The Mediterranean diet is popular for a reason: it’s an effective and achievable diet that supports heart health and promotes overall balanced nutrients. Based on the main food groups eaten in coastal Mediterranean countries like Spain, France, Greece, and Italy, the diet has proven to be a healthy lifestyle for many here in America.
But it doesn’t come without its challenges, and finding Mediterranean diet food and drink options when you eat out (or order in) is no easy feat. While many different foods are allowed within the general confines of the diet – like whole grains, fruits, vegetables, beans, nuts, fish, eggs, and lean meat – the foods that should be avoided are those you most often find at restaurants and fast food chains.
Unfortunately, if you’re a Pizza Hut fan who’s on the Mediterranean diet, the popular chain is bound to dish out many of the foods on the no-go list: refined grains, sugar, and processed foods to name a few. So what can you eat there if you follow the Mediterranean lifestyle? Your options are few, but here’s the full list of everything you can order at Pizza Hut.
Mediterranean diet-friendly food and drink items available on the Pizza Hut menu
With refined grains and processed food to be avoided as much as possible, something like fast food pizza is unsurprisingly off the table if you’re on a Mediterranean diet. And unfortunately that means no pasta, either. So you’ll have to spring for Pizza Hut’s other offerings to keep your meal Mediterranean-friendly.
Unfortunately, you’re not left with much, simply because of the nature of food at a fast food chain like Pizza Hut. With so many menu items that are either fried in hydrogenated oils or contain processed ingredients or added sugar – like Pizza Hut’s fries, breadsticks, and baked goods – your best option if you’re ordering lunch or dinner there will be the wings.
Be sure to stick to Pizza Hut’s traditional wings, since their boneless wings are breaded and fried. You can order the wings naked, or the cajun style dry rub or the lemon pepper dry rub are also good choices that don’t contain sugar. This will give you a lean protein meal option that keeps any discouraged ingredients at a minimum – but keep in mind that even the non-breaded wings are coated in wheat flour.
Aside from that, you’re pretty much out of luck with most of the menu items. Some Pizza Hut franchises do offer salads, but it’s dependent upon your location and they aren’t widely available. There are plenty of pizza toppings at Pizza Hut that are Mediterranean-diet-approved, like fresh vegetables and grilled chicken, which we’ve listed below in case you’re able to tack your choice of toppings onto a non-pizza order.
Here’s everything on the current Pizza Hut menu that will fly on a Mediterranean diet.
Menu Items | Required Modifications |
Caesar Salad* | No croutons No cheese (if desired) No dressing |
Chicken Caesar Salad* | No croutons No cheese (if desired) No dressing |
Garden Salad* | No croutons No cheese (if desired) No dressing |
Chicken Garden Salad* | No croutons No cheese (if desired) No dressing |
Traditional Wings | Naked Cajun Style Dry Rub Lemon Pepper Dry Rub |
Pizza Toppings | |
Banana Peppers | |
Grilled Chicken | |
Green Bell Peppers | |
Jalapeno Peppers | |
Mediterranean Black Olives | |
Mushrooms | |
Onions | |
Pineapple | |
Roma Tomatoes |
As far as curated pizzas on the Pizza Hut menu, the healthiest option would be the Veggie Lover’s Pizza, ordered on the Thin N’ Crispy crust. The thin crust contains less calories and less carbs, and the pizza comes with marinara sauce, cheese, olives, tomatoes, mushrooms, onions, and green bell peppers.
While it was once a menu option in the past, Pizza Hut does not currently offer a cauliflower crust pizza option. The chain does not have any low-carb pizza crust options on their current menu.
Pizza Hut does offer salads, but their availability is very limited throughout the country based on the location and franchise.
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