Hawaiian pizza facts for kids
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| Type | Pizza |
|---|---|
| Place of origin | Canada |
| Main ingredients | Pineapple, tomato sauce, mozzarella, ham or bacon |
Hawaiian pizza is a type of pizza that was first created in Canada. It is known for its unique toppings: sweet pineapple, savory ham or bacon, classic tomato sauce, and melted mozzarella cheese.
Contents
Hawaiian Pizza: A Sweet and Savory Story
Who Invented Hawaiian Pizza?
The very first Hawaiian pizza was made by a man named Sam Panopoulos. He was a Greek-born Canadian who owned the Satellite Restaurant in Chatham-Kent, Ontario, Canada. Sam created this special pizza in 1962.
He got some of his ideas from making Canadian Chinese dishes. These foods often mix sweet and sour tastes. So, Sam decided to try adding pineapple, ham, and bacon to his pizzas. At first, these new toppings were not very popular.
Why is it Called "Hawaiian"?
Even though the pizza has "Hawaiian" in its name, it wasn't inspired by the U.S. state of Hawaii. Sam Panopoulos simply chose the name because he used canned pineapple from the "Hawaiian Pineapple Company."
Over time, this mix of pineapple, ham or bacon, tomato sauce, and cheese became very popular. It grew from a local favorite to a pizza enjoyed all around the world!
Interestingly, in Germany, people think Hawaiian pizza might be a spin-off of a dish called toast Hawaii. This toast has ham, pineapple, and cheese, and was first shown on TV in 1955.
A Pizza That Gets People Talking
Hawaiian pizza is famous for being a topic that people either love or dislike strongly. Many people really enjoy the sweet taste of pineapple mixed with the salty pizza ingredients. However, others don't like this combination at all!
In 2014, Time magazine even put Hawaiian pizza at the top of its list of "The 13 Most Influential Pizzas of All Time." This shows just how much it stands out!
World Leaders and Pizza Opinions
In 2017, the president of Iceland, Guðni Th. Jóhannesson, made a joke about Hawaiian pizza. He told some students that he really didn't like pineapple on pizza. He even joked that he would ban it if he could! This funny comment caused a lot of talk online.
Many people, including famous individuals, shared their own thoughts about Hawaiian pizza. Justin Trudeau, who was Canada's prime minister at the time, even tweeted his support for it. He wrote, "I have a pineapple. I have a pizza. And I stand behind this delicious Southwestern Ontario creation."
Sam Panopoulos, the inventor, was asked by news outlets to talk about his creation. President Guðni later explained that he was just kidding. He said he didn't have the power to ban pizza toppings, and he wouldn't want to live in a country where a leader could ban things they didn't like.
A Global Mix of Flavors
The American author John Green once pointed out how Hawaiian pizza is a mix of cultures. He noted that it was invented in Canada by a Greek immigrant. This invention was inspired by Chinese food, using a fruit from South America on an Italian dish. It even became most popular in Australia!
In 2025, a pizzeria in Norwich tried to show how much they disliked pineapple pizza. They charged a very high price of 100 pounds for it!
How Popular is Hawaiian Pizza?
Surveys show that Hawaiian pizza has different levels of popularity around the world. For example, in 1999, it was the most popular pizza in Australia. It made up 15% of all pizza sales there.
A 2015 study of independent UK takeaway restaurants found that Hawaiian pizza was the most commonly available type. However, a 2016 survey in the US showed that pineapple was one of the least favorite pizza toppings for adults. It was disliked more than anchovies and mushrooms.
A 2019 survey in America found that 12% of people who eat pizza said pineapple was one of their top three favorite toppings. But 24% said it was one of their least favorite. Still, it wasn't the most disliked topping; anchovies and eggplant were even less popular.
See also
In Spanish: Pizza hawaiana para niños
- Canadian cuisine
- Pizza in Canada
- List of Canadian inventions and discoveries
- List of pizza varieties by country
