We used to have pizza night once a week. It was a nice break from having to cook and, of course, something everyone enjoyed, so, no whining from anyone about what’s for dinner.
After switching to a gluten-free diet, we were lucky to have many great pizza places around town that offered gluten free crust. None of us are celiac, so we didn’t need to worry about cross contamination. The only problem was gluten free pizza’s come smaller and cost more! We ordered pizza less and less. When we did order, my husband and daughter would share a regular pizza and my son and I would share a gluten-free pizza. The problem with that is, my son and husband like the same thing, as much meat as possible, and my daughter only likes cheese and didn’t eat much. I like veggies on mine. It was so much easier when the boys could share one! We ate frozen pizza once in a while, but it wasn’t nearly as good.
Better frozen pizzas
We moved to the mountains, and though there is a pizza place about 30 minutes away that offers a delicious gluten free crust, they are way too expensive for our modest budget. We have tried all the frozen gluten free pizza brands we can find and have decided that our favorite is Udi’s brand. They are small, personal pizza size, but I can get one for each of us for under $30 vs. paying $50 or more at the pizza parlor and having to drive so far.
Don’t forget extra cheese
One thing about all frozen gluten free pizza’s, there’s never enough cheese. Now, it’s a staple to keep a brick of Mozzarella cheese in the fridge and four Udi’s pizza’s in the freezer. We tired of cheese and pepperoni pretty quickly as that is all our local grocery store carries, so I’ve gotten creative, and now, pizza night is again the favorite night of the week!
Make Your Own Personal Pizza
My kids actually prefer to have their own personal pizza. They can add cheese and whatever toppings they want that we have available and they enjoy seeing what it looks like once they’re cooked. We load up our pizzas, they bake for 12-14 minutes and we have the most delicious pizza nights we could ask for!
Topping suggestions that we have tried (mix and match):
- black olives
- bell peppers
- onion
- ham (lunch meat cut into bite sizes)
- sausage (I cooked some up one night just for pizza, mmm mmm!)
- spinach (chopped)
- mushrooms
- artichoke hearts
- pesto
- tomatoes
- garlic
- grilled chicken
These are our pizzas from one of our family pizza nights just before I put them in the oven.
I had every intention of taking photos after they were cooked, because that’s when they look so good you have to gobble them up, but we did just that! We were through eating before I even thought about photos again.
These photos are pizzas we just made last night. One is artichoke hearts, tomatoe and olives while the other shown is just cheese and olive. So good!
Creating our pizzas together and discovering what new toppings to try has been a fun adventure for us. It has given us an extra opportunity to bond, laugh, and create together. Even if you don’t need to worry about gluten free, but want to save money and eat healthier, ditch the pizza parlor and make your own pizzas together as a family. The opportunities are endless!
What is your favorite family meal night? What would you put on your personal pizza? Tell me in a comment!
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