Boston Pizza Healthy Options: What to Order If You’re Watching Calories and Protein
First, what does “healthy” mean at Boston Pizza?
Boston Pizza is still a pizza-and-pasta chain, so almost everything starts off pretty heavy. Their own nutrition guides and independent breakdowns show:
Many mains land in the 700–1,200+ calorie range
Sodium is high across the board
Pizzas and pastas can jump over 1,000 calories quickly with thick crusts, extra cheese, and rich sauces
So in this article, “healthier” means:
Roughly 600–800 calories for a main (or less, if you share)
Decent protein (at least 25–30 g where possible)
Not completely drowned in cream, cheese, and oil
A reasonable balance of carbs, protein, and fat
You’re not getting a bodybuilding meal prep bowl here, but you can avoid the worst diet landmines.
Big-picture rules for ordering healthier at Boston Pizza
If you don’t want to memorize item names, just remember these rules:
Go small and thin where you can
Choose small pizzas rather than medium/large.
Go for thin or “GlutenWise” style crusts when available; people tracking calories estimate small thin-crust veggie/chicken pizzas at roughly 600–700 calories versus much higher for thick crusts.
Build around lean protein + veggies
Add grilled chicken, shrimp, or plain chicken breast to salads or bowls.
Chicken breast by itself is around 180–210 calories before sauces, making it a solid lean protein add-on.
Sauce and cheese are your “throttle”
Creamy sauces, extra cheese, and heavy dressings are where the calories explode.
Ask for light cheese, half sauce, or dressing on the side so you control how much you actually eat.
Side swaps matter
When given a choice, swap fries, poutine, or extra bread for:
Side salad
Veggies (if available)
Half portion of quinoa/rice instead of a full carb bomb.
Assume portions are big
Most mains are easily two meals for someone in a calorie deficit. Splitting or boxing half automatically turns many dishes from “oh no” into “reasonable.”
Healthier starters and appetizers
Most Boston Pizza appetizers are calorie bombs (wings, cactus dip, deep-fried everything). If you really want a starter and you’re trying to be smart:
1. French Onion Soup (no extra bread, cheese in moderation)
Independent nutrition breakdowns often list French Onion Soup as one of the lower-calorie starters at Boston Pizza compared to deep-fried options.
Tips to make it better:
Skip extra garlic bread or limit yourself to half
Don’t add extra cheese beyond what’s standard
Treat it as part of your meal, not a bonus course
2. Simple Side or Starter Salad
Ask for:
Garden salad or basic green salad
Dressing on the side (especially creamy dressings like Caesar or ranch)
No extra cheese or bacon, or just a light sprinkle
Use only enough dressing to lightly coat the greens. A big mound of dressing can easily turn a “healthy” salad into a 400–500 calorie side.
Healthier salads and bowls
Boston Pizza’s online menu highlights several salads and bowls, and these are some of the easiest places to build a lighter, higher-protein meal.
1. Garden Salad with Added Protein
Base:
Mixed greens, peppers, onions, cucumbers, carrots, beets
Citrus or lighter vinaigrette dressing
Make it healthier and more filling by:
Adding grilled chicken or grilled shrimp (protein without breading)
Asking for dressing on the side and using about half
Skipping extra cheese or croutons, or asking for light amounts
Done right, this can land in the 500–700 calorie range with solid protein rather than the 800+ you’ll see in some loaded salads.
2. Chicken Caesar Salad (Tweaked)
Standard Chicken Caesar tends to be:
High in calories and fat due to Caesar dressing, bacon, cheese, and croutons
To make it less brutal:
Ask for grilled chicken (not crispy)
Request half the usual dressing, on the side if possible
Go easy on croutons and bacon
Skip extra cheese
You’ll still get a satisfying, protein-dense meal, but with fewer empty calories.
3. Bowls (Go Heavy on Veg and Protein, Light on Sour Cream/Cheese)
Boston Pizza offers bowls like the Barbacoa Burrito Bowl with quinoa and brown rice, beef, veggies, cheese, sour cream, and sauces.
To keep it healthier:
Keep the quinoa/rice base, but ask for extra veggies
Go light on cheese, sour cream, and cream-based sauces
If possible, ask for sauce on the side or reduced
Consider choosing chicken instead of richer meats when there’s an option
The bowl format is great because you can easily leave some rice in the bowl if you’re full but want to finish the protein and veggies.
Healthier pizza options (yes, you can still have pizza)
This is Boston Pizza; you’re probably here for pizza at least sometimes. You can still order pizza and not completely wreck your diet.
Strategy for healthier pizza
Choose small/light crust
Small pizzas and thin or “GlutenWise” crusts generally keep calories lower than thick, multi-topping pies. Regulars tracking calories report small thin-crust veggie or chicken pizzas in the 600–700 calorie range if you eat the whole thing; half that if you split it.
