Last updated on August 17th, 2022 at 02:47 pm
There are few dinners that all members of a family ask for time and time again. One of those is undoubtedly pizza. From a New York style pizza to a Chicago deep dish pie, pizza is a staple of many families’ weeknight dinner plans. Why is pizza so popular with kids? Here are six tried-and-true reasons. Kids are also love to eat peach crisp.
The Simplicity of Melted Cheese & Crust
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Few foods are as delicious as pizza while being simple enough to appeal to even the pickiest of kids. Pizza combines delicious basic elements into a treat that’s more than the sum of its parts.
The star of any pizza is melted mozzarella cheese. This cheese is mild, with no strong flavors, but has intense richness that satisfies a hungry, growing kid’s appetite.
The crust is the other perfect piece of the pizza puzzle. Bread, like mozzarella cheese, is chewy and mild. The satisfying texture and subtle flavor appeal to kids’ palates. Even a gluten free crust has a buttery flavor and elements that mimic the chewy texture of wheat gluten, making for a satisfying bite.
Many people enjoy strongly flavored foods as adults they couldn’t stomach as children. That’s not maturity, it’s actual brain chemistry! Most childrens’ brains respond more positively to simple flavors like salt and sugar, rather than complex ones like curry or layered stews.
Striking the Right Balance
Another reason kids and adults love pizza is because it hits on all of the essential triggers in the brain of a good meal. It has fat from the cheese, carbs from the bread and the acidic zing of the tomato sauce. All of these elements in balance are what makes great pizza a craveable meal.
Toppings To Make Each Pizza Different
Of course, half the fun of having pizza for dinner is trying new toppings. This can be a good way to get some vegetables into a picky kid’s diet. It’s hard to argue with a mushroom or onion when it’s attached to the cheese and bread that make pizza so good.
A Finger Food That’s Fun To Eat
The appeal of pizza isn’t just the flavor, but the casual joy of picking up a slice. Most meals require utensils that can be difficult for younger children to use, since their motor skills aren’t fully developed yet. Pizza allows them to use their hands for an easier experience.
Memories of Parties and Good Times
Some of a child’s earliest memories of celebrations likely include pizza. Whenever they bite into a slice, a kid remembers their favorite end-of-the-school-year pizza party or a best friend’s birthday.
Leftovers for School Lunch
Leftover pizza is the ultimate lunchroom flex. Kids love pizza because any slices in the fridge can go right into their lunchbox the next day, brightening up a long day at school. Parents don’t have to worry about packing a lunch either, so it’s a win-win.
Pizza is an occasional but important treat for children. After a string of similar dinners, a philly cheesesteak pizza gets kids excited about eating around the dinner table as a family.
