(BPT) – Pizza night is something the whole family can look forward to, especially after a long week of work, school and activities. Fortunately, pizza night doesn’t need to be fussy or a lot of work. And for parents of picky eaters, it’s a great way to help kids get a balanced meal by incorporating vegetables into a food that they love. One of the easiest ways to enjoy time with the family on pizza night is to get everyone involved in decorating the “rainbow pizza”!
With a few tips and tricks, you’ll be able to save time, serve delicious pizza with fresh flare and get kids involved in the activity:
Step 1: Stop by your local supermarket for supplies
On pizza night, there’s no need to start from scratch! Grab a Tombstone Original 5 Cheese Pizza from the freezer aisle and you’ve got the perfect base of crisp crust topped with mozzarella, cheddar, Parmesan, Asiago and Romano. No need to worry about sticky dough or getting sauce everywhere — all you need to do is figure out what toppings to use!
Step 2: Pick your toppings
Research shows that most Americans are not meeting the MyPlate recommendation for vegetables, fruit, proteins, dairy and grains, so pizza night is a great opportunity to have some fun while helping your family get the nutrients they need. Incorporating both prepared and fresh foods is a huge time-saver, and you can feel good about what you’re putting on the table. While shopping, stock up on seasonal vegetables to top the pizza. Choose colorful vegetables such as tomatoes, bell peppers and broccoli to use for pizza decorating.
Step 3: Get creative with decorating
Have kids join in on the meal prep fun. Big kids can help chop fresh veggies and children of all ages can make their own pizza creations. Kids will have fun arranging all the colors into shapes and patterns and parents will love how easy it is to make sure their kids eat their veggies. This rainbow recipe is a time-saver with a nutritious boost of veggies that is ideal for brightening up your family pizza night:
Ingredients:
Tombstone Original 5 Cheese Pizza
Your choice of colorful chopped vegetables
1 teaspoon olive oil
Pinch of salt and pepper
Directions:
Warm oven according to package instructions. Then place unwrapped pizza directly on center rack and bake for two to three minutes until cheese softens but doesn’t melt. Remove from oven and help kids arrange the veggies in a rainbow pattern starting along the crust of the pizza. Then, drizzle with one teaspoon olive oil and sprinkle with a pinch of salt and pepper. Return to oven and bake pizza 10 to 15 more minutes. Remove and let stand 5 minutes before serving.
With these few simple steps and time-saving tricks you’ll be hosting a pizza party to remember. Whether it’s four guests or 40, have fun making memories while enjoying good food! For more delicious recipes for balanced meals, explore the Nestle Balance Your Plate website at www.nestleusa.com/nutrition/balance/recipes.
