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Summertime doesn’t mean you slow down. In fact, warmer days often mean my family is out of the house even more often. We’ve got pools to swim in, libraries to visit, and trails to hike. At the end of a fun day, everyone is hungry! But, I don’t always have time to make dinner from scratch. The kids are quick to shout, “Pizza night!” and, thanks to California Pizza Kitchen & Balance Your Plate meal ideas, I don’t feel so guilty about giving in.
Balance Your Plate is an educational campaign that helps families just like mine create meals that are easy and delicious while also helping consumers meet U.S. Dietary Guidelines, which the average Americans achieve only seven days out of the year. California Pizza Kitchen is proud to be a part of this effort, helping pizza lovers gain confidence to use frozen foods as part of wholesome, nutritious meals.
Our Favorite:
Hand Tossed California Style White
This artisan-style pizza is a flavor explosion with tomatoes, spinach, garlic, ricotta, mozzarella, parmesan, asiago, romano, and a creamy garlic sauce. The crust is artisan-style with a thick outside edge, crispy bottom and fluffy inside. My family loves the crunchy crust and tasty toppings, while I also feel great knowing a slice (1/8th of pizza) is only 116 calories and less than 2 grams of saturated fat.
Don’t Stop At Just Pizza
We’ve been conditioned to see frozen pizza as “junk” food, but not all frozen pizzas are created equal. California Pizza Kitchen focuses on high quality ingredients and great flavor in a pizza you can make easily for your family. Many of their frozen pizza varieties are also lower in sodium, saturated fat, and calories than other quick-service meals and national chain restaurants.
CPK makes a great “center” choice for family dinner or lunch, but it’s best when you balance your plate. Two-thirds (2/3) of consumers want simple ways to follow the U.S. Dietary Guidelines with both prepared and whole foods together, but they aren’t sure where to start or exactly how to balance. Nestlé’s Balance Your Plate can help.
How To Balance Your Plate:
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Choose an appropriate portion size for your pizza.
- Check serving size suggestion on the back of the package.
- Combine pizza with other foods to balance your plate, making half of the plate comprised of fresh vegetables and fruit.
- Variety! Make pizza one of the many items you’ll enjoy this week.
So, how does my family balance the plate? With a fresh, healthy salad. Even growing up, my own mother would always put together fresh veggies to make sure we had a well rounded meal. Now I’m doing that for my kids as well.
Strawberry & Spinach Salad
with Honey Balsamic Vinaigrette
- 1 bunch fresh spinach
- 1 cup fresh strawberries, sliced
- ½ cup crumbled Gorgonzola cheese
- ½ cup chopped pecans
- ¼ cup balsamic vinegar
- ½ cup extra virgin olive oil
- 2-3 tablespoons honey
- Combine strawberries, spinach, cheese and pecans in a large bowl. Toss lightly by hand.
- Whisk vinegar and honey together in a separate bowl
- Slowly add olive oil while whisking
- Lightly drizzle dressing over salad right before serving
Ready to Balance Your Plate? You can find more information and tips on healthy eating with Nestlé Online
And don’t forget to check out California Pizza Kitchen online to see all of the delicious varieties of frozen pizza available at grocery retailer near you and get suggestions on healthy items you can incorporate in your family’s next pizza night.
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