By AALEYAH WINSLOW

Oh, pineapple on pizza. This topic is one of the highest controversies that is debated, especially considering how simple of a topic this is. On one hand, some believe that pineapple does not belong on pizza because it is a fruit and should not be paired with cheese and tomato sauce. On the other hand, some people believe that pineapple does belong on pizza because it adds a little something extra to a pizza. 

The idea of pineapple of pizza did not originate from the Hawaiians, which is contrary to what most believe. According to legend, a greek immigrant by the name of Sam Panopoulos introduced the idea. He moved to Canada in 1954, and then he created the first Hawaiian pizza in his restaurant around 1962 . Mainly he focused on traditional American food like burgers and fries, but he started experimenting with trendier foods like pizza. So, it is safe to assume that the pineapple on pizza debate has been around since 1962.

Personally, I believe pineapple does not belong on pizza because it is a distraction to the true essence of a good slice of pizza. Also, why would you eat a slice of Hawaiian pizza when you could have a good hearty meat lovers pizza!

I reached out to some Redlands East Valley High School students to hear some of their opinions on the topic at hand. First, I spoke with people who like pineapple on pizza. Sophomore, Ella Fitzpatrick stated that she likes this type of pizza “because it gives the pizza a little twist, but with pineapple it adds sweetness and with cashews it adds that crunch.” Freshman, Mauricio Pliego stated that “it’s amazing, you guys are crazy.” Then, I spoke with people who dislike pineapple on pizza. Senior, Brooke Mgbafilike, described her thoughts by saying, ”imagine you’re eating something normal, and then just a random sweetness comes out of nowhere.” Junior, Alyssa Orneales believes “it’s disgusting, like, nobody should really eat it, its gross.”

Everyone has their own opinions, and it is important to respect each others opinions, but for now, feel free to enjoy whatever pizza you wish.

Featured Photo: An image of a pizza from the chain restaurant Papa John’s, with the controversial pineapple topping. (Ethic photo/ Amelie Palacios)