Consumer Reports Rates This Famous Pizza Chain's Frozen Pie The Highest

When it comes to pizzas, nothing beats a fresh-out-of-the-oven masterpiece. But since you can make frozen pizzas taste restaurant-quality without any extra ingredients or tools, they can be the next best thing — believe it or not. If you're looking for the best base to work with (or simply enjoy as is), you might want to look into California Pizza Kitchen's Spinach Artichoke Crispy Thin Crust Pizza. Costing only around $7.46, it scored favorable remarks on Consumer Reports, which evaluated its price, package size, nutrition score, and sensory score. Its overall taste and texture were quite pleasant. True to its name, it has a satisfying crispness with a touch of gratifying flakiness, boosting how much you'd enjoy each bite of the 14.3-ounce pie. If you're a big believer that texture is just as important as flavor, there's a high chance you'd like this pizza.

The large chunks of garlic are like the cherry on top, and it's admirable how the pre-packaged slices didn't add the ingredient modestly. The spinach and artichoke combination remains a classic, and it melds onto the slice without being too overpowering, which makes the garlic flavor an unexpected highlight. The toppings seem quite balanced, though — too many pizza toppings will ruin a thin-crust slice, after all. While it scored the highest on Consumer Reports, its other competitors weren't that far off. The numbers say it all, and they're so close in the race. When compared with California Pizza Kitchen's frozen pizza, you'll understand why the competition was fierce.

The other box of frozen pizza that Consumer Reports found almost as good as a fresh pie is Trader Giotto's (Trader Joe's Organic Roasted Vegetable Pizza), and it only costs $4.50. If you like chunky morsels on your slice, you might love its medley of flavors, layered with cheese, pizza sauce, and vegetables, including zucchini and peppers. It even manages to compete with the top contender's crispy crust. The 5 grams of fiber per serving make it the one with the highest fiber content out of the top three frozen pizzas. As such, it's arguably a worthy contender for California Pizza Kitchen's frozen pizza, and whichever one you fancy more might boil down to how you enjoy your toppings.

Meanwhile, Dr. Oetker Virtuoso Thin + Crispy Crust Pizza Vegetable Medley costs $4. It has a surprising touch of zing, thanks to the pepperoncini peppers, as well as toppings that might trick you into thinking each slice is fresh. There are cherry tomatoes, which always add a sophisticated touch to any meal. The pizza's elegant crisp is highlighted after heating, and the red onions are a nice addition. So, if you like a variety of textures, you might enjoy this as much as the one from California Pizza Kitchen. The top three contenders seem enjoyable on their own, but you can even utilize budget-friendly hacks to elevate frozen pizzas, like adding more cheese, and who knows, you might be able to trick your guests into thinking they came from a restaurant.