This One Frozen French Bread Pizza Is A Total Miss

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Often, "reduced fat" options simply don't taste as good as their richer counterparts. In many epicurean instances (think Halo Top ice cream versus Ben & Jerry's), leaner isn't always better. Such is the case with Lean Cuisine's personal French bread pepperoni pizza. In Tasting Table's ranking of eight frozen French bread pizza brands, Lean Cuisine's offering fell to the bottom of the heap.

It's worth mentioning that Lean Cuisine isn't known for its frozen pies, unlike some of the higher-ranking offerings we taste-tested that were made by popular frozen pizza brands, like Red Baron. Lean Cuisine is known for its "better-for-you" frozen meals, and pizza isn't necessarily the name of the game — which definitely shows in this lackluster pie's performance. As our reviewer noted, "[I]t fails to deliver that classic pepperoni taste. I blame most of it on the reduced-fat mozzarella cheese," which "doesn't melt properly in the oven, leaving it with a gummy texture and a strange, extra milky taste." On the palate, the alleged accessory blend of Parmesan, Asiago, and Romano cheeses was nowehere to be found. We also aren't impressed by the "tomato soup-like sauce." Beyond being bland and flavorless, Lean Cuisine's bleak slabs were visibly thinner than other, denser French bread competitor offerings we tried, decidedly sad-looking. 

We aren't alone in our criticisms. Reviews on the brand's official website disparage, "Piece of garbage. There was relatively no cheese and too much tomato sauce," and "Unenjoyable [...] I love lean cuisines but seriously dawg this was nasty." Kroger shoppers agree, writing, "Cardboard with sauce. It's definitely edible. The bread is like eating thick cardboard. The sauce and cheese is ok. Would not recommend."

At least the price point delivers. A 5.25-ounce package of Lean Cuisine pepperoni French bread pizza costs $3.79 at Target, and is currently on sale for $2.49 at Kroger. Although, a 12.75-ounce, two-pack of Stouffer's deluxe French bread pizza (the frozen offering that ranked first-place in our roundup for its fully-loaded toppings bounty) runs for an even more affordable $4.50 at Dollar General – $2.25 per pizza, which are each over an ounce larger than Lean Cuisine's dismal contender.

Ultimately, the reality is that this is a diet frozen pizza. Amazon customer reviews offer an apologetic perspective with subsequently lowered standards: "Not as good as some of the non-diet brands but it fixes the craving for pizza." A Reddit thread notes that Lean Cuisine frozen pizzas perform significantly better in the oven or air fryer than the microwave. Another post chimes in, "These are fine. They taste like pizza. But not great pizza. I will continue to buy them. 7/10." Overall, Lean Cuisine's pepperoni French bread pizza clocks in somewhere between "mid" and "disappointing."