While grocery shopping yesterday, I spotted this gluten-free frozen pizza at Trader Joe’s.
Apparently I don’t browse the frozen foods section often enough, as the cashier told me they have had these for 2 or 3 months.
Even though I avoid dairy most of the time (it’s an option for me, not like gluten), I made an exception and bought a couple of these pizzas for dinner last night. If you are calorie conscious, I should tell you an entire pizza is 700 calories. And I did eat the entire pizza. While these pizzas are bigger than many of the single-serve frozen gluten-free pizzas, they also come with the additional calories. If served with a salad, half of a pizza would be a nice small entree.
While unboxing the pizza, I noticed slices of tomatoes. That’s not something I see often on a frozen pizza!
The instructions call for baking the pizza directly on the rack. I baked mine on a pizza pan instead but still got a crunchy crust under the entire pizza, not just around the edge.
I liked the sauce, it has just a hint of sweet, and the tomato slices were a terrific topping. Of course I enjoyed the cheese because I don’t eat it often and it was abundant on this pizza, no skimping topping here.
For $5, I would buy this again. It’s one of the best gluten-free frozen pizzas I’ve tried and certainly a great value, as my other favorite is $9 at the local grocer.
What a coincidence … I tried Trader Joe’s pizza for the first time this past week, too. I actually added more cheese to mine and some pizza sauce because the toppings on the one I purchased were much sparser. In the end, I still wasn’t very impressed. And I also didn’t feel great afterwards so, frankly, I am not sure about TJ’s “gf” pizza. I do know that other reviews have been positive like yours, so maybe my experience was an anomaly. This pizza shows “gluten free” on the packaging, but it is on their “no gluten ingredients added” list, which means (as stated) that they follow “good manufacturing practices,” but there is no testing of any kind per my interpretation. That’s not unusual per se. Anyway, I do appreciate your review, Johnna.
Shirley
Shirley
I read another review where it was mentioned that the toppings had shifted and weren’t in place. I’m wondering if the pizzas are all made in the same place or if it varies by region like some of their other products? Also, it would be great if Trader Joe’s would start GF certification!! I’m hoping Gluten Free Watchdog will test some of their products soon.
Shirley, I had a similar experience. Mine wasn’t very good, even after I added more cheese and salt to it.
As I’ve added at the top of this post, this product has really gone down hill in the last several months. My last purchase of it included NO sauce. So if you are already adding cheese and toppings… Sad because we enjoyed it here in the beginning.
I tried this pizza last night and have been sick ever since. Not sure if it’s a coincidence, but I almost never get sick, and I’m concerned about whether this was actually GF.
Oh, Lauren, I’m so sorry to hear this! I have eaten this pizza on several occasions and have never been sick BUT like so many items on the market, it isn’t certified gluten-free. It would be so much better for all of us if there were a regulated standard so we knew what truly was gluten-free. I hope you feel better soon!!
I’m eating my first one as I write this. First, I wanted it for lunch but saw the defrost for 20 minutes while the oven preheats directions and was too hungry to wait, so I planned it for dinner. Coming it made a mess in my oven. Wish I had put it on a baking sheet instead. The crust is stuck all over my oven rack and moisture was dripping down the sides as the pizza was collapsing as it cooked. I stuck a sheet on the bottom rack to catch the mess. Now on to the actual taste after all that bother. I’m not a big fan and I think I will stick with the udi brand which I had a couple weeks ago and recall it being better and less hassle. I do appreciate the efforts of TJ in the gluten free area, but after reading all the other reviews while I’m eating this. Now I wonder if I will feel sick as well. Thanks for your reviews!
Hi Chris! Thanks for the comment. I don’t eat this pizza often (I avoid dairy) but my fella eats it often. We haven’t experienced the falling apart issue that you and others have mentioned. I wish we could find out who is making these for Trader Joe’s and if they are all made in the same place. It almost seems like we are getting different pizzas than some folks. (And I also hope you didn’t get sick! No pizza in the world is worth that!)
I ate this last night- and was sick as a dog 4 hours later. Never again.
Diane–May I ask what part of the country you are in? I eat this pizza and am super sensitive to gluten, yet have no problems with it. But others, like you, have had issues. I’m wondering if it is the same pizza across the country or if it varies by region? I’m so sorry you were sick. 🙁