Balancing Your Plate With California Pizza Kitchen Frozen Pizzas #MyCPKPizza

Disclosure: I am a member of the Balance Your Plate team and helping spread the word about CALIFORNIA PIZZA KITCHEN® oven-ready pizzas. As a team member, I receive product and incentives in exchange for participating in brand-related activities.

As a mom of three I am often driving here and there and I admit I don’t always prepare the healthiest of dinners. I do have days when I have time to cook and create awesome balanced meals but other days not so much. Did you know that most Americans only meet the U.S. Dietary Guidelines for proper nutrition roughly 7 days out of the year (2% of the year)?  That is such a scary thought and it shouldn’t be that hard to eat better. As a mom I want my family to eat properly and I am not alone – Two-thirds of consumers want simple ways to follow the U.S. Dietary Guidelines with prepared and whole foods.

One brand who has a presence in 70% of homes has made it their goal to show how frozen entrees can create delicious, wholesome meals for the whole family. Nestle feels a responsibility to help consumers meet U.S. Dietary Guidelines for nutritious wholesome meals. I love that a brand like Nestle is stepping up to help educate consumers on balancing their plates. I am always up for tips on feeding my family a better meal although sometimes it can be overwhelming with all the information out there.

Did you know that freezing is nature’s “pause” button? If vegetables are picked at their peak of freshness they retain their nutrients which are often loss by the time fresh produce is consumed. Many frozen options are also lower in sodium, saturated fat, and calories than quick-service meals and national chain restaurants.

Balance Your Plate is an educational campaign launched by Nestle to help consumers build nutritious, delicious and convenient meals that meet the MyPlate recommendations. Their suggestion is to pair high quality frozen foods with fresh fruit, vegetables, whole grains, low-fat dairy, or other fresh ingredients.

My family is huge on pizza and often I just serve up a pizza and grapes, which is my kid’s favorite.  For my husband and I, I like to add a salad.  Pairing a high quality frozen pizza like California Pizza Kitchen with a fresh salad or a side of steamed vegetables is a great way to eat a balanced, delicious meal.

What makes California Pizza Kitchen a “quality” pizza?

• Premium ingredients
• Vine-ripened tomatoes
• Fontina cheese
• Extra-virgin Olive Oil
• There are even gluten-free options available

California Pizza Kitchen offers great pizza varieties that honestly I could eat one every night and not get sick of them. I love how easy it is to turn a pizza into a balanced meal. I know pizza can have a bad rap for being “bad” or “junk” but there definitely are better options out there luckily like California Pizza Kitchen. It is important as well to portion the pizza to balance out your meal. Now obviously it is not going to be good for you to eat the whole pizza but a few slices paired with some good sides makes it balanced. Its easy to think how half of your plate should be comprised of fresh vegetables and fruit.

I will say my favorite California Pizza Kitchen variety is the BBQ Chicken with Bacon, although we have tried probably every variety available so far and they are all good. Here is a pizza I made the other day for my husband and I. I would definitely recommend picking up at least two pizzas for families of 4-5 as one pizza would not be enough. I wasn’t sure if my kids would like the BBQ Chicken with Bacon pizza so I didn’t plan on feeding it to them, but sure enough I have three more California Pizza Kitchen lovers in my household.

Check out all the California Pizza Kitchen frozen varieties available.

Which is your favorite pizza variety or what do you like to pair with your pizza?