9 Unhealthiest Frozen Pizzas on Grocery Shelves

When you need a quick meal, nothing hits the spot like a hot piece of cheesy pizza loaded with your favorite toppings. But not everyone has time to run to their favorite pizza joint or wait for delivery. That's where frozen pizza comes in and makes a good option for those in a time crunch.

Whether you're in the mood for an all cheese pizza or one packed with meat and veggies, there's plenty of choices. An entire grocery aisle is dedicated to frozen pizza in many stores with affordable delicious options, making it easier on consumer's wallets for a fast cheap meal. In fact, according to Research and Market, the global market for frozen pizza was at $21.2 billion last year and is projected to reach $27.4 billion by 2030.

While you can't beat the convenience of a frozen pizza, it doesn't mean they're all healthy for you. Many are filled with so much salt and fat that if consumed often it could pose a serious health risk.

Here are key things to look for when shopping for a frozen pizza.

Calories: Depending on age range and fitness goals, on average, the guidelines for calorie intake range between 1,600 to 2,000, per Cleveland Clinic.

Saturated fat: Saturated fat is something you'll often find in frozen meals like pizza. According to the American Heart Association, if you're following a 2,000-calorie-a-day diet, you should not have more than 13 grams of saturated fat. Too much can lead to serious health issues like high cholesterol and heart disease.

Sodium: Some frozen pizza contain a lot of salt for flavor. While it might be tasty, you're risking your heart. The American Heart Association says too many Americans consume more salt than recommended. The organization suggests having no more than 2,300 milligrams a day, but many people have 3,500mg daily.

To help guide you through the plethora of frozen pizzas, Eat This, Not That! spoke with dietitians who reveal the worst ones on the shelves ranked in order from unhealthiest to absolutely terrible for you.

Digiorno Cheese Stuffed Crust Pepperoni Pizza

Pizza is already tasty enough, but when you add a cheese stuffed crust, it takes the pie to a whole other level, but one that's really bad for you.

"If you are looking for a better option health-wise for a frozen pizza – it would seem obvious to steer clear from a product with its crust stuffed with cheese and topped with cured meats," says Michelle Rauch MSc RDN, Registered Dietitian/Nutritionist for The Actors Fund.

"Digiorno's brags that each pizza is stuffed with 2 ½ feet of cheese in its crust in addition to what is on top of the product, but for only 1/5 of this pizza you'll be eating 320 calories, and 16g of fat (of which half is saturated)."

In addition to the alarming amount of calories and fat for a small slice, salt is another concern to be aware of with this pizza.

Rauch says, "One serving, which is just 1/5 of this pie contains 730 mg of sodium is half (48.6%) of the recommended daily sodium amount as recommended by the American Heart Association for those with conditions such has high blood pressure and kidney disease (1500mg) and approximately 1/3 (31.7%) for of the daily value for the general population (2300mg).  Some of the excessive sodium in this product is coming from the pepperoni and the cheeses."

For a healthier choice, Rauch recommends a thinner crust without  extra meat and cheese toppings. Or make one yourself with fresh pizza dough and choose better ingredients.

Screamin' Sicilian Ultimate Deluxe

The Screamin' Sicilian Ultimate Deluxe has generous toppings with a variety of crunchy veggies, but according to Rauch, this frozen pizza doesn't deserve space in your freezer.

She says, "This pizza from Screamin' Sicilian is advertised as 'everything but the kitchen sink' with a buttery crust, mounds of whole-milk mozzarella cheese and 'piled high with Italian sausage, premium pepperoni", and some veggies such as peppers, onions, and mushrooms."

But that doesn't mean it should be eaten very often.

Rauch explains, "A single serving of the Ultimate Deluxe is listed as 1/5 of the pie which contains 350 calories and 770 mg of sodium. This is 33% of the American Heart Association's recommendation for sodium per day for the general population and just over half (51%) for those who are supposed to limit salt intake due conditions such as hypertension and kidney disease."

She adds, "Italian meats such as sausage and pepperoni along with cheese are known to have a high salt content and should be limited for those with high blood pressure and kidney disease.  This high sodium product, if eaten, doesn't leave room to stay in those recommended guidelines for the remainder of the day."

Rauch also emphasizes, "Once slice (based on the recommended serving size) contains 20g of fat – 8g of which is saturated.  The American Heart Association recommends limited Saturated Fats to under 6% of your total calories per day.  To put that into perspective, if you are eating 2000 calories daily – you should not eat more than 13g of those types of fats per day.    In this case, you would have already gone over that."

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Bellatoria Ultra Thin Crust Ultimate Supreme Pizza

Thin crust people is typically a bit healthier and has less calories and fat, but Violeta Morris, MS, RDN from Columbus, OH, The Concierge Dietitian, @conciergedietitianvioleta says not to let the Bellatoria Ultimate Supreme Pizza  fool you into thinking it's healthier than other frozen pizzas.

"Its nutritional profile is quite like other frozen options, with 350 calories per serving, 20 grams of fat, 740 mg of sodium, 24 grams of carbohydrates, and 16 grams of protein," she says. "This pizza contains enriched flour and three types of sugar—sugar, dextrose, and maltodextrin—which add to its refined carbohydrate content, potentially raising its glycemic load and providing empty calories."

Digiorno Four Cheese Croissant Crust Pizza

The Digiorno Four Cheese Croissant Crust Pizza is a mouthwatering blend of four cheeses with a croissant crust, but Rauch says that it's not an "ideal choice" for healthy frozen pizza.

"Looking at this whole line from Diogiorno's – this is probably the 'better' choice over their 'croissant crusted' varieties of pepperoni or three meats." She explains, "If you are able to stop at just 1/5 of the pie (their calculated serving), that's almost 400 kcals (370 kcals), and 18g of fat – half of which (50%) is saturated.  It's no surprise with a product loaded with cheese, and a crust made of a French pastry.   Eating a diet high in fats can lead to an increase in cholesterol which in turn increases the risk of developing heart disease, stroke, obesity, and other metabolic disorders."

Besides being high in fat, sodium is also a problem with this pizza, so avoid or eat very seldomly.

RED BARON Fully Loaded Hand Tossed Meat Lovers Pizza

There's no question the RED BARON Fully Loaded Hand Tossed Meat Lovers Pizza is a dream for carnivores, but it's a nightmare for your health.

"Most labels show nutrition facts for 1/4 of the pizza, but for RED BARON Fully Loaded Hand Tossed Meat Lovers Pizza, the nutrition facts are for 1/6th of the pie meaning the fat, calories, and sodium are much higher when eaten in a typical volume," Michelle Routhenstein, MS RD CDCES CDN, Preventive Cardiology Dietitian and Heart Health Expert at EntirelyNourished.com points out.

She explains, "If you have 1/2 of this pizza, you would hit the upper limit of saturated fat for a day and surpass an upper sodium threshold for the day. We want to limit saturated fat since high levels can increase LDL cholesterol and lead to insulin resistance."

Great Value Stuffed Crust Pepperoni Pizza

The Great Value Stuffed Crust Pepperoni Pizza might be a good value for your bank account, but it can take a toll on your health.

Routhenstein explains the "Great Value Stuffed Crust Pepperoni Pizza is loaded with saturated fat, sodium, and made with simple carbohydrates, not offering much satisfaction at only 1/5th of a pizza!

She adds, "Consuming more than 1/5th of the pie leads to very high saturated fat, sodium, and refined carbohydrate levels which can negatively impact cardiometabolic health."

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Tombstone Tavern Style Let's Meat Up Frozen Pizza

Rounding out the top three of healthiest frozen pizzas on our list of the Tombstone Tavern Style Let's Meat Up Frozen Pizza, which Routhenstein notes is sky high in saturated fat and sodium from its "many meat toppings like the pork belly to pepperoni, and to the heavy load of cheese on top."6254a4d1642c605c54bf1cab17d50f1e

She says, "Having too much sodium can contribute to elevated blood pressure and damage to the blood vessel lining."

RED BARON ® Singles Supreme Deep Dish Pizza

Another RED Baron frozen pizza to steer clear of if you're watching what you eat is the

Singles Supreme Deep Dish Pizza, which is marketed to picky eaters and kids.

"While I, as a dietitian and a mother, understand the appeal of offering pizza occasionally to kids, it's important to recognize that frozen pizzas, like this one, are packed with empty calories

and lack essential nutrients," Morris says.

This pizza contains a high amount of sodium, saturated fat and calories, but Morris explains it's also ultra processed.

"Research, including a 2024 review published in the British Medical Journal, examined 45 studies involving nearly 10 million participants and found links between ultra processed foods and 32 health concerns, including cardiometabolic diseases, mental health issues, and higher mortality rates. As parents, it's important to be aware of these findings to make more informed decisions about what we feed our children."

Home Run Inn Family Size Classic Frozen Meat Lovers Three Meat Pizza

Taking the top spot for the healthiest frozen pizza is the Home Run Inn Family Size Classic Frozen Meat Lovers Three Meat Pizza that's loaded with so much sodium and fat that Morris warns to steer clear.

While the pizza is is marketed on their website as the #1 selling frozen pizza in the Chicagoland area and is now available nationwide that Morris advises to be very careful how much you consume.

"As a dietitian, it's important to be mindful of how many slices you're eating, as the nutritional content can add up quickly," she says. "After eating frozen pizza, ask yourself how long you feel full. While it may be a quick and convenient meal, it can leave you feeling unsatisfied and hungry again just a few hours later."