Christmas hosts planning a shared meal
If pizza is one part of the spread, compare labels before choosing a sharing size. The amount each guest is likely to eat matters as well as the per-100g figures.
Who is this for?
Shoppers looking to reduce fat
A pizza can have less fat than another pizza without being low fat. NHS food-label guidance puts the low-fat threshold for solid foods at 3g fat or less per 100g.
Small households with limited freezer room
A frozen pizza can be a planned backup for the Christmas shop, provided the pack and the number you buy fit alongside other food in your freezer.
What should you check?
Start with like-for-like nutrition figures, then consider the portion and the space the pack will need.
| Priority | What to check | Your needs |
|---|---|---|
| Total fat | Compare fat per 100g for the exact flavour and pack. NHS guidance defines low fat for solid foods as 3g fat or less per 100g; a lower figure than another pizza does not necessarily meet that threshold. | I want to compare pizzas on the same basis, rather than rely on the crust style or how large the pizza looks. |
| Saturates and salt | Read both per-100g values alongside total fat, then check any stated portion values. Tesco Groceries lists 3.2g saturates and 1.03g salt per 100g for its Finest Margherita 420g pizza. | If pizza is part of a larger Christmas meal, I want to see what my planned portion contributes. |
| Portions | Check the pack weight and stated serving size against the amount likely to be eaten. A manufacturer’s serving may differ from your planned slice or half-pizza portion. | I need enough pizza for the people eating it, without treating a per-100g comparison as a whole-meal comparison. |
| Freezer space | Check the pack dimensions where available and count how many pizzas will fit alongside the rest of the Christmas shop. | There is limited room in my freezer, so I need to choose the number of packs before shopping. |
Common buying mistakes
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Assuming thin crust means less fat
Tesco Groceries lists 9.1g fat per 100g for Goodfella’s Stonebaked Thin Margherita Three Cheese, compared with 6.5g per 100g for Tesco Finest Margherita. Crust style alone does not settle the comparison.
Use the current per-100g fat and saturates figures for each flavour; choose the crust for the texture you want.
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Checking total fat but not saturates or salt
The Tesco Finest Margherita has the lowest total fat of the three named retailer examples, while its listing also gives 3.2g saturates and 1.03g salt per 100g.
Compare all three figures and check them against the portion you plan to serve.
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Choosing a large pizza before planning the meal
A sharing pizza may be more than a small household needs, and several packs must still fit safely in the freezer.
Decide how many people will eat pizza, what else you will serve and how much freezer room is available before choosing a pack size.
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Relying on a listing for a different pack or flavour
Nutrition and ingredient details need to correspond to the pizza you actually serve, particularly when guests have dietary requirements.
Check the current packaging for the exact flavour and size, including its nutrition table, ingredients, allergens and cooking instructions.
Brand references for this choice
These examples describe particular pizzas and formats, not the nutrition of every product made by each brand.
Tesco
Tesco Finest Margherita is a 420g cheese-and-tomato pizza.
- Tesco Groceries lists 6.5g fat and 3.2g saturates per 100g for this pizza.
- At 6.5g fat per 100g, this product does not meet the NHS low-fat threshold for solid foods.
Goodfella’s
Stonebaked Thin Margherita Three Cheese is a 334g thin-crust cheese pizza.
- Its retailer listing gives per-100g nutrition figures for comparing flavours.
- Tesco Groceries lists 9.1g fat and 4.5g saturates per 100g for this specific pizza; its thin base does not establish that it is lower in fat.
Chicago Town
The 480g Loaded Cheese example is a stuffed-crust sharing pizza.
- Its listed per-100g figures allow a comparison with other pizzas that give the same measures.
- Snappy Shopper lists 8.9g fat and 5.2g saturates per 100g for this exact Loaded Cheese product.
Dr Oetker
The Ristorante range includes a 320g Pepperoni-Salame pizza that Tesco Groceries describes as thin and crispy.
- Check the current nutrition table for the flavour you are considering; a thin base is not a per-100g fat figure.
Sainsbury’s
Its own-label frozen range includes a 553g Takeaway Fully Loaded American Hot Pizza.
- Use the current pack’s per-100g fat and saturates figures before comparing this flavour with a lower-fat candidate.
Joybuy pizza option
This stuffed-crust frozen pizza is an option to assess for a Christmas meal. Check its current nutrition label and your planned portion if reducing fat is the priority.
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Chicago Town Takeaway Stuffed Crust BBQ Chicken, BBQ Sauce Filled Crust 668g
For a Christmas meal, compare the current pack’s fat, saturates and salt figures with other pizzas before choosing a portion. This 668g pizza has a BBQ sauce-filled crust; check that the pack fits your freezer.
Questions about choosing pizza
How can I tell whether a frozen pizza is low fat?
Check total fat per 100g on the nutrition label. NHS guidance defines low fat for solid foods as 3g fat or less per 100g; also read saturates, salt and the amount you expect to eat.
Does thin crust mean less fat?
No: crust style alone cannot establish the pizza’s total fat. Tesco Groceries lists 9.1g fat per 100g for Goodfella’s Stonebaked Thin Margherita Three Cheese and 6.5g per 100g for Tesco Finest Margherita, so compare the exact products’ labels.
Does “reduced fat” mean the same thing as “low fat”?
Do not treat the phrases as interchangeable when choosing a pizza. Check its per-100g nutrition table: the NHS low-fat threshold for solid foods is 3g fat or less per 100g.
How should I store and cook pizza for a gathering?
Follow the instructions on the exact pack you buy. For its Stonebaked Thin Margherita, Goodfella’s says to store it frozen at −18°C and not refreeze it after defrosting; other products may have different instructions.
What if a guest has an allergy or another dietary requirement?
Check the ingredient and allergen declaration on the current pack for the exact pizza before serving it. Do not assume that another flavour or an older product listing has the same ingredients.