Few American foods are loved more that the infamous "pizza pie". It doesn't matter if you're young, old or somewhere in between, almost everyone has a favorite when it comes to pizza. It's truly rare to find someone that has never tried a slice of pizza. It doesn't matter where you're from, what you look like or how much money you make. If you've got a few extra bucks and a hearty appetite, sooner or later the perfect combination of cheese, sauce, crust and toppings are going to find their way into your mouth. Americans eat approximately 100 acres of pizza a day. (Yes...that's ACRES) That's a hefty 350 slices per second! This gives real meaning to the term "pizza lover". Did you know that there are approximately 69,000 pizzerias in the United States? Approximately 3 BILLION pizzas are sold in the U.S. each year. (Source: Blumenfeld and Associates) You probably would have guessed it - the biggest day of the year for pizza in the United States is none other than Super Bowl Sunday! There's nothing like watching the big game with a few friends while you wait anxiously for your favorite pizza to be served. Pizza is a personal subject for most people. Everyone knows exactly how they want their pizza made. They can tell you exactly what type of crust they like, what size they prefer, how much sauce is "enough" sauce, and what toppings are the absolute best. There's no doubt about it, when asked, people talk about their favorite pizza while sharing a big smile. Pizza lovers constantly explore new cheeses and new pizza ingredients. Unique toppings and fancy crust are but a few of their delights. Pizza "crust" alone has evolved through the years giving pizza lovers even more choices for their favorite pies. Stuffed crust, cheesy crust, whole wheat crust ... you name it. Pizza is loved so much that it has its own month. October is officially pizza month. Allow me to help put this into perspective for you... "Presidents" have "days"... pizza has it's own "Month". Oh how we love our dear pizza pies. The thought of watching a pizza maker throw pizza dough into the air as it is being perfectly shaped brings a smile and wide eyes to most kids' faces. The only smile that's bigger is the smile after the first slice has been quickly consumed. According to a recent Gallup Poll, 82 percent of children ages 3 and 11 prefer pizza over chicken nuggets, hot dogs, macaroni & cheese, and hamburgers. Pizza is here to stay. While many people continue to pursue weight loss programs and try to engage in healthy eating practices, pizza seems to be one of those foods that we just must have from time to time. We don't mind diets and we surely want to become more educated about healthy eating practices but whatever you do... Don't take away our pizza! |
