Best frozen pizza for the $

[zinfamous]

^ But Occam's up there is very much correct: no matter what it is, no one can get the crust right. Not ever. It just seems impossible to get that proper crisp/crunchy texture + doughy feel. It just never happens.


...though, I have found that if you want a crunchy, but slightly doughy thincrust, the most consistent attempt would be making sure you cook a bit past recommended times, in pretty much any oven that I have ever used (at recommended temp). they always set for undercooked--just look at the photos in some reviews, that stuff always comes out bleachwhite on the crust and cheese--clearly not browned to any point that hopes to achieve crust. ....and you can approach that area, but it never works out. something about the recipe required for a dough that freezes properly

 

[Ken g6]

Safeway barbecued chicken pizzas are good and low sodium. Price can be good if they're on sale; otherwise they're a little pricey. But they're always much cheaper than the California Pizza Kitchen equivalent.

Wal-Mart's green paper labeled thin crust supreme pizza (Tombstone equivalent) is cheap and tastes fairly fresh for being frozen.

 

[soulcougher73]

I’ll second the Screamin‘ Sicilian. Not necessarily cheap though compared to some others.

 

[ElFenix]

This is my current favorite:

View attachment 15535

It's not cheap at $7.99 MSRP but it comes in it's own baking pan and tastes almost identical to a pizza chain's deep dish....and lot's of cheese!

yeah but their commercials make me want to gouge out my eardrums with a rusty spoon

 

[Maxima1]

Yep. Celeste, given its size and its price is actually a better bang for the buck than Tony's or Tombstone or the other big names. They're all so remarkably similar. The sauce is always too sweet, the cheese tastes like plastic and the crust is either thin and rock hard and completely unlike real pizza or thick and bready and completely unlike real pizza. If you're eating Jack;s or Tony's or DiGiorno you might as well be eating Celeste, Celeste isn't any worse.

Celeste is smaller, though, so on net it’s similar to Jack’s in price. Totino’s is the real cheap option. But this is why I don’t get frozen pizza often unless on clearance (7 Sweet Earth pizzas 50 cents each XD) as none are really that impressive even around the mid or upper price point. Convenience to me isn’t really a problem as I can easily make one pot home made foods with plenty of leftovers (e.g. chilies, stews, cold salads) that are simple to make, tastier, healthier.

I actually tried the Walmart brand pizza, haha. Had to throw it out, couldn't stomach it. Red Baron is OK.

While Walmart is bad… the worst is Wild Mike’s. It’s not edible.

--it's all veggie, so doesn't suffer from "blech, frozen meat-on-pizza syndrome!" yeah, you know what I mean

I don’t see a problem with pepperoni. Sausage can be a crapshoot and ruin the pizza. I find veggies such as green peppers can ruin pizzas too because they unleash a lot of water with pretty poor flavor that overwhelms some poor supreme pizzas *cough* Tombstone *cough*. Though, in some pizzas like Jack's, I love the oils seeping out of the cheese and into the pepperoni coloring.

--those veggies are red pepper and ...cheese (cheese is a veggie, right?). so the red pepper is more sweet than bitter, but a mild bitter. no real sugar in this thing

I’m not a fan of pearl mozzarella. It varies but some I’ve tasted are quite off-putting.

...though, I have found that if you want a crunchy, but slightly doughy thincrust, the most consistent attempt would be making sure you cook a bit past recommended times, in pretty much any oven that I have ever used (at recommended temp). they always set for undercooked--just look at the photos in some reviews, that stuff always comes out bleachwhite on the crust and cheese--clearly not browned to any point that hopes to achieve crust. ....and you can approach that area, but it never works out. something about the recipe required for a dough that freezes properly

Wow. I do 375 F max. Usually the recommended time and temperature burns the cheese and crust to an intolerable extent.

See this review from MSN.

https://www.msn.com/en-us/foodanddrink/tipsandtricks/we-tried-7-frozen-pizza-brands-–-our-top-pick-surprised-even-us/ar-BBPcKjf#image=1

That Jack pizza is so overdone. Good pizzas do not have to be burnt, yet I see this so often in reviews. A school (at least at the one I went to) rectangle pepperoni pizza with no burnt cheese and crust spanks basically everything in the frozen section.

