The 55-Cent Pizza Kit You Probably Grew Up Scorching Your Mouth On Still Exists

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While the kid-friendly pizza-themed Lunchables continue to reign supreme in elementary schools, there's another famous name-brand pizza product that's far older. Chef Boyardee's "Pizza in a Skillet" kit from the late 1970s is the retro comfort food that you probably grew up scorching your mouth on. It featured a package of pizza flour, a packet of cheese, and a can of sauce, instructing users to press the formed pizza dough into a skillet, top with sauce and cheese, and cook for 15 minutes on the stove. Although it looks a little different now, this take-home favorite still exists.

Nostalgic skillet pizza lovers took to Reddit to reminisce about the original pan pizza. "Takeaway pizza was rare and too expensive for us," noted one user. "We knew no differently and loved this pizza." At a mere $0.55 per box, it's easy to see how (and why) Chef Boyardee's skillet pizza was such a hit with every demographic, from families to starving college students.

Nowadays, you can still purchase a Chef Boyardee Cheese Pizza Maker Meal Kit from Walmart. However, the kit has changed considerably since the '70s. "Now you only get the dough mix and one can of sauce, no longer comes with cheese of any kind," explained another Redditor. The latest pizza kit comes with two dough packets and one can of sauce to make 2 12-inch pizzas. Plus, instead of cooking the pizza in a skillet, the instructions now direct you to bake the crust and sauce in the oven.

Like many products these days, Chef Boyardee's pizza kit seems to have fallen victim to shrinkflation. Not only do the newer pizza kits not come with cheese or an extra helping of sauce, but the cost has risen from that original $0.55 price to around $4. And while two 12-inch pizzas for $4 are cheaper than any frozen pizza brand out there, you still have to factor in the cost of cheese and toppings.

Still, Chef Boyardee and Redditors who still purchase the kit welcome the opportunity for customization. Folks online suggest swapping prepackaged shredded mozzarella for a three-cheese blend to spice things up, while others tweaked the sauce with a dried herb blend and garlic powder. You could take things a step further by brushing the pizza dough with flavored oil. Even switching the vegetable oil that the box has you brush over the dough for olive oil would be an upgrade.

Further elevate this pizza by ignoring the baking temperature, opting for much higher temperatures to instill a nice, charred undercarriage and crispy crust. Toppings run the gamut from easy store-bought staples like canned olives and artichoke hearts to packages of pepperoni. Fresh veggies are always a welcome pop of color and flavor, and, of course, the tomato sauce base doesn't have to be the only sauce you include. Consider finishing your pizza with a drizzle of hot honey, chili oil, or pesto.