Does Pineapple Belong on Pizza?
Very few foods cause division in the world as dramatically as pineapple on a pizza. For as many years as we have lived, we have always found ways to pair savory treats with sweet ones, so what makes pineapple on pizza so different?
Chicken and waffles, for example, has recently made its way onto several American menus. The sweetness of the waffle’s batter and sugary syrup mixed with the savory, spice-breaded chicken has won over the hearts of many people. But this sweet and salty pair has not received nearly as much scrutiny as pineapple on pizza, even by its biggest haters.
Another well-known example of sweet and savory treats coexisting is the candy bars you can buy at almost every grocery store. Many options include nuts covered in chocolate, the sweet and salty flavors mixing together deliciously.
Say you are allergic to peanuts and cannot eat a Snickers bar or grab that bright orange package of Reese’s. No reason to worry because, of course, there’s more.
Many customers of the fast-food chain Wendy’s–and many like it–have participated in dipping fries in their Frosty or whatever milkshake they may have. The immediate sweetness followed by the harsh saltiness offers much more to the meal than either standalone component.
The list of sweet and savory foods goes on and on, yet the only item on the list that gets consistently bashed is pineapple on pizza. What makes the natural sugars of the pineapple on the cheese, pizza sauce and salted dough any different than a wonderful Snicker’s bar? The only difference, and somewhat obvious one, is the item–one is a pizza, and one is a candy bar.
Maryville College students have a variety of opinions surrounding this controversy. On one hand, many people argue that putting pineapple on pizza is simply wrong. Sophomore Abigail Dowell, for example, called it “impractical and insulting to pizza.”
Dowell has very strong opinions on the matter. She said, “If you want to eat pizza, do it without ruining the pizza itself.” Dowell added that pineapple on pizza is not even a Hawaiian tradition; “being ‘tropical’ is not putting fruit on a pizza.”
On the other hand, Cora Villager, sophomore, is more or less indifferent on the matter. “I’ve never really tried it,” Villager starts. “It doesn’t look bad, so I would be willing to try it. I just haven’t before.”
In support of pineapple on pizza, sophomore Kaylee Hipps stated, “Pineapple isn’t my favorite pizza topping, but it’s good from time to time.”
Even if someone personally does not like pineapple on their own, individual pizza, how can one argue outright that it does not belong there in any scenario?
Hipps seconds this opinion. She said she believes pineapple can go on pizza, but that it doesn’t have to. “It’s all up to the one eating the pizza, I guess.”
Pineapple has fought for its right on the pizza of whomever wants to enjoy it, and no one should be able to take that away.