Ran out of groceries and have zero time to cook dinner? Planning a cozy movie night in? We've all been in these situations and can't deny that pizza is always the answer. The simple combination of gooey cheese, fluffy dough, and flavorful marina is the perfect quick meal for any occasion. Except we all know that there's one tiny caveat: Finding a good pizzeria can be like searching for a needle in a haystack. The solution? Grab one of the best frozen cheese pizzas and bake it at home.For those times that you'd rather not search for the best pizza spot in your state or even just step outside your front door, we tested five go-to cheese pies in the freezer aisle. Find out which is worth the fold hold in our taste test below. And for more, check out these 15 Classic American Desserts That Deserve a Comeback. How we graded the pizzasHere are the four metrics we used to determine each pie's final grade. NutritionWhile it's safe to say we aren't indulging in a slice in efforts to slim down, pizza can be healthy. Think whole-grain crust, preservative-free tomato sauce, and quality cheese. That's why we docked points for extra sodium, fat, and lack of fiber. Clean IngredientsWe look for quality olive oil over inflammatory oils, real tomatoes over sauces with added sugar, and fresh herbs. Appearance&ConsistencyDoes your pie look like it popped out of a brick oven by a Neapolitan pizzaiolo, or does it resemble one of those wimpy dollar slices you'd find on an NYC corner? Is the crust a delight to bite, or is the consistency closer to cardboard? TasteThe cheese to sauce ratio is arguably the most significant determining factor. No one wants a pie that's overflowing with mozzarella yet leaves tangy tomato to the imagination.With all of these factors in mind, here are our frozen cheese pizza rankings, from worst to best.5 Daiya Cheeze Lover's PizzaPer 1/3 pie (148 g): 400 calories, 15 g fat (6 g saturated fat, 0 g trans fat), 720 mg sodium, 60 g carbs (4 g fiber, 4 g sugar), 5 g proteinIngredients: Gluten-free crust (water, tapioca starch, rice flour, potato starch, chickpea flour, milled flaxseed, rice starch, olive oil, cane sugar, yeast, sea salt, psyllium, chicory root extract, xanthan gum, locust bean gum), Cutting Board Collection Cheddar and Mozzarella Style Shreds (filtered water, tapioca starch, coconut oil, expeller pressed: canola and/or safflower oil, vegan natural flavours, chickpea protein, salt, potato protein, tricalcium phosphate, lactic acid (vegan), konjac gum, xanthan gum, yeast extract, annatto color, turmeric color, fruit and/or vegetable juice color, inactive yeast, potassium chloride), Tomato basil sauce (water, tomatoes, olive oil, basil, black pepper, garlic, oregano, salt).Appearance&Consistency: After we cooked the pie for the recommended time, the vegan cheese still refused to melt. We were left with wonton-looking shreds atop a thick crust.Taste: Unless you're a fan of dairy-free cheese, you probably won't enjoy this option. The crust was overly sweetened with cane sugar and also tasted very buttery, which is ironic for a vegan pie. When we bit into the warm pie, we couldn't help but notice how the greasy mozzarella- and cheddar-style shreds left an odd residue on our teeth and our tongues. Eat This, Not That! Verdict:Nutritionally speaking, Daiya's dairy-, soy- and gluten-free pie packs in a solid amount of satiating fiber but overloads on bloating sodium. Taste-wise, the tangy tomato sauce helped balance out the buttery sweetness of the crust, but the pseudo cheese threw us off and lent the entire dish an off-putting artificial flavor. Only after allowing the pie to cool for about an hour were we able to somewhat enjoy this vegan swap. If you generally don't mind cold pizza—or are a pro at delayed gratification—and have time to wait for this pick to cool off, you'll likely tolerate this pie.RELATED: Sign up for our newsletter to get daily recipes and food news in your inbox!4 Udi's Gluten-Free Crispy Thin Crust Margherita PizzaPer 1/2 pie (142 g): 340 calories, 16 g fat (9 g saturated fat, 0 g trans fat), 680 mg sodium, 37 g carbs (2 g fiber, 6 g sugar), 12 g proteinIngredients: Pizza crust (water, brown rice flour, tapioca flour, modified rice starch, egg whites, whey, palm oil, yeast, oil blend (canola oil, olive oil), cane sugar, salt, xanthan gum, calcium sulfate [added for freshness]), low moisture mozzarella cheese (milk, cheese cultures, salt, enzymes), water, tomato paste, mozzarella cheese (cultured milk, enzymes, salt), tomato, canola oil, sugar, salt, spices, onion powder, garlic powder, citric acid.Appearance&Consistency: The chunks of mozzarella took some time to fully melt and the crust didn't thoroughly cook in the center although the edges were browned, rendering an inconsistent texture.Taste: Udi's piece tasted like what you would expect a frozen pizza to taste like: mediocre. The saltiness overpowered other flavors we would've liked to shine through such as cheese and basil—the latter nowhere to be found in the ingredient list. Eat This, Not That! Verdict:No basil on a Margherita pizza? Udi's gluten-free pick was missing the bright herb, which led us to wonder why this pie was even dubbed "Margherita." Besides the missing ingredient throwing us off, Udi's clocked in at the highest sodium and sugar contents, which were reflected in every bite. If you suffer from celiac disease or follow