Everyone loves a good pizza. And whether it's a slice from your favourite takeaway, a home made version or even one of the store bought variety - we just can't seem to get enough of this simple Italian dish.
But many people are now actively tightening their budgets as the cost of living rises and, let's be honest, who can be bothered to whip up a fresh one late on a Friday night? That will lead many pizza fans to get their doughy fix straight from the fridge or freezer.
Not all pizza's are created equal however and with so many choices and toppings available at the big UK supermarkets, you'd be forgiven for not which one to opt for. To possibly make things a bit easier for you, five reporters from the Echo have put some of the most recognisable pizzas money can buy to a taste taste - here's what they thought of each one...
Tesco Stone Baked Pepperoni Pizza
Tesco had a huge range of own-brand pizzas available when I visited my local store, but I kept things classic by opting for pepperoni. The packaging stands out from the crowd in a deep green colour, separating it from the branded products and other ranges.
The pizza differs vastly in price from other products too, such as Tesco’s Finest pizza which cost upwards of £4. I’ll be honest, I’m not usually one to buy fresh pizza as I’m used to grabbing one out of the freezer when I can’t be bothered to cook - or better yet, ordering one from my local takeaway.
Either way, I’m glad I tried Tesco’s own branded pepperoni pizza. It cooked perfectly in the allotted time, coming out of the over crispy and sizzling - a definite bonus.
The base stayed doughy and didn’t burn, while the crust was crispy and made for the perfect opportunity to dip in some sauce. The pepperoni, which I’d rearranged before popping it in the oven since it was all condensed into the centre at first, was spicy and cooked perfectly.
The only downside was how greasy the pizza was, despite the base having a good crisp to it, the toppings poured with grease and I ended up having to soak the grease up with napkins. Despite this, I’d still try the pizza again.
Price: £3.50 or £2 with Clubcard
Rating:4/5
Where to buy: Tesco online or in store
M&S Ultra Thin Wood Fired Pizza with Italian Mozzarella & Pesto
I was raised in the 90s when a deep pan pizza, heavily weighed down in cheese that would usually end up burning the roof of my mouth, would often be slapped down on the table while I watched Gladiators on a Saturday night. At the time, weekend tea didn't get much better, but while I'm nostalgic about my childhood TV favourites, my pizza taste has somewhat moved on.
Thin, crispy and wood fired is my pizza of choice and this M&S Ultra Thin Wood Fired Pizza with Italian Mozzarella & Pesto might just be my new favourite. M&S does a huge range of pizzas, but this is a great size if you want a pizza all to yourself, without completely overdoing the calories.
I chose the classic Italian Mozzarella & Basil Pesto flavour and it tasted like something you'd get in a restaurant. Being 'ultra thin' it only took about six minutes to cook and the base came out crispy round the edges and slightly soft in the middle. Perfect.
While the dough is thin, M&S hasn't scrimped on the toppings. There was plenty of gooey, creamy tasting mozzarella and just the right amount of basil pesto to give it that Italian vibe without becoming the dominant flavour. It was also topped with roasted Santarella tomatoes, which burst with rich flavour as soon as you put one in your mouth.
If you're looking for portion control this is a great pizza to choose, because if it had been bigger I definitely wouldn't have been able to stop eating it.
Rating: 5/5
Price: £3.50
Where to buy: M&S stores or online at Ocado
Asda Thin Stonebaked Cheese Feast Pizza
If you look back through most of my restaurant reviews, you'll quickly spot I have quite the pizza obsession. I blame it on the fact I didn't eat pizza until I was a teenager, being one of those nightmare fussy children who turned their nose up at all sorts for no reason in particular.
I've more than made up for years of not eating pizza, with weekends in lockdown practically devoted to pizza takeaways. I've since found my favourite pizza restaurant in the city and I've even found my favourite supermarket pizza, but this week, I ventured to Asda to see if its offerings could measure up.
Asda boasts plenty of branded pizzas but its own range was a little limited, especially for vegetarians. A lot of the boxes looked a little battered and bruised, too. In the end, I opted for its Stonebaked Cheese Feast, which is priced at a reasonable £3.
The pizza is very thin, though it's topped with a generous helping of cheese - a medley of mozzarella, cheddar and regato. The tomato sauce is also a decent serving, with the rich and tangy flavour perfectly complimenting the cheese.
It only took around seven minutes in the oven, and came out with a perfectly crispy crust and a light base. It wasn't too filling and I surprised myself by nearly polishing off the entire thing.
It doesn't beat Marks and Spencer's Hand Stretched Stone-baked Meltingly Good pizza on taste, but it's £2.90 cheaper so definitely an enjoyable and worthy alternative when it's nearer the end of the month and money is a little tighter. I'll certainly be buying it again - I assure you it tastes much better than it photographs.
Rating: 4/5
Price: £3
Where to buy: Online or your local Asda store
Morrisons Stonebaked Margherita Pizza
I love a good pizza and my local Morrisons certainly didn't disappoint when it came to variety. There were plenty of pizzas to choose from but I decided to keep it simple and opt for a classic margherita. Priced at £3.25 for a decent sized pizza, it was good value for money.
The pizza tasted great, the amount of cheese on top was just right and I loved the mix of three cheeses. The base had a lovely consistency that felt just right and the crust had a good crispness to it.
The pizza was quite filling and I really enjoyed it. It had everything I would want from a good margherita pizza and I would definitely buy it again.
Rating: 5/5
Price: £3.25
Where to buy: Morrisons stores or online.
Sainsbury's Spicy Pepperoni & Roquito Pizza
It’s no secret that I absolutely love pizza. In fact, I can buy a pizza from pretty much anywhere and inhale it in about ten seconds.
I’m a bit of a takeaway pizza fiend (team Papa John’s) but sometimes I do like to tuck into a supermarket pizza because they’re far cheaper than a takeaway. This time, I went for a posh Taste The Difference pizza from Sainsbury's, I usually get my pizzas from Asda, so was intrigued to see how this one tasted.
To put it bluntly, the Sainsbury's Spicy Pepperoni & Roquito Pizza was absolutely massive, and had a really delicious looking stone baked crust. I'd be lying if I said I decided to share the pizza though, I was on a mission to demolish the whole thing.
The pepperoni on top of the pizza was so good, it wasn't greasy or overly spicy and tasted like top quality pepperoni, I also really liked that it was quite big pieces of pepperoni as opposed to little tiny ones. The addition of chilli as a topping gave it a nice kick, but it wasn't too much at all.
My favourite thing about the pizza was the mozzarella though, it's one of my favourite cheeses and it tasted particularly delicious on top of my pizza. It gave the pizza a somewhat fresh feel to it, and provided a very satisfying cheese pull.
The crust had a real 'premium' feel to it, and had a perfect amount of crunch (it tasted even better when dipped in mayo). I actually ended up eating the whole thing, so I must have enjoyed it, but you can easily enjoy this pizza between two or three people - I'm just greedy.
Rating: 4/5
Price: £4.75
Where to buy: Sainsbury's stores or online
