Today, Sydney based pizza chain, Pizzacutters will launch a range of six new pizzas, which have earned the Heart Foundation Tick of Approval. From tantalising Beef Bearnaise to Vege Delight, the pizza chain hopes to excite Australian taste buds by offering healthier options for the much loved meal.

Since economic growth has slowed down, many fast food restaurants have reported a growth in sales*, showing consumer’s preference for cheaper take away meals in lieu of dinners and lunches at restaurants. While this is great news for fast food outlets, it is not necessarily good news for consumers’ health; fast food is typically higher in saturated fat and salt, and often lacking in fibre content. It is in response to this growing need for healthier fast food that Pizzacutters has decided to create a range of appetizing and affordable pizzas with the Heart Foundation Tick of Approval.

While the idea of pizza is often synonymous with a guilty pleasure, by earning the Tick, these six Pizzacutters pizzas have been independently tested and are recognised by the National Heart Foundation of Australia as a healthier choice when compared with other pizzas. Since opening in 1998 the team at Pizzacutters has always been committed to providing fresh, gourmet style pizza that is healthier than the offerings of traditional fast food outlets.

“By getting the Heart Foundation Tick of Approval we are not only showing our customers that we are dedicated to providing gourmet pizzas, we are also raising the bar on the quality of our pizza – making them healthier but not compromising the taste,” says Simon Lumbroso, co-founder of Pizzacutters. “You’ll find a lot of the same high quality, fresh ingredients that we use on our regular pizzas on our Tick approved versions,” says Simon.

Heart Foundation Healthy Weight Strategy Director, Susan Anderson congratulates Pizzacutters for its commitment to healthier dining. “We commend Pizzacutters for taking on the challenge of meeting all the Heart Foundation’s nutritional requirements to earn the Tick. However, meeting these standards is just the beginning. Pizzacutters, like all outlets with Tick approved meals, will also be subjected to regular random audits to ensure the Tick approved meals are genuinely healthier by testing outlets as they create them, cook them, serve them and advertise them,“ says Ms Anderson.

“The Heart Foundation measures a healthier meal by its overall nutritional value; not just one element. Fresh ingredients are great, but the health benefit is lost when the overall meal is loaded with salt, and claims of ‘low fat’ are irrelevant if the meal provides little or no nutritional value,” Ms Anderson added.

In order to qualify for the Tick approved meals, Pizzacutters worked with the Heart Foundation for over six months to ensure the new pizzas met strict standards for serve size, saturated fat, salt and vegetables/fibre content. Each of the new Tick pizzas are made with a wholemeal base to increase fibre. Salt and saturated fat levels are kept in check by using moderate amounts of high quality cheese as well as fresh vegetables and meats.

The range of Tick Approved Healthier Choice pizzas include the following options:

– Cheese Steak
– Rocket Chicken
– Vege Pesto
– Chicken Cashew
– Vege Delight
– Beef Bearnaise

For more information or to find your closest store visit www.pizzacutters.com.au