Top with veggies and lean proteins
Good toppings: grilled chicken, mushrooms, peppers, onions, spinach, tomatoes.
Go light on pepperoni, bacon, extra cheese, meatballs, and heavy sausage.
Go easy on cheese and heavy sauces
Ask for “light cheese”.
Avoid pizzas drenched in creamy or sugary sauces (alfredo, loaded BBQ, etc.) unless you’re sharing and eating 1–2 slices.
Example “healthier” pizza builds
Veggie thin-crust small pizza (light cheese)
Tomato sauce, onions, peppers, mushrooms, spinach, tomatoes
Good for lower calories plus fiber.
Chicken & veggie thin-crust small pizza
Tomato sauce, grilled chicken, mushrooms, onions, peppers
Solid protein with balanced toppings.
Eat half and pair it with a side salad and you’ve got a pretty reasonable meal even on a cut.
Healthier pasta options (and how to not overdo it)
Pasta at Boston Pizza is tricky: many options are 700–1,000+ calories per serving, with heavy cream and cheese. A Canadian nutrition breakdown identified Baked Seven Cheese Ravioli as one of the lower-calorie pastas on the menu at around 710 calories and 39 g protein, with others like creamy chicken Alfredo going much higher.
So instead of thinking “this pasta is healthy,” think:
“How do I make this pasta less of a calorie bomb?”
Pasta survival tips
Tomato over cream
Choose tomato-based sauces (pomodoro, simple meat sauce) over alfredo or creamy Cajun when possible.
Tomato sauces usually mean less fat and fewer calories for the same volume.
Add lean protein instead of more cheese
Ask for grilled chicken or shrimp added to a simpler pasta instead of ordering the richest cheesy option by default.
Treat the portion like two meals
Most pasta servings are large. Eat half, box the rest immediately.
Having bread on the side plus a full pasta is basically two meals in one sitting.
Skip extra garlic bread or dip
If it comes with bread, share or leave part of it.
If you really want pasta and you’re tracking calories, the most realistic approach is: pick a simple tomato-sauce option, add a lean protein, and only eat half right now.
Healthier mains and add-ons
Some of the burgers and big mains are extremely calorie-dense (well over 1,000 calories). Nutrition rundowns show items like the Grilled Chicken Clubhouse at around 1,040 calories per serving—high even though it has good protein.
Instead of those mega-sandwiches, think in terms of mix and match:
1. Plain Grilled Chicken Breast with Sides
If your server will do it, something like:
Grilled chicken breast (180–210 calories before sauces)
Side salad with light dressing
Small serving of quinoa/rice or roasted potatoes
…is far better than a full loaded burger or giant platter. This is the single easiest way to get a decent protein-focused plate in a chain restaurant.
2. Lighter half-portion combos
If you’re with someone:
Split a small pizza and one salad, rather than each ordering a big main.
Or split a heavier main and pad the meal out with a salad or side veg.
You basically cut your calories in half by default.
Drinks and dessert: where “healthy” quietly dies
You can be extremely careful with food and still blow your calories on drinks and dessert.
Drinks
Stick to water, diet soda, or unsweetened iced tea if possible.
Regular soft drinks, juices, and boozy cocktails can easily add 200–400 calories on their own.
Dessert
Most desserts are not compatible with a strict calorie deficit unless you’re sharing:
If you really want dessert, split it with the table.
Or plan ahead: “I’ll eat half my main and share a dessert” so the day’s total still makes sense.
Example “healthy-ish” orders at Boston Pizza
To make this concrete, here are a few realistic orders that won’t wreck a day of good eating:
High-protein salad meal
Garden salad with grilled chicken, dressing on the side
Water or diet soda
No appetizer, no dessert
Pizza + salad split
Small thin-crust veggie or chicken pizza (light cheese), shared
One garden or Caesar salad (light dressing), shared
Each person eats half the salad and 2–3 slices of pizza
Soup + half pizza
French Onion Soup
Half a small thin-crust pizza (veggie or chicken)
Water or diet soda
Chicken + veg bowl
One of the bowls (like burrito-style) with:
Extra veggies
Light cheese and sour cream
Grilled meat choice
Skip any breaded add-ons
None of these are “diet food,” but they’re much better than a full platter of wings, thick-crust meat-lover’s pizza, and two pints of beer.
Final thoughts
Boston Pizza isn’t a health restaurant, but you don’t have to blow your diet every time you go:
Choose small, thin-crust pizzas with veggies and lean proteins.
Lean on salads and bowls, with grilled chicken or shrimp and dressing/sauce on the side.
Treat pasta as two meals, and favor tomato sauces over cream.
Be ruthless with “extras”: cheese, sauces, dips, fries, and sugary drinks.
If you apply those rules, you can still hit Boston Pizza with friends, enjoy the food, and stay roughly on track with your calorie and protein goals.
