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BANG FOR THE BITE
Frozen pizza without pesticides is better for you and the planet, but let's face it: Organic or not, nothing compares to a fresh slice from your favorite parlor.
COCKTAIL FACT
The record for world's farthest (and least eco) food delivery was set in 2004 when a vegetarian supreme pizza traveled 10,532 mi from a Domino's in London, England to Melbourne, Australia.
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home › tip library › Organic Pizza
Is Chicago-style yummier than New York-style?
The Bite
If we answer that, we risk getting sliced by pizza cutter-wielding partisans. Instead, we'll just suggest that you go organic no matter how you slice it and no matter what region your preferred pizza hails from.The Benefits
- Slicing pesticide use. A recent University of Michigan study found that a global shift to organic farming could still provide enough food for everyone while lowering pesticide levels.
- Body-friendly biting. Fewer pesticides on crops = fewer pesticides in your bod.
- Skipping tipping the delivery person. No need to call or leave the house; just stick one of these Biter-approved frozen pizzas in the Energy Star oven.
Personally Speaking
We took an in-house poll: Half of us eat pizza with a knife and fork, and the other half with our hands. However, we all agree on Amy's as our favorite frozen version.Wanna Try?
- Amy's Kitchen - more than 10 varieties, including a soy cheese option and a wheat-free crust for you gluten-free types ($6).
- A.C. LaRocco - eight topping combos, all with whole wheat and honey crusts ($6).
- Linda McCartney - the veg-head wife of a former Beatle had good taste in pizza; check out the four varieties ($6).
- Trader Joe's Organic 3-Cheese Pizza - TJ's has a great on-the-cheap organic option; see its website for a location near you ($4).
Sep 05,2007
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All editorial suggestions in this tip are the result of testing and a preference for the tip topic. No advertiser has paid to have its company referenced in the tip. For more information, please read our Editorial Policy.
Moon Hit Your Eye?
Ever heard of anyone not liking pizza? Sure, most peeps are picky about the toppings, but by and large, no one really complains when they find out they'll have the opportunity of biting into a triangular sheet of dough with cheese on it.
And yet, there are pizzas that are a pizza-cutter above, namely:
Best NY Pizza: Grimaldis in Brooklyn; thin crust with pepperoni and grease
Best Chicago-Style Pizza: OK, so I've never been to the supposedly windy city, but in the Bay Area, there is a clear imposter-winner, and it's Zachary's; stuffed with pepperoni, artichoke hearts, and black olives
Best I-Guess-You'd-Call-It-Pizza Pizza: the Girl from Ipanema from SF's Pizza Orgasmica
Best Frozen Pizza: Amy's Kitchen Margherita Pizza
Tell us your pizza secrets...where does your ideal bite come from?
-Jenifer Morgan...off to eat some, no matter how they slice it...
And yet, there are pizzas that are a pizza-cutter above, namely:
Best NY Pizza: Grimaldis in Brooklyn; thin crust with pepperoni and grease
Best Chicago-Style Pizza: OK, so I've never been to the supposedly windy city, but in the Bay Area, there is a clear imposter-winner, and it's Zachary's; stuffed with pepperoni, artichoke hearts, and black olives
Best I-Guess-You'd-Call-It-Pizza Pizza: the Girl from Ipanema from SF's Pizza Orgasmica
Best Frozen Pizza: Amy's Kitchen Margherita Pizza
Tell us your pizza secrets...where does your ideal bite come from?
-Jenifer Morgan...off to eat some, no matter how they slice it...
Biter Comments...
The Amy's soy pizza is NOT vegan, as today's bite said. It contains dairy. That's right, the soy cheese is dairy.
What about all the packaging on the frozen pizzas? Sheesh! I do pizza one of two ways: either make my own (which is far easier than the pizza joints would have you think), or buy it fresh from a local mom & pop pizzeria. Fortunately for me the best pizza in NW PA is not only from a locally owned business, but is made with local organic produce, local organic cheese, and local organic flour. How cool is that?!
Vegan or not, I love, love Amy's Roasted Veggie Pizza! But my husband and I have a weekly Sunday night dinner that consists of my homemade whole wheat crust, organic sauce and lots of fresh veggies. Check it out http://green-lemonade.com/?s=pizza
What about American Flatbread!!! Here in the Northeast they support local organic agriculture by sourcing their produce and spreading the word. There "live" pizza is amazing and the frozen ones are great too. I believe they are available nationwide now. The original Waitsfield, VT location just revolutionized local agriculture by pushing forward a bill that allows small poultry farmers to process the animals right on the farm.
Although Trader Joe's organic pizzas are really tasty, they are imported from Italy - that's a long way for a frozen pizza to travel!
That's right ... the related tip says that the Amy's soy cheese pizza is vegan but it contains caseinate. On the pizza box it explains that this is a milk-derived protein. The Amy's Roasted Vegetable pizza is vegan, however, and delicious. We rarely eat them anymore because they are so tiny and we don't think it is worth the packaging it uses.
Has anyone tried Vicolo's Organic corn meal crust pizza? It has a hearty crust but boy is it good!!
Make your own dough for crusts and you can either roll it out and freeze it or store in balls for later use. You can probably make the crusts for 20 pizzas for less than $5.00 with bulk flours.
