Is DiGiorno Three Meat Rising Crust Pizza Vegan?

The Ingredient Breakdown

When evaluating a frozen pizza for vegan suitability, we have to look beyond the obvious meat toppings. As a food scientist, I look at the composition of every layer, from the crust to the sauce and the toppings. For the DiGiorno Three Meat Rising Crust Pizza, the non-vegan flags are immediate and widespread.

The primary offender is the Low-Moisture Part-Skim Mozzarella Cheese. The very first ingredient listed is part-skim milk. In the world of food labeling, ingredients are listed by weight, meaning milk derivatives make up the bulk of the cheese. Vegans strictly avoid all animal milk, whether it comes from cows, goats, or sheep.

Next, we have the meat toppings, which are explicitly animal-derived. The pizza features a Cooked Seasoned Pizza Topping Made with Pork and Chicken, Pepperoni Made with Pork, Chicken, and Beef, and a Cooked Beef Pizza Topping. There is no ambiguity here; these are the flesh of slaughtered animals.

However, there are also hidden animal products lurking in the flavorings. Look closely at the Natural Pork Flavor listed in the cooked pizza topping. This flavoring agent is a complex mixture that includes modified cornstarch, pork fat, pork stock, gelatin, and autolyzed yeast extract. The inclusion of gelatin is a major red flag for vegans. Gelatin is a protein derived from boiling the skin, tendons, ligaments, and/or bones of animals, usually pigs or cows. Even though it is part of a "flavor" compound, it renders the product non-vegan.

Finally, the crust itself, while mostly plant-based, contains Wheat Gluten and Enzymes. While wheat gluten is vegan (it is the protein found in wheat), the source of enzymes used in baking can sometimes be animal-derived, though they are often fungal or bacterial. However, given the overwhelming presence of dairy and meat, the enzymes are a moot point for this specific product.

Nutritional Value

From a nutritional standpoint, the DiGiorno Three Meat Rising Crust Pizza is designed as an indulgent comfort food rather than a health food. A single serving contains a significant amount of calories, primarily derived from refined carbohydrates in the enriched wheat flour and fats from the cheese and meats.

The saturated fat content is high due to the combination of pork fat, beef fat, and full-fat dairy cheese. Regarding dietary restrictions, this pizza is high in sodium, largely due to the processing of the meats (pepperoni and sausage) and the salt content in the cheese. It does not fit well into low-sodium or heart-healthy diet limits. For those asking if it fits into a weight loss plan, the calorie density is high relative to the portion size, meaning it can easily exceed daily caloric goals if not portion-controlled strictly.