Reload and allergies

Reload is how the app picks dinner (the short version is Tonight's dinner without the thinking). Open Tonight and one dinner is waiting: something you can make from what's in your pantry, ready by dinner time, for the people eating tonight.

The dinner card

Each card says why it was picked, like "Uses the spinach that expires tomorrow". It shows how long it takes and when to start, and whether you have everything or are short one thing, with a Get it link to add it to the list.

• Cook this tonight plans it for tonight. Or swipe the card right. A Viewer's button reads Ask to make this tonight.
• For another idea, tap the arrow at the top of the card, or swipe left.
• Another day puts it on another night's plan.
• Not this tells the app why, so later ideas get better. Owners and Editors can pick Never suggest it.

Tap the time chip to say how long you have, from Under 15 min to Any time. Tap the people chip to say who's eating tonight, or Add a guest.

Dinner time is set in Settings, Meals & reminders. It starts at 6:30 pm. A morning pick can be a slow cooker meal.

Add your allergies

1. Open Settings, then Food & diet.
2. Under Never in my dinners, tap a common allergy or search for something else, and the page says: "Dinner ideas leave these out. Always check labels."
3. The first time, the app asks before it saves anything. Read the note, choose which kitchens to share with, and tap Allow.

The note says: "The app leaves out dinners with your allergies, using the ingredients it knows about. It can miss things, like a brand that changed its recipe. Always check labels."

Your allergies follow you into every kitchen, but a kitchen plans around them only when Share my food needs is on for you there (it's off until you turn it on), and you still check labels. Only people in that kitchen can see them.

For a child or someone who won't log in, an Owner sets their food & diet for them. See Kitchens, people and roles.

How dinners plan around allergies

Dinners with an allergy food for someone eating tonight are left out, and you still check labels. Each card then says whose allergies it checked: "Checked for Alex · check labels". Tap it to see which foods: "Checked for Alex: Peanuts. Always check labels."

The app checks the ingredients it knows about. It can miss things, so always check labels.

Guests count too. When you Add a guest, pick what they can't eat, tonight's ideas leave those foods out, and you still check labels.

OK on the side

Use this only for a food that person has said is fine for them on the side: on Food & diet, turn on OK on the side for it, and still check labels. The app then says: "The food will be in the same kitchen and may touch shared pans." The dinner stays only when two things are true: the switch is on, and the recipe line for that food is marked On the side (you mark it yourself: turn on On the side on the ingredient line in the recipe editor, because a recipe you import comes in unmarked), and you still check labels. Then a dinner whose only problem is that food stays in, with a yellow mark. The recipe then shows a step under Before you cook: set aside a portion before adding it. With the switch off, or the line not marked On the side, that dinner is left out, so check labels. Always check labels.

Seeing dinners that were left out

Under the card, "ideas hidden for allergies · Show anyway" shows them for now, marked in red, and you still check labels. In Settings, under Preferences & notifications, turn on Show dinners I can't eat to always see them, and check labels. They stay marked in red. Always check labels.

For the short version, with the limits up front, see dinner planning around allergies, and always check labels.

Tired at 5 pm? See What to make for dinner when you're tired.