As promised, a dissection of one of the most popular foods served in school cafeterias…pizza. When I tell people that pizza is my favorite food and I would eat it every day if I could, I’m often met with looks of disbelief. I know what people are thinking: How can I, as a dietitian, promote this food that’s been partially blamed for the nation’s obesity epidemic ever since the inception of “stuffed-crusts” and “meat-lovers” varieties. Let me explain. Pizza, in its truest form, is really the perfect food. You have your protein in the form of low-fat mozzarella, vegetables revealed in tomato sauce and a crust that provides just the right percentage of carbohydrates for the meal. As long as we don’t give into the temptation of pizzas like Pizza Hut’s “Panormous” variety that claims to be “so BIG it should have its own ZIP code”, and avoid eating a large pizza in one sitting, this food can be part of a healthy diet.
 
The most nutritious pizzas can often be found in schools. Vendors have succumbed to the pressure of creating nutritious products and as a result we have pizzas with whole-wheat crusts, virtually fat-free cheese and more reasonable serving sizes. It’s really not the best idea to deprive students of pizza at school, since they’ll be more likely to demand it at home and convince their parents to order the “Philly cheese steak pizza” with “cinnamon dippers” for dessert. Let students have their pizza every once in a while, because either way you slice it, more traffic in the cafeteria leads to increased revenue and nourished students ready to learn.
 
To Your Health,
 
Emily