When time is short and you’re looking for a quick solution for dinner, frozen pizza is often the most convenient choice. Just bake it for a few minutes and you’re done. Supermarket shelves are overflowing with alternatives: from classic daisies to more elaborate variants, from family size formats to single portions. But are we sure that all these proposals are equivalent from a quality point of view?
The answer comes from the latest investigation by Altroconsumo, which put under the magnifying glass well over 180 frozen pizzas available in Italian supermarkets. The result? There are just 7 products that really deserve to end up in the shopping cart, at least according to the association’s nutritional and qualitative evaluation criteria.
The 7 frozen pizzas promoted by Altroconsumo
Among the dozens and dozens of products analyzed, only these seven achieved the “Good” rating, standing out for their balanced nutritional profile and moderate use of additives:
What makes these products superior to others? The secret lies in balance: a balanced composition between carbohydrates, proteins and fats, a cleaner ingredient list and a reduced number of additives compared to the market average.
For those wishing to delve deeper into the entire ranking with all the products tested, it is possible to consult the official Altroconsumo website.
The test methodology: how the pizzas were evaluated
The Altroconsumo team of experts has built a complex evaluation system, which takes into account various qualitative and nutritional aspects. Each pizza was analyzed according to six main criteria, each with a specific weight on the final score:
Nutritional assessment (30% of total score)
Using the Nutri-score system, saturated fats, sugars, salt, fiber and proteins were examined for every 100 grams of product.
Additives (15%)
The number of additives present was calculated and their safety was assessed through Altroconsumo’s proprietary database.
Degree of transformation (15%)
The experts considered the presence of ultra-processed ingredients and the overall level of industrialization of the product.
Presence of vegetables (10%)
The actual amount of vegetables contained in each portion was measured.
Nutrient balance per meal (25%)
Fundamental for this parameter was to evaluate how carbohydrates, proteins and fats are distributed compared to the reference values of a balanced meal.
Serving size (5%)
The recommended weights also had their weight in the overall evaluation.
At the end of the analysis, each product was placed in one of five rating bands: Very good (80-100 points), Good (60-79), Acceptable (40-59), Poor (20-39) and Very poor (0-19).
How to choose the right frozen pizza
In light of these results, when we find ourselves in front of the freezer counter in the supermarket, it is worth dedicating a few extra minutes to reading the label. The ingredients should be recognizable and not too numerous, while the nutritional values should be compared to identify products with the lowest salt, saturated fat and additive content.
The seven award-winning pizzas demonstrate that it is possible to find quality options even in the frozen food department, without necessarily having to give up the practicality of a ready-to-use product.
