September 18, 2025
How Do You Host a Dinner When Your Guests Have Food Allergies? Answering Your Home Cooking Questions with 4 Dietary-Friendly Menus
Food Friends: Home Cooking Made EasyAbout this episode
Do you have a friend or family member who struggles with food allergies and restrictions? Do you want to host them for dinner, but have a hard time figuring out what to cook? In this bite-sized episode, we share and answer a listener's question, to inspire each other and you! By the end of this episode, you’ll discover four menus that are allergen-friendly, how to modify dishes to meet your guests' needs, and how to plan ahead to simplify hosting. Tune in now for a quick dose of home cooking inspiration! *** Links: Kari Menu #1 * Beef meatballs with soy scallion garlic by Kay Chun for NYT Cooking. Mix ahead, shape, and cook off fresh * Frizzled green beans with mushrooms by Alison Roman. Can roast alongside the potatoes and be served at room temp. *Baked potatoes and baked sweet potatoes. Bake ahead, and reheat on site. Serve with dairy butter and non-dairy butter options, side of scallions or other toppings as desired. Sonya Menu #1 * Shawarma chicken thighs from Edible Communities. Sonya also adds red pepper along with the onion to the sheet pan I cook them on. * Olive oil mashed by Lidia Bastianich, potatoes, or classic smashed potatoes * Easy 10-minute garlic broccolini from The Kitchn Kari Menu #2 * Grilled soy-based chicken thighs with spicy cashews by Sam Sifton for NYT Cooking (unlocked). If you don’t have a grill, you can get those char marks by broiling it for a few minutes at the end *Rice of your choice * Roasted broccoli Sonya Menu #2 * Classic beef pot roast from the Modern Proper, and an even simpler one from All Recipes Ina Garten’s roasted carrots and parsnips Sauteed Swiss Chard by Ellie Krieger (omit vinegar for low acidity) *** Got a cooking question? Leave us a message on our hotline at: 323-452-9084 For more recipes and cooking inspiration, sign up for our Substack here . You can also now find us on YouTube. We love hearing from you — follow us on Instagram @ foodfriendspod , or drop us a line at foodfriendspod@gmail.com ! Book a farmers’ market tour with Sonya in Portland, OR!