Shoppers comparing fat
If you want to avoid choosing by a “lighter” impression, compare total fat and saturates on the exact pizza’s label. Crust style and topping names are not substitutes for the figures per 100g.
Who is this choice for?
The useful comparison depends on whether fat, cooking time or the amount you will eat is driving your dinner choice.
Households short on cooking time
If the oven needs to fit around a busy evening, check the stated cooking time and appliance instructions before choosing. The UK product pages for Dr. Oetker Ristorante Pollo and Tesco Deep Pan Cheese give different oven times: 11–13 and 20–22 minutes respectively.
People checking portions
If you might eat half a pizza or the whole thing, use the serving figures alongside the per-100g column. A manufacturer’s serving may differ from the amount you put on your plate.
What should you compare?
Start with the nutrition figures for a like-for-like comparison, then check the portion and cooking instructions for the pizza you would actually buy.
| Priority | What to check | Your needs |
|---|---|---|
| Total fat | Compare fat per 100g on the exact products. Tesco lists 6.5g for Finest Margherita and 7.8g for Deep Pan Cheese; Dr. Oetker lists 7.8g for Ristorante Pollo. These are comparisons between those products, not “low-fat” claims. | I want to compare pizzas on the same weight basis rather than assume that thin crust, cheese or chicken tells me which has less fat. |
| Saturates and salt | Read both values per 100g as well as total fat. The listed saturates are 3.2g for Tesco Finest Margherita, 2.7g for Dr. Oetker Ristorante Pollo and 4.2g for Tesco Deep Pan Cheese; their salt figures also differ. | Lower total fat is not my only label check, particularly if I expect to eat a large portion. |
| Portion size | Check the pack’s serving size against the amount you intend to eat. Use the per-portion figures where given, or account for the amount eaten when reading per-100g values. | Half a pizza may be enough for one meal, but I want the figures to reflect my own portion. |
| Cooking time | Check the time, temperature and appliance setting for the exact pizza. Dr. Oetker states 11–13 minutes for Ristorante Pollo; Tesco states 13–14 minutes for Finest Margherita and 20–22 minutes for Deep Pan Cheese, cooking from frozen. | On a tight evening, I need the stated cooking method to fit the time and equipment available. |
| Pack and storage | Check pack size, intended servings, storage directions and the current ingredient and allergen statement. Follow the specific product’s instructions if it has thawed. | I want a pizza that fits my freezer, suits the people eating it and will be prepared as directed. |
What is easy to overlook?
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Assuming thin crust means less fat
Dr. Oetker describes both Ristorante Pollo and Ristorante Mozzarella as thin and crispy, yet its UK pages list 7.8g and 12g fat per 100g respectively.
Compare the current nutrition panels for the specific pizzas, including saturates and salt, rather than choosing by crust or topping name.
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Stopping at the half-pizza figure
A serving figure is useful only if it resembles the amount you will eat. It also cannot replace per-100g figures when comparing pizzas of different sizes.
Read both columns and assess the portion you expect to serve.
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Checking fat but not salt
Action on Salt reported in 2023 that, among more than 1,300 UK pizzas it assessed across supermarkets, restaurants and takeaways, one in two provided 6g of salt or more per pizza. That product survey is not a measure of shoppers’ preferences or a finding about every frozen pizza.
Compare salt and saturates alongside total fat, especially when the full pizza is the intended meal.
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Assuming every pizza is equally quick
The stated oven times for Dr. Oetker Ristorante Pollo and Tesco Deep Pan Cheese are 11–13 and 20–22 minutes respectively. The difference matters when dinner time is limited.
Check the exact pack’s time, temperature and permitted cooking methods before relying on a particular preparation plan.
Which brands offer relevant formats?
Brand ranges can help narrow a preferred crust or cooking format, but compare nutrition on individual packs before making a lower-fat judgement.
Dr. Oetker
Dr. Oetker describes its Ristorante pizzas as thin and crispy. Its UK pages provide nutrition figures for individual variants.
- Ristorante Pollo lists 7.8g fat per 100g and an 11–13 minute oven time.
- Ristorante Mozzarella lists 12g fat per 100g, so the shared crust description does not establish a shared fat level.
Goodfella’s
Goodfella’s offers a Stonebaked Thin Margherita for shoppers considering that crust style.
- Its product page defines a serving as half a pizza.
- Use the exact pack’s nutrition panel before comparing its fat with another pizza.
Chicago Town
Chicago Town describes Deep Dish, Stuffed Crust and Takeaway-style pizzas, including products intended for oven or microwave preparation.
- The formats give shoppers different crust and preparation options to check.
- Cooking methods and nutrition must be checked on the particular product; a range description does not establish either for every pizza.
Tesco
Tesco’s UK product pages give individual nutrition and cooking details for its frozen-pizza examples.
- Finest Margherita lists 6.5g fat per 100g and a 13–14 minute oven time.
- Deep Pan Cheese lists 7.8g fat per 100g and a 20–22 minute oven time; check the current pack when comparing recipes and instructions.
A Joybuy pizza option
For a weeknight frozen-pizza choice, this Chicago Town bacon, ham and pineapple pizza can be assessed by its pack nutrition, portion figures and cooking instructions. It is not the same product as the Chicago Town formats discussed above.
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Chicago Town Tiger Crust Bacon Ham & Pineapple Pizza 380g
For a dinner choice where fat and portion size matter, its listed nutrition gives 8.5g fat, 3.5g saturates and 0.77g salt per 100g, with figures also given for half a pizza. Compare those figures with the current pack and the amount you intend to eat; check its cooking instructions if timing is tight.
Questions about labels and preparation
Does thin crust automatically mean less fat?
No. Dr. Oetker describes Ristorante Pollo and Ristorante Mozzarella as thin and crispy, but its UK pages list 7.8g and 12g fat per 100g respectively. Compare the exact products’ nutrition panels.
What does “low fat” mean on a UK food label?
NHS food-label guidance describes 3g of total fat or less per 100g as low. A pizza with less declared fat than another pizza does not necessarily meet that threshold; check its own per-100g figure before calling it low in fat.
Should I compare per 100g or per portion?
Use both: per 100g helps you compare pizzas of different sizes, while the portion figure helps you assess the amount you plan to eat. Check what the manufacturer counts as one serving before using its portion figures.
Can I refreeze a pizza after it has thawed?
Follow the instruction on the specific pack. The product pages for Tesco Thin And Crispy Pepperoni and Goodfella’s Stonebaked Thin Margherita both say not to refreeze after defrosting; do not assume every pizza has identical directions.
What should I check for allergies or dietary requirements?
Read the ingredient and allergen statement on the exact current pack before choosing it. A crust style or topping name alone cannot establish whether the complete pizza meets a dietary requirement.