 

[Hans Gruber]

1. Digiorno (premium frozen)
2. Freschetta (premium frozen)
3. Red Barron (cheap pizza)

That's how I rank them. I won't pay for than $5 for the top 2. Red Barron strike price is between $1.99 and $3 at most.

Don't get me started with Totino's party pizza. Their pizza bites are good but the pizza is something ultra cheap pizza see as a good value. Not me.

 

[nisryus]

1. Urban Pie
2. Screamin‘ Sicilian
3. Digiorno

 

[Scarpozzi]

Totino's Part Pizzas here are like 4 for $5....or $1.25 each. I've seen them on sale for $.80 each in the last 6 months (I bought 10 that day). My wife and kids really like those, but I have a pizza stone that keeps the cheese mess from hitting the bottom of the oven and the crust is really crispy.

I really don't eat pizza that often...maybe once a month. I'll buy frozen pizzas for $1-4. The problem though is when you get to $4-6 for a frozen pizza, I'd rather jump in my car and hit up Little Caesar's for a dollar or two more....or catch a Papa John's with a coupon for $8 carryout. Both are like 2 miles from my house and crust quality out of a 500+ degree oven is a lot better than what my 400 degree oven can produce, even with the pizza stone...unless I'm willing to crank the heat up really high and smoke my kitchen up. Reheating though, it does great.

 

[nakedfrog]

Freschetta is the best.
DiGiorno sauce is just so bland. Feels like it's the same sauce from Spaghetti-Os.
Tombstone sucks now that they have the "buttery crust".
Basic Red Baron sucks, but their french bread or round mini pizzas are decent. The pan one that came in a cardboard "pan" was much better than I expected.
Brewpub Lotzza Mozza is also pretty good. They're not fucking around with the name, they put a fuckton of cheese on there.
I was surprised how low-key Screamin' Sicilian was based on the name, it's decent if you throw some crushed red pepper on it.

 

[BudAshes]

Trader Joe's Wood-Fired Sicilian

+

package of pepperonis (package is good for like, 4-7 pizzas, I guess, depending on your preference for the meat sweats or not)

= good eats. The pizza is something like 5 bucks, I think, and pepperoni is maybe $3-4, so divided over pizzas/pepperoni package, that's like $5.70 for a pizza. ....not that cheap, but still not bad compared to others in that price range.

The glory of the TJ's Wood-fired Sicilian:

--it's all veggie, so doesn't suffer from "blech, frozen meat-on-pizza syndrome!" yeah, you know what I mean
--those veggies are red pepper and ...cheese (cheese is a veggie, right?). so the red pepper is more sweet than bitter, but a mild bitter. no real sugar in this thing
--the frozen chili oil pacakge that comes with it. Yes, this comes with a garnish of chili-infused oil. You thaw that sucker in the warm water and then drizzle over the pizza before you put it in the oven--especially the crust, but generously across (And on top of you pepperonis....maybe...if you decide to add them)
--the pepperoni factor: I just love pepperoni on pizza. screw the haters. It's the only meat I really want on there. ...it's just perfect to me. So, if you want simple meat + veggie, this is the best way to do it on the cheap. ....and the way you do that is by tossing fresh pepperonis on a frozen, thinner crust veggie pizza that you cook fast (~10-15)min, at 400-425 F. That is the key, my friends. The fresh, uncooked pepperonis will get nice and crispy, not too greasy for the frozen pie, and cook at perfect texture compared to the quick-heating pizza. ..and depending on how cooked you like them, you can control that by maybe removing the pizza midway, and quickly arranging the pepperonis on, then quickly tossing back in. Sometimes, this is the way to go, indeed.

The chili oil, of course, adds a nice browning, ~nutty richness, and of course a tiny tiny beat of noticeable heat at times, especially with some decent pepperoni. ...and to that end, do this with all of your frozen pizzas: a couple of spritzers of olive oil over the surface--especially the crust.

