15 Frozen Pizza Recalls That Swept Across U.S. Grocery Stores
Nothing ruins dinner plans faster than realizing your go-to frozen pizza has been pulled from store shelves. I’ll never forget the panic I felt when I heard about a major recall on the evening news last year, and I immediately rushed to check my freezer.
Frozen pizza recalls happen more often than most people realize, affecting millions of Americans who depend on these convenient meals.
Whether it’s contamination concerns or faulty ingredients, these recalls can cause serious headaches for pizza lovers. Let’s take a closer look at some of the most significant frozen pizza recalls that had shoppers scrambling to check their freezers.
1. Metal Fragments in Annie’s Organic Pizza
The metal mesh screen at a flour mill failed spectacularly in 2013, sending tiny metal fragments into Annie’s organic pizza dough. I nearly bought one of these pizzas for my weekly movie night—dodged a bullet there!
Annie’s Homegrown had to pull countless boxes from shelves nationwide. The company discovered the issue after consumers reported finding metal pieces in their supposedly wholesome organic pizzas.
What should have been a simple, healthy dinner option turned into a safety hazard. This recall highlighted how even organic, health-focused brands aren’t immune to manufacturing mishaps.
2. Home Run Inn’s Metal Contamination Crisis
Baseball-themed pizza took a swing and missed in August 2022. Home Run Inn recalled a whopping 13,000 pounds of their Chicago Premium Pizzeria Deluxe Sausage Classic Pizza after customers complained about metal bits hiding in their slices.
My cousin actually found something shiny in his pizza that night—thankfully before taking a bite! The affected products were produced on June 6, 2022, and carried a best-by date of December 3, 2022.
The company acted quickly once reports surfaced, but not before thousands of potentially dangerous pizzas made it to freezers across America.
3. DiGiorno’s Packaging Mixup Nightmare
Imagine biting into what you think is a pepperoni pizza only to discover it contains unexpected ingredients! That’s exactly what happened in September 2021 when Nestlé USA recalled nearly 28,000 pounds of DiGiorno Crispy Pan Crust Pepperoni Pizza.
The pizza boxes actually contained DiGiorno’s Three Meat Crispy Pan Crust pizza, which includes soy protein—a serious allergen for many Americans. I remember helping my neighbor check her freezer stash during this recall.
This packaging mixup could have had serious consequences for those with soy allergies who unknowingly consumed the mislabeled product.
4. Plastic Pieces in Connie’s Cheese Pizza
Crunch in a pizza should come from the crust, not plastic fragments! In December 2023, Palermo Villa recalled 1,728 boxes of Connie’s Thin Crust Cheese Frozen Pizzas after discovering potential plastic contamination.
The recall affected products distributed throughout Illinois, Minnesota, and Wisconsin. I was hosting a game night when news broke, and we had to swap our Connie’s pizzas for homemade snacks at the last minute.
Fortunately, no injuries were reported from this incident, but it certainly reinforced my habit of keeping backup dinner options in the freezer for unexpected recall situations.
5. 802 VT Frozen’s Secret Soy Scandal
Vermont-style pizza with a dangerous secret ingredient? That’s what happened in April 2024 when 802 VT Frozen recalled over 8,200 pounds of meat pizzas because they contained undeclared soy.
For folks with soy allergies, this oversight could have triggered serious reactions. The affected products made their way through several New England states before the alarm was raised.
My friend with a soy allergy panicked after realizing she’d served these pizzas at her daughter’s birthday party the week before. Thankfully, none of the kids had allergies, but the incident left her double-checking labels on everything she buys now.
6. Listeria Lurking in Marketside Pizzas
Walmart shoppers got a scare in 2016 when RBR Meat Company recalled Marketside Supreme Frozen Pizza due to potential Listeria contamination. The bacteria can cause serious infections, especially in pregnant women and those with weakened immune systems.
My pregnant sister had just purchased several of these pizzas during a Walmart sale. The midnight phone call I made to warn her might have seemed excessive, but Listeria is no joke for expecting mothers!
The 16-inch pizzas were sold exclusively at Walmart stores in California, Nevada, Utah, and Washington, affecting thousands of budget-conscious shoppers who favored this store brand.
7. E. Coli Outbreak in Farm Rich Mini Pizza Slices
Party platters turned problematic in 2013 when Farm Rich mini pizza slices were linked to an E. coli outbreak across 15 states. The company recalled approximately 10.5 million pounds of frozen snacks and mini meals, including their popular pizza slices.
I had served these at my son’s birthday party just days before the recall announcement. Talk about parental anxiety!
The CDC reported that 35 people fell ill from the contaminated products, with nearly a third requiring hospitalization. This massive recall highlighted how widely distributed frozen foods can quickly turn a localized contamination into a nationwide health crisis.
8. California Pizza Kitchen’s Glass Fragment Fiasco
Restaurant-quality pizza at home turned hazardous in 2013 when Nestlé USA recalled select California Pizza Kitchen frozen pizzas. The culprit? Possible glass fragments in the dough.
