What is the lowest calorie pizza you can order?

Ordering pizza can seem like an indulgence when you’re watching your calories and trying to eat healthy. The dough, cheese, and fatty meats like pepperoni, sausage, and bacon can quickly add up when it comes to calories, fat, carbs, and sodium. However, with the rise of customization options and healthier ingredients at pizza chains these days, you can definitely find lower calorie pizza options that still taste delicious. This allows you to occasionally enjoy a slice (or more) without completely derailing your nutrition goals. This article is about What is the lowest calorie pizza you can order.

In this post, we’ll explore some of the lowest calorie pizza options you can order from major pizza chains across categories like thin crust veggie pizzas, lighter meat pizzas, and even gluten-free or cauliflower crust pizzas. With a little planning and customization, you can keep a single slice under 300 calories at some spots. Read on to find the best low calorie pizza choices no matter what you’re craving!

Veggie Lovers’ Thin Crust Pizzas

One easy way to lighten up any pizza is to load it with veggies instead of fatty meats and extra cheese. Most major pizza chains offer veggie lover’s pizzas packed with mushrooms, onions, tomatoes, spinach, bell peppers, and more on a thin, crispy crust. Choosing thin crust over pan, deep dish, or stuffed crust styles can shave significant calories and carbs too.

For example, a slice of a thin crust veggie pizza from Pizza Hut contains around 220 calories per slice. Their Garden Party pizza with mushrooms, green peppers, onions, and tomatoes comes in at 150 calories per slice on thin crust. Papa John’s thin crust Veggie pizza with mushrooms, onions, tomatoes, peppers, and banana peppers contains 220 calories for one slice. And Domino’s thin crust Veggie pizza is just 170 calories per slice.

So if you want all the satisfaction of a pizza night without all the calories, load up on vegetable toppings and stick to a thin, crispy crust. It lets you fill up on fiber, vitamins, and minerals instead of just empty carbs, fat, and protein.

Lighter Meat Pizza Options

If you really love pepperoni, sausage, grilled chicken, or other pizza meats, many chains now offer lighter options featuring leaner meats like turkey pepperoni or chicken sausage. Choosing these over higher fat meats can trim calories and fat. Also opting for lighter or reduced-fat cheese options can help lighten up your favorite pizza without losing that signature flavor.

For example, Pizza Hut’s Fit Kitchen turkey pepperoni pizza comes in at just 150 calories per slice. Papa John’s chicken and sausage pizza on thin crust with reduced-fat cheese is only 170 calories per slice. And Domino’s thin crust pizza with chicken sausage and veggies is just 140 calories a slice.

You can also build your own lighter meat pizza with veggie toppings and lighter cheese options. Just opting for reduced-fat mozzarella over whole milk varieties makes a difference. Then pile on your favorite veggies and lean proteins like turkey pepperoni, ham, or grilled chicken breast to create a tasty, more nutritious personal pizza.

Gluten-Free or Cauliflower Crust Pizzas

In recent years, pizza places have expanded offerings to include gluten-free or cauliflower-based crusts. Since these are often made without refined flour and have more vegetable content, they can trim overall carbs, calories, and fat especially if you also load up on veggie toppings.

For example, Domino’s thin crust gluten-free pizza starts at under 140 calories per slice depending on toppings. Pizza Hut’s Life Unboxed cauliflower crust veggie lover’s pizza comes in at just 60 calories a slice. And Blaze Pizza’s gluten-free crust with red sauce, mozzarella, and veggies is only 190 calories for an 11” personal pizza.

The crust alternatives let you enjoy pizza night while avoiding refined flour and added carbs. Combined with lots of veggies and lighter meats and cheese, you can easily keep calories in check. Some people even find that cauliflower or gluten-free crusts are easier to digest, though individual tolerance varies.

How to Order and Customize For Lower Calories

To get the lowest calorie pizza options, take advantage of the customization and lighter substitutions offered at most pizza places today. Here are some tips:

• Start with a thin crust style instead of pan, stuffed, or deep dish
• Ask for lighter cheese options like reduced-fat mozzarella
• Load up on veggie toppings like mushrooms, peppers, onions, spinach etc.
• If you want meat, choose lean options like turkey pepperoni, grilled chicken or ham
• For even more calories savings, try cauliflower crust or gluten-free crust pizzas
• Opt for red sauce instead of white sauce or cream-based sauces
• Ask for light sprinkling of cheese rather than extra cheese
• Choose marinara dipping sauce instead of garlic butter or ranch dressing

Many national pizza chains post nutrition info online for each standard pizza as well as build your own options. You can use these to compare and choose the lowest calorie pizza for your tastes.

When ordering in person, don’t be afraid to ask for substitutions, lighter alternatives, or extra veggie toppings instead of extra meat or cheese. The pizza makers want you to enjoy your meal, so they’re usually happy to accommodate requests.

The Bottom Line on Low Calorie Pizza Options

While no pizza is as low in calories as a salad or home-cooked chicken and veggies, with some simple customizations, you can keep it reasonable as an occasional treat. Lots of veggies, leaner meats, alternative crusts, and lighter cheese let you slim down standard pizza. So next time you’re craving that hot, melty, fresh-from-the-oven satisfaction, you can indulge while still sticking to your healthy eating plan.

Does a thinner, veggie-loaded pizza taste as good as a thick, meat-topped pie? Maybe not for some hardcore pizza fans. But adding tons of produce and cutting some carbs, fat, and calories means you can feel good about enjoying a slice…or three. By choosing the lowest calorie pizza toppings and crust that suits your preferences, you can have your pizza and eat it too – even if you’re watching your weight and nutrition. I sincerely hope you find this “What is the lowest calorie pizza you can order?” article helpful.