a gluten-free diet, we say to go for Caulipower's offering instead.RELATED: Sign up for our newsletter to get daily recipes and food news in your inbox!3 Amy's Organic Margherita PizzaPer 1/3 pie (123 g): 270 calories, 12 g fat (4 g saturated fat, 0 g trans fat), 540 mg sodium, 31 g carbs (2 g fiber, 4 g sugar), 10 g proteinIngredients: Organic unbleached wheat flour, filtered water, organic tomato purée, whole milk mozzarella cheese (pasteurized whole milk, culture, vinegar, citric acid, lactic acid, salt, enzymes), organic extra virgin olive oil, parmesan cheese (pasteurized part-skim milk, culture, salt, enzymes), organic honey, organic basil, sea salt, expeller pressed high oleic safflower and/or sunflower oil, organic garlic, organic cane sugar, yeast, spices.Appearance&Consistency: Rather than a layer of shredded cheese gracing the crust, Amy's pie contained circular chunks of mozzarella. Out of all the offerings tested, Amy's dough was the thickest, and it overpowered the cheese and sauce.Taste: This pie was in desperate need of more cheesy goodness and an extra dose of flavorful herbs. We didn't get any earthy hints from the olive oil or subtle sweetness from the basil. We also noticed that Amy's opts for organic tomato puree rather than a spice-blended marinara in the recipe, which explains the lack of big-time flavor boosters such as oregano and garlic. Eat This, Not That! Verdict:Amy's pizza's uber pillowy crust, an insufficient helping of cheese, and unimpressive flavor took us straight to our middle school cafeteria. While this pick was certainly nostalgic, it's not one we'd choose for a weekly lunch.2 Caulipower Three Cheese PizzaPer 1/2 pie (155 g): 390 calories, 16 g fat (6 g saturated fat, 0 g trans fat), 650 mg sodium, 49 g carbs (3 g fiber, 4 g sugar), 13 g proteinIngredients: Crust (Cauliflower, Brown Rice Flour, Rice Flour, Water, Corn Starch, Tapioca Starch, Sunflower Oil, Egg, Extra Virgin Olive Oil, Sugar, Baking Powder [Sodium Acid Pyrophosphate, Sodium Bicarbonate, Corn Starch, Monocalcium Phosphate], Xanthan Gum, Yeast, Vinegar, Salt), Sauce (Tomatoes [Tomatoes, Tomato Juice, Citric Acid), Salt, Dried Oregano]), Toppings (Mozzarella Cheese [Pasteurized Part-Skim Milk, Cheese Cultures, Salt, Enzymes], Parmesan Cheese [Pasteurized Milk, Cheese Cultures, Salt, Enzymes], White Cheddar Cheese [Pasteurized Milk, Cheese Cultures, Salt, Enzymes]).Appearance&Consistency: After we sliced the baked pie in half, which is the suggested serving size, the crust wilted as we lifted the piece off the baking sheet. The cauliflower base was too raw for our liking, so we cooked it on high for an extra five minutes. There seemed to be a balanced amount of sauce and cheese, which melted evenly throughout.Taste: Delicious. This pie required some more time in the oven if you like the crust crispy rather than on the doughy side. Eat This, Not That! Verdict:You'd never guess that cauliflower is the first ingredient in this impressive pie. We love that the brand snuck the nutritious veggie so seamlessly into the crust. After a few extra minutes under the broiler, the oven rendered a delicious take on an otherwise nutritionally-void meal. One half-pie serving boasts a solid dose of muscle-maintaining protein, 45% of your daily value of calcium, 35% of your DV of vitamin C, and 25% of your DV of vitamin D. While there's little room for improvement, we would love to see the sodium content lowered before this pie can be called the best frozen pizza.1 Table87 Coal Oven MargheritaPer slice (145 g): 260 calories, 9 g fat (4 g saturated fat, 0 g trans fat), 500 mg sodium, 35 g carbs (2 g fiber, 3 g sugar), 11 g proteinIngredients: Tomato sauce (vine-ripened fresh plum tomatoes, tomato juice, fresh basil leaf, salt, and naturally derived citric acid), high gluten enriched bromated bleached flour (bleached wheat flour, malted barley flour, niacin, potassium bromate, thiamin mononitrate, riboflavin, folic acid), water, fontina cheese (pasteurized milk, cheese cultures, salt, enzymes), Parmesan cheese (cultured milk, enzymes, salt), fresh mozzarella cheese (milk, rennet, salt), canola oil, eggs, 100% pure olive oil, basil, vegetable shortening (palm oil, cottonseed oil), sugar, salt, organic malt barley, yeast.Appearance&Consistency: We loved that the pre-portioned slice came in a clear, vacuum-sealed packaging that highlighted the fresh mozzarella and bright basil leaves. The crust was thin and crispy, just how we like it.Taste: As if you've entered a garden and picked the basil yourself, this slice was aromatic and the epitome of thin-crust, New York-style pizza. The three-cheese blend added umami and depth while the vine-ripened tomatoes contributed the ideal amount of sweetness without overpowering the other ingredients. Eat This, Not That! Verdict:Picture walking into a cozy pizzeria in the heart of Brooklyn and ordering the simplest thing on the menu, and this scrumptious slice is exactly what you'll get. One bite reveals why Table87's frozen slices gained so much momentum after its debut on Shark Tank. The coal-fired crust adds the perfect amount of smokiness and crisp while the ample amount of cheese leaves your taste buds and tummy satisfied. Each ingredient—from the pure olive oil to the plum tomatoes to the buttery Fontina—tasted authentic.And for more, here's What Happens to Your Body When You Drink a Smoothie Every Day.
