I was craving a pizza the other day and came up with this idea…
We live in a rural area, so there are very few pizza places near us, and none of them have pizza that tastes like the pizza I crave from my high school years (Tasty Pizza in Blaine on Friday nights after football games = YUM!). I thought it would be fun for me and my husband to venture out this Winter and try a bunch of different pizza places further away – in search of that elusive ‘perfect pizza pie’.
The plan is to experience a different pizza restaurant each week throughout the Winter. Each adventure will be a mini-date day where we can be together for a couple of hours. We’ll order the same type of pizza each week and then critique and compare these pizzas on a journal page I created. We’ll keep all the journal pages together so we can reference back the places we’ve been… and the places we want to visit again. We’ll take photos of the pizzas (and restaurants) each week to document our adventures.
With the ongoing COVID crisis and wanting to stay safe, we decided we would order our pizzas for takeout. Since we live in a rural area and will be taking road trips to experience the various pizza places, the pizzas would get cold by the time we got back home. So, we’re going to eat the pizzas while they’re fresh and hot, right in our vehicle. Sound messy? It doesn’t have to be! See the tips and ideas below on how to eat pizza in your vehicle (while parked, of course).
I thought you might want to try this idea with your spouse or family, too. Read on for more information.
What You’ll Need
- Packed Plastic Picnic Tote (if eating pizza in your vehicle) – includes: Tote; Plates (paper, plastic, or plates from home); Forks and Knives; Napkins; Wet Ones Wipes; Plastic Garbage Bag; Leftover Containers; Pizza Cutter (optional); 2 Throw Blankets and something to drink
- Pizza Journal Page (click Pizza Journal to download and save this free printable) and a Pen
- Smartphone or Camera
What You Do
- Plan which pizza restaurant you want to try.
TIP: Ask for recommendations from friends, family, and coworkers, or do a search for pizza restaurants in the area you plan to be in. - Pack your picnic tote if you plan to eat in your vehicle as we do.
See suggested items to include in your tote in the list above. - Order the same type of pizza at each restaurant you visit. For example, we order a 12″ thin crust pizza with pepperoni and cheese on half the pizza, and sausage, pepperoni, green peppers, onions, mushrooms, and black olives on the other half.
By ordering the same type of pizza from each restaurant, you’ll be able to make a more accurate comparison to decide which pizza places you like the best. - Take a picture of your pizza before you start to eat it.
Having a picture is a fun way to document your pizza adventure, and it will help you to remember which pizzas you like best (and least).
TIP: Take a picture of the restaurant, as well. Another fun way to document your adventure of eating and critiquing pizza through the Winter. - While eating your pizza, think about what you like about it and what you don’t like. Record your thoughts on your Pizza Journal page.
Tips for Eating In Your Vehicle
If you plan on eating pizza in your vehicle (come on – it’s fun!), here are a few tips.
- Customize Your Picnic Tote – In addition to the items suggested above, go ahead and customize your picnic tote to include whatever essentials you think you’ll need. After the first pizza adventure, you’ll probably discover a few things you hadn’t thought to pack, so you’ll be better prepared for the next adventure.
- Stay Warm – Winters here in Minnesota can be pretty darn cold. If you live in a cold climate as well, when eating pizza in your vehicle – make sure to dress warm for the weather and bring along two throw blankets for extra warmth. Placing a throw blanket over your lap and legs will keep you warm so you don’t have to run the vehicle and the heater.
SAFETY NOTE: It’s best not to keep your vehicle running while you dine. The carbon monoxide from your exhaust can build up inside a vehicle quickly, even when parked outside. By wearing warm clothing and using blankets, you can stay warm without the risk. - Portable Tables – If you think it would be helpful, pack two small plastic cutting boards into your picnic tote and use them as portable tables on your lap. Having a board like this on your lap can make it easier to hold your plate and keep your lap clean. They’re easy to clean, too!
- Clean Up – After eating your pizza, place your used dishes in a recycled plastic garbage bag to help contain the mess. Put any leftover pizza away in the storage container(s) you brought with you, and throw away the used pizza box. Pack everything back in your picnic tote and replace the lid. Keeping everything in the plastic tote will help keep your vehicle from smelling like a pizza factory, and makes it easy to carry things back inside the house when you get home. Once home, simply remove everything from your tote, wash what needs washing and repack the tote for the following week. Easy peasy!
Additional Tips
- Take Selfies – While you’re taking pictures of your pizza, take pictures of you and your spouse eating your pizzas. It is a date day, after all. Make it fun!
- Save Your Journal Pages – Save all your pizza journal pages from each week together in an envelope or folder, and pack it in your picnic tote. We’ll be keeping our journal pages in a plastic envelope for easy storage.
- Not Just For Winter – We’re doing this pizza critic adventure in the Winter because we’re usually less busy than we are other times of the year. But this adventure can be done at any time of year. In the warmer months, you could eat your pizza at a local park or beach, or other fun outdoor locations.
- Multi-Purpose Suggested Items – The items listed above for packing in your picnic tote were selected because they can serve multiple functions. For example, the tote I linked to can be used for picnics at the beach or park or for storing throw blankets in your vehicle – lots of other uses when you’re not using it for your pizza adventure. The throw blankets I linked to are not only warm, they are also a smaller size to fit better in a vehicle, and they are also waterproof so they can be used at a beach or park for picnics. They also make great emergency blankets to keep in your vehicle during the Winter. The cutting boards not only make great lap tables, they are also a small enough size to fit in your picnic tote, and of course, they can be used as cutting boards when not using them for your pizza adventure (they also make a nice charcuterie board in a pinch).
There you have it – a fun Pizza Critic Date Day Adventure! If you decide to try this idea, share your experience in a comment below.
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