The recall affected four varieties: Crispy Thin Crust White, Crispy Thin Crust BBQ Chicken, Thin Crust White, and Thin Crust BBQ Chicken. My movie night plans were totally derailed when I discovered my stockpiled CPK pizzas were on the recall list.
Nestlé received several consumer reports of glass fragments before initiating the recall. Thankfully, no injuries were reported, but the incident tarnished the premium brand’s reputation for quality.
9. Amy’s Kitchen Spinach Pizza Spinach Recall
Organic favorite Amy’s Kitchen faced a crisis in 2015 when they recalled over 73,000 cases of products, including their popular spinach pizza. The reason? Potentially contaminated organic spinach from a supplier.
I remember standing in my kitchen, reluctantly tossing my favorite late-night snack into the trash. The recall specifically targeted products containing organic spinach that might have been contaminated with Listeria monocytogenes.
What made this recall particularly noteworthy was how it affected multiple product lines from a single ingredient supplier issue. It demonstrated how one contaminated ingredient can ripple through dozens of seemingly unrelated products.
10. Red Baron’s Undeclared Egg Allergen Alert
The Baron betrayed allergy sufferers in 2018 when Schwan’s Consumer Brands recalled certain Red Baron pizzas due to undeclared egg ingredients. For someone with egg allergies, this oversight could trigger severe reactions.
My neighbor’s son has a serious egg allergy, and their family relied heavily on Red Baron pizzas as a safe option. Finding out their go-to dinner contained undisclosed eggs sent them into a panic!
The recall specifically affected Red Baron Classic Four Cheese Pizza. While the company caught the error before any allergic reactions were reported, it served as a stark reminder of how important accurate labeling is for those with food allergies.
11. Plastic Mesh in Totino’s Party Pizzas
College student staple Totino’s Party Pizza faced a major recall in 2016 when General Mills pulled approximately 21,000 pounds of frozen pizza products. Small pieces of flexible plastic mesh from the production line had somehow made their way into the sauce.
My roommate and I lived on these pizzas in college! We checked our freezer immediately when we heard the news.
The recall affected Totino’s Party Supreme, Three Meat, and Pepperoni pizzas with specific production codes. This incident showed how even the most automated, high-volume production facilities can experience foreign material contamination that affects thousands of products.
12. Salmonella Scare in Great Value Frozen Pizzas
Budget-friendly Great Value pizzas from Walmart triggered health alarms in 2018 due to potential Salmonella contamination in the pepperoni. The recall affected thousands of frozen pepperoni pizzas sold under Walmart’s store brand.
I was shopping when the announcement came over the store intercom. Watching shoppers abandon their carts mid-aisle to check the freezer section was quite a sight!
What made this recall particularly concerning was that many families rely on these affordable pizzas as budget-friendly meal options. The incident highlighted how food safety issues can disproportionately impact cost-conscious consumers who depend on value brands.
13. Celeste Pizza’s Foreign Material Mishap
Budget favorite Celeste Pizza For One faced scrutiny in 2019 when parent company Pinnacle Foods recalled thousands of their personal-sized frozen pizzas. Consumers reported finding foreign material—specifically small pieces of clear plastic—embedded in the pizza.
I grew up eating these pizzas as after-school snacks! The recall primarily affected their pepperoni variety, which happens to be their best-seller.
What’s particularly noteworthy about this recall is how it affected a product specifically marketed to children and teens as an easy self-serve option. Parents across America found themselves frantically checking date codes to ensure their kids’ quick meals weren’t potentially dangerous.
14. Tony’s Pizza Undeclared Wheat Allergen Crisis
Wheat-sensitive pizza lovers got an unwelcome surprise in 2017 when Schwan’s Consumer Brands recalled certain Tony’s Pizzas due to undeclared wheat. The pizza boxes were incorrectly labeled as cheese pizza when they actually contained pepperoni pizza with wheat ingredients.
My gluten-sensitive cousin narrowly avoided this mishap during a family gathering. We’d purchased several boxes for our annual reunion!
For people with celiac disease or wheat allergies, this kind of labeling error isn’t just inconvenient—it’s potentially dangerous. The recall affected thousands of mislabeled pizzas distributed nationwide and highlighted the critical importance of accurate allergen information.
15. Tombstone Pizza’s Mystery Metal Fragments
Tombstone lived up to its ominous name in 2020 when Nestlé recalled thousands of their frozen pizzas due to potential metal fragments. The recall specifically targeted Tombstone Original Supreme Pizza after several consumers reported finding small, sharp metal pieces in their meals.
My poker night almost turned into an emergency room visit! We had just preheated the oven when a friend showed me the recall notice on his phone.
The contamination was traced back to a specific manufacturing facility in Wisconsin. This incident reminded consumers that even long-established, trusted brands can experience serious quality control issues that compromise food safety.