Growing up, Friday night was pizza night. My family and I were regulars at our town’s single brick-and-mortar pizzeria, which ran a mean take-out service. Every week, we’d call in our usual order: One large pie with mushrooms, onions and extra mozzarella.

I can still remember sitting in the passenger’s seat of my mom’s car, the hot pizza box on my lap, feeling giddy with anticipation. Every few minutes, I would lift the lid and inhale deeply as the wonderfully cheesy aromas escaped their cardboard confines. “It’ll get cold if you keep doing that,” my mom would say.

I grew up, but my love of pizza stayed strong – and with age came wisdom. Having spent the better part of the last two decades awakening my palate to new, previously unthinkable topping combinations and different crust styles, I’ve recently made the most important discovery of all: It’s okay to eat pizza for dinner, lunch and breakfast (sometimes even dessert too) — and not just on Fridays. Because, if you haven’t already realized, everything tastes better on top of pizza crust.

Still need convincing? I’ll let these ‘round-the-clock recipes speak for themselves.

Breakfast

For the longest time, my idea of pizza-for-breakfast involved scarfing last night’s cold leftovers while hunched over the kitchen counter. Then, one day, I met Ree Drummond’s 5-star Breakfast Pizza (pictured above), and everything changed. Strewn with chunky tomatoes, chopped bell peppers, mozzarella, thick-cut bacon and a couple of cheerful, sunny-side-up eggs, this recipe has all the makings of a hearty, tide-you-over-for-hours kind of breakfast.

If you have a soft spot for Sunday bagels and you’re also equipped for year-round grilling, you may want to consider Food Network Kitchen’s pizza-fied take on bagels and lox. A schmear of lemony cream cheese is a natural for the smoked salmon, while cucumbers and radishes add color and crunch.

Lunch

For a little bit of everything – meat, cheese, greens – try Food Network Kitchen’s homemade oven-baked pizza topped with arugula and prosciutto. Between the salty prosciutto and the peppery greens, it’s basically the love child of a pizza and an Italian deli sandwich.

If you’re ready for a change of pace, ditch the classic triangular slice in favor of Giada’s 30-minute Pizza Pockets (pictured) stuffed with cream cheese, Parmesan, turkey sausage and arugula. Yes, it’s a fun weekend baking project – but more importantly, these meaty pockets are killer when reheated for lunch the next day. Try it with a light side salad, or a cup of tomato soup (for dunking, of course).

Dinner

Stuck in a pepperoni or basic cheese rut? Try one of these unexpected topping combos.

This dressed-down version of shrimp scampi (pictured) is perfect for a quick weeknight dinner. Just forgo the pasta and serve the tender shrimp on top of pizza instead, along with two cheeses and a lemony, garlic-infused butter sauce. You can add a kick of heat with just a pinch of crushed red pepper.

If you faithfully observe Taco Tuesday, chances are your menu is in need of a reboot. Next week, skip the tortillas and serve juicy grilled chicken atop pizza crust with all the necessary fixings – shredded cheese, salsa, sour cream and cilantro.

Dessert

Purists will cry sacrilege at the mere mention of dessert pizza, but for the open-minded, pizza crust is merely a canvas for various hues across the flavor spectrum. Guy Fieri’s riff on good old-fashioned s’mores (pictured) involves covering pizza crust with mini marshmallows, melted dark chocolate and (the wild card) cayenne-laced graham cracker crumbs – no campfire necessary.

Those who insist pizza can’t be fancy haven’t explored their options. Alex Guarnaschelli’s picture-perfect berry pizza is the result of piling juicy stewed blackberries on top of a creamy ricotta-orange zest “sauce” – and the crust? Go for six-inch, store-bought pizzas from the frozen-foods section of the grocery store. It’s really that easy.

Need some help perfecting the perfect pizza dough? Check out our quick-and-dirty how-to guide.