Then when you're in the mood for pizza, take out a crust and let it thaw on your pizza stone. Either buy organic sauce or make it (don't even need sauce if you don't want it) and go through your cupboards to see what toppings you have available. Each pizza will be unique that way.
You can also make and freeze entire pizzas with all your favorite toppings. It will probably beat any of the prepackaged models that are featured in taste, price and dietary needs.
Ever hear of american flatbread! Great organic pizza and they get a lot of ingredients from local sources!
How is booking buddy (company with ad on sidebar of tip) an eco-type sponsor??
Thanks to Dave and Jessica W for pointing that out about the soy cheese pizza - I came to the blog to make the same point. I'm REALLY allergic to casein, and that pizza made me really sick since I didn't check the ingredients. If you need easy frozen pizza, get the cheese-less Amy's, (the sweet onion/olive sauce is delicious) and add lots of fresh veggies on top - vegan cheese optional. If you have a bit more time, the dairy-free/wheat-free/egg-free/everything-free? pizza crust that comes in the brown bag (I forgot the brand) mixes up QUICK, and is actually quite delicious. Throw some sauce and veggies on top, and you are good to go! Here is my main tip - most local pizza joints will sell you their raw crust. Many of them (Woodstock's, anyone?) will even roll it flat with their handy-dandy machine! Costs about 3 bucks for a large crust, and it is fresh and delicious!! (um, can you tell I like pizza . . . ?) ;)
Any Chicagoans looking for good organic pizza, look no more!! Check out Crust, an amazing pizza place at 2056 W. Division. Yummy fully organic pizzas and infused organic drinks! It's the first certified organic restaurant in the Midwest.
Not all of us are able to enjoy teh amazing deliciousness that is served at Pizza Orgasmica ;)
This was in today's bite:
"Slicing pesticide use. A recent University of Michigan study found that a global shift to organic farming could still provide enough food for everyone while lowering pesticide levels."
Where did you find this study? Where was it published? I'd like to read it.
Thanks,
Lexy
Thanks for everyone's ideas and comments! As I read that tip, I was wondering where the envirnmental impact comparison of making you own or buying from a local pizzaria was. That sounds sort of serious, "environmental impact report" for pizza. I like the make your own dough and freeze it idea. Still have to find the time to do it... As a working mom, I am so tempted by the convieniance of frozen oraganic food... but does it cancel itself out?
On a side note, there's an error to your statement "just stick one of these Biter-approved frozen pizzas in the Energy Star oven"
Unfortunately there is no such thing as an energy star oven, I know because I recently had to purchase a new oven and wanted to be smart about it. The best option I came up with was to buy a smaller sized oven, since I really don't need a full-sizer for the 2 of us anyway!
Dave, Jessica, and Tara - thanks for the correction - we've changed the tip as it appears in the Tip Library.
Lexy - you can check out an AP article on the subject at http://www.organicconsumers.org/articles/article_5079.cfm and a release on the study from U of Mich at http://www.ns.umich.edu/htdocs/releases/story.php?id=5936
Most frozen processed foods are loaded with salt, which can have a significant impact on one's health. Additionally, they're sneaky with serving sizes to make it seem like there isn't much salt, saturated fat or calories. Making your own pizza dough with a little cornmeal takes 15 minutes, but Trader Joes whole wheat pizza crust is the best second choice, which is really good. You control how much cheese, veggies, salt, etc. go on the pizza. No substitute like homemade.
Z-Pizza in California (and other western states?) uses organic tomato sauce, and Montana-grown wheat in their crusts. They can also make every pizza with soy cheese.
I am glad to see some others questioning the promotion of organic frozen pizzas. Frozen pizza boxes can not be recycled, have traveled a long way and are no way environmental, organic or not. I have enjoyed the Ideal Bite tips but I am beginning to see a lot of tips that promote organic products despite the packaging and travel implications.
I feel woefully ignorant of what "household cardboard" can and cannot be recycled. If it isn't soiled by food, why can't the box be recycled? I've always just dropped them into my mixed recycling. . .
I called my local Waste Management office and asked. They do not recycle delivery pizza boxes because they are often saturated with oil and are considered a contaminated product. However boxes from frozen pizzas that are not contaminated are indeed recyclable. Since frozen pizzas often have both cardboard boxes and an inner plastic wrap, you can recycle the box. The plastic probably won't be recyclable though and neither will any cardboard disk the pizza sits on. Overall though it is still a horrorable overpackaging issues and a strain on resources. Even more so if you order frozen foods online for overnight shipment in refrigerated trucks. Then you have more packaging and styrofoam to deal with. Might as well just order from Domino's and have them deliver across town. That is probably less of an impact on the environment.
How come Jenifer has time to blog when she can't even return emails from old high school friends?????
#1 Pizza boxes with the food, grease, etc. stuck to it can be composted.
#2 Are y'all running out of tips? I feel like there are a lot that suggest "Organic" - Pizza, produce, snacks for kids lunches, etc. etc. I think it's safe to say that Organic is a good choice no matter what food group, and we don't need an individual "Organic" alert for every category in the Food Pyramid. Just a thought... and Amy's has a semi-new pizza out with rice flour crust and vegan cheese. Available at some Whole Foods... And last but not least, thanks for all the tips.
PHOTO ALBUMS
Posted by: Johnnyd | September 05, 2007 at 12:43 AM