pizza: 2916kj Our pizza: 1900kj
The verdict: Takeaway pizza nearly 1000kj over the recommended amount, which is not ideal when trying to lose or maintain weight.
Protein:
For weight maintenance, muscle maintenance and to keep you full between meals, a meal should have at least 20g protein.
Takeaway pizza: 33g Our pizza: 33g
The verdict: Although protein levels are good in both, the protein from our pizza comes mainly from lean chicken breast and a small amount of cheese. The protein from the Takeaway pizza comes mainly from processed meats high in fat, preservatives and salt, as well as a large amount of cheese, adding a whole heap of extra fat and kilojoules to your meal.
Fat
For weight maintenance and lower risk of heart disease, fat should be kept under 20g per meal (remember the quality of fat is just as important as the quantity of fat).
Takeaway pizza: 27.6g Our pizza: 11.6g
The verdict: Our pizza has less than half the amount of fat! The fat in the Takeaway pizza comes mainly from processed meats, lots of cheese and added oils that are full of unhealthy fats.
Fibre
For weight management, lower risk of disease, to keep full between meals, good energy levels and mood, a meal should have over 6g of fibre.
Takeaway pizza: <1g Our pizza: 6g
The verdict: The wholemeal pita bread and vegies used in our pizza are jam packed of fibre. The Takeaway pizza base is made with refined white flour which has little fibre, as well as having no vegies on top!
Salt
To keep your blood pressure stable and lower your risk of chronic disease, salt, or sodium should be less than 500mg per meal.
Takeaway pizza: 1792mg Our pizza: 405mg
The verdict: Takeaway pizza has nearly 4 times the recommended amount of salt in one meal. In fact, this is nearly as much as your daily limit of salt, which 2000mg of sodium per day (just under a teaspoon).
Sugar
For weight management, lower risk of diabetes, stable energy levels and good mood, one meal should have less than 10g of added sugar.
Takeaway pizza: 10g Our pizza: 4g
The verdict: Sauces are a big culprit of having added sugars. The sauces used in Takeaway would contain a lot more added sugar compared to some of the sauces or tomato paste you can find at the supermarket. When reading labels, make sure the sugar levels are less than 10g per 100g.
Get the kids helping you in the kitchen these school holidays by making our homemade pizza (chicken or vegetarian options) instead of buying takeaway pizza!
Weekly Recipe
Serves: 2 Time: 30mins Cost: $8 approx. ($4/serve)
- 1 Wholemeal pita bread
- 2 TBSP Pizza sauce or tomato paste
- ½ chicken breast (vegetarian option: use feta or chickpeas)
- ½ cup grated mozzarella
- ½ cup sliced mushrooms
- ¼ cup sundried tomatoes
- Handful of spinach
- Fresh basil
Method
- Preheat oven to 1800C (fan-forced)
- Bake chicken breast for 15mins. (skip this step for vege option)
- Thinly slice chicken so it almost shreds apart. (skip this step for vege option)
- Spread tomato paste even over pita bread.
- Sprinkle spinach, chicken (chickpeas or feta for vegetarian), cheese, tomatoes and mushroom on top, season with salt and pepper
- Bake for 10mins
Serve with fresh Basil!