It's versatile, and it is how to do frozen pizza like a pro.

I forgot about the TJ's ones. Those aren't too bad either. Obviously any frozen pizza is going to need you to add some fresh ingredients for it to be edible.

 

[thestrangebrew1]

1. Digiorno (premium frozen)
2. Freschetta (premium frozen)
3. Red Barron (cheap pizza)

Prob this for me as well. Value wise, Digiorno is pretty cheap, sometimes it's on sale 2 for $6 for their pepperoni. I always add more cheese, and whatever meat we have on hand, usually pepperoni or salami since my daughter likes to snack on that stuff, and olives.

 

[ElFenix]

That Jack pizza is so overdone. Good pizzas do not have to be burnt, yet I see this so often in reviews. A school (at least at the one I went to) rectangle pepperoni pizza with no burnt cheese and crust spanks basically everything in the frozen section.

 

[dasherHampton]

Gino's East frozen deep dish is the best frozen pizza I've ever had.

It takes like an hour to make. Normally it sells for $9, but it's often on sale for around $6.99.

Delicious.

 

[ElFenix]

Gino's East frozen deep dish is the best frozen pizza I've ever had.

It takes like an hour to make. Normally it seems for $9, but it's often on sale for around $6.99.

Delicious.

seem to have stopped carrying it around here. used to add a layer of pep to the top with about 15 minutes left.

 

[dasherHampton]

seem to have stopped carrying it around here. used to add a layer of pep to the top with about 15 minutes left.

That's a good idea. I would always get the sausage and pepperoni version.

 

[Maxima1]

[/snip]

XD Which part? Your mileage may vary on school rectangle pizza. One of the elementary schools I went to had horrific lunches, including their rectangle pizza. So bad that an officer commented that even prisoners get better food.

If you’re referring to the Jack’s pizza, what delivery pizza looks anything like that? None do even though they’re typically heated significantly above frozen pizza directions. Usually cheaper frozen pizzas burn easily because either/both 1) crust is poor quality 2) there isn’t a lot of cheese/sauce/toppings.

 

[killster1]

kirkland 4 pack for 11$ or something like that. i dont eat them but the rest of the family does.. yea they should learn to make their own pizza i bet they would enjoy that but its hard to beat for 2$ each

 

[ElFenix]

XD Which part? Your mileage may vary on school rectangle pizza. One of the elementary schools I went to had horrific lunches, including their rectangle pizza. So bad that an officer commented that even prisoners get better food.

If you’re referring to the Jack’s pizza, what delivery pizza looks anything like that? None do even though they’re typically heated significantly above frozen pizza directions. Usually cheaper frozen pizzas burn easily because either/both 1) crust is poor quality 2) there isn’t a lot of cheese/sauce/toppings.

school pizza blows goats and browned cheese is delicious and most delivery pizza blows.

 

[dr150]

Any bread frozen....will taste FROZEN.

 

[OccamsToothbrush]

Any bread frozen....will taste FROZEN.

That is not true. Pizza dough freezes exceptionally well and when properly stored and thawed it's indistinguishable from fresh.

 

[dr150]

That is not true. Pizza dough freezes exceptionally well and when properly stored and thawed it's indistinguishable from fresh.

OMG NO!

 

[BUTCH1]

Digiorno with some added cheese prior to baking, it's actually far superior to Dominos for-shit pizza.

 

[OccamsToothbrush]

OMG NO!

The fact that YOU can't do it means little. Let me re-phrase.

That is not true. Pizza dough freezes exceptionally well and when properly stored and thawed by a person with a brain it's indistinguishable from fresh.

There.

 

[dr150]

The fact that YOU can't do it means little. Let me re-phrase.

That is not true. Pizza dough freezes exceptionally well and when properly stored and thawed by a person with a brain it's indistinguishable from fresh.

There.

Wow.....A little touchy there, Sparky.

 

[bfun_x1]

Red Barron is in a good value to quality position. I can get a Little Caesars for $6 so I wont spend more than that on a frozen pizza. The kids also like those $1 Totinos Party pizza's. The imitation cheese is made from potatoe but they are still tasty.