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5 Ingredients to Add to Pizza That Aren’t “Glue”

Published June 3, 2024
3 minute read

Written By: Gabriella Madden

Gabriella Madden is currently an Editorial Intern at MyFitnessPal. She attends Quinnipiac University and is working toward a degree in Film, Television, and Media Arts, and a double minor in Journalism and Marketing.

Expert Reviewed By: Joanna Gregg, MS, RD

Joanna Gregg, MS, RD is a Food Data Curator at MyFitnessPal. She earned her bachelor’s degree in Nutrition from Georgia State University and her Master’s degree from The University of Nebraska. Her focus is helping people find the right balance of food, fitness and healthy living to reach their optimal health.

A slice of pizza being lifted from a whole pizza on a wooden surface looks like it’s held together with pizza glue. The pizza is topped with melted cheese, pepperoni, mushrooms, and cherry tomatoes. The slice has stretchy, melted cheese pulling away from the rest of the pizza. MyFitnessPal Blog
Published June 3, 2024
3 minute read
In This Article

The homemade pizza you have worked all day on is finally ready to eat. The sauce, cheese, herbs and spices all smell absolutely fantastic, and it looks cooked to perfection. You slice it cautiously, ready to get that instagram-worthy slice, aaaaand… the cheese slides right off. 

It’s easy to turn to the internet for a quick fix next time you fire up the oven. But recent AI responses have gone viral for their unorthodox, unsafe approach: adding glue to pizza sauce to get the cheese to adhere.

MyFitnessPal RD Joanna Gregg has some very simple and easy to follow advice on this topic:

“Don’t eat glue.”

How to stop cheese from sliding off the pizza

Adhesives aside, Gregg gives us some good tips on how to get your cheese to stay on your pizza rather than your plate. 

“Make sure your sauce is not too thin or watery by cooking it down to a thicker consistency. 

Furthermore, “wait to cut your pizza until the cheese has cooled slightly so it adheres to the crust better!”

Still looking for some ingredients or toppings to add an extra “wow” factor to your pizza without paying a visit to the craft store?

5 RD-Approved Ingredients to Add to Your Pizza

1. Mushrooms

  • Nutritional benefits: “Good source of B vitamins, potassium, and selenium.”
  • Cooking benefits: “Mushrooms on pizza add a big flavor and texture without adding a lot of calories.”
  • Recommended recipe: Portobello pesto pizza

2. Roasted bell peppers, broccoli, cauliflower or other veggies

  • Nutritional benefits: “Great source of vitamins, minerals, and fiber.”
  • Cooking benefits: “Veggies are a great way to bulk up your pizza with healthy ingredients that add tons of flavor!”
  • Recommended recipe: Cast-iron broccoli and ricotta pizza

3. Arugula or Spinach

  • Nutritional benefits: “High in antioxidants, fiber, vitamins and minerals, and adds bulk to the pizza.”
  • Cooking benefits: “Add this at the very end of cooking to wilt down a little for the perfect crispy bite.”
  • Recommended recipe: Easy 5-ingredient tortilla pizza

4. Chicken

  • Nutritional benefits: “Good source of lean protein!”
  • Cooking benefits: “Try in place of higher fat sausage or pepperoni for a lower fat, high protein pizza.”
  • Recommended recipe: BBQ chicken pizza with fresh jalapenos

5. Eggs

  • Nutritional benefits: “Adds complete protein.”
  • Cooking benefits: “Cook an overeasy egg and mix it with the sauce and cheese. It tastes so good!”

The deal with AI chatbots and nutrition advice

As demonstrated with the pizza-glue fiasco (and eating rocks incident), AI chatbots aren’t perfect yet. Real people with real qualifications remain your best bet for all of your nutrition and food-related questions. 

If you’re ready to take charge of your nutrition, MyFitnessPal has over 2,000 recipes, including some healthy pizzas!

The information in this article is provided solely for informational purposes. This information is not medical advice and should not be relied upon when making medical decisions, or to diagnose or treat a health condition or illness. You should seek the advice of a physician or a medical professional before beginning any dietary programs or plans, exercise regimen or any other fitness or wellness activities.

About the Authors

Meet the people behind the post

Written By: Gabriella Madden

Gabriella Madden is currently an Editorial Intern at MyFitnessPal. She attends Quinnipiac University and is working toward a degree in Film, Television, and Media Arts, and a double minor in Journalism and Marketing.

Expert Reviewed By: Joanna Gregg, MS, RD

Joanna Gregg, MS, RD is a Food Data Curator at MyFitnessPal. She earned her bachelor’s degree in Nutrition from Georgia State University and her Master’s degree from The University of Nebraska. Her focus is helping people find the right balance of food, fitness and healthy living to reach their optimal health.

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