Family Meal Makeover: Pizza Night

By Sylvia Geiger, M.S., R.D., "Family Table: “Please Rejuvenate Our Dinners”," August/September 2006

Learn how we cut the fat out of a family favorite.

The Menu
EatingWell's Pepperoni Pizza
Ranch Dip & Crunchy Vegetables
Roasted Peach Sundaes

More Family Dinner Makeovers
The Family Table: Mexican Casserole Makeover
Meal Makeover: Riding High on World Cuisine

Meal Makeover

Goal: A heart-healthy pizza dinner, low in saturated fat and loaded with fruits and vegetables.

- Veggies first. Plan for and appease your child’s voracious appetite with a make-ahead platter of assorted vegetables.
- Boost fiber by 50% simply by using a whole-wheat pizza crust.
- Lower saturated fat and cholesterol by two-thirds when substituting low-fat mozzarella for regular cheese.
- A fruit-based dessert fits into healthy eating and adds vitamins A & C, fiber and antioxidants.

Shopping List (not including regular pantry items)

Fruits & Vegetables:
Lemon, 1
Crunchy vegetables, 6 cups assorted
Peaches, 3 ripe

Refrigerated & Freezer Aisles:
Whole-wheat pizza dough, 1 pound
Shredded part-skim mozzarella cheese, one 8-ounce bag
Parmesan cheese
Turkey pepperoni, 1 package
Nonfat buttermilk, 1 quart
Reduced-fat mayonnaise, 1 jar
Nonfat vanilla frozen yogurt, 1 quart

Dry Goods:
Unseasoned pumpkin puree, 1 can
No-salt tomato sauce, 15-ounce can
Gingersnaps, 1 package (optional)