Dairy-free, egg-free meals for two people

Use a binder that suits the mixture, such as breadcrumbs moistened with water or stock, cooked grains, mashed beans, grated vegetables, or ground flax mixed with water. Chill shaped patties or meatballs before cooking, then handle them gently until a crust forms. Check packaged breadcrumbs and condiments, since milk powder and egg can be added even when the finished dish does not taste creamy.

Look beyond the title and inspect every packaged ingredient, especially stock, bread, pasta, tortillas, breadcrumbs, sauces and spice blends. Dairy may appear as whey, casein, milk powder or butter, while egg can be listed as albumen, egg white, egg yolk or simply egg. For a shared meal, also check garnishes and toppings separately, because a safe base can become unsuitable when finished with mayonnaise, cheese or a creamy sauce.

Both people can review the same set of dishes on their own phones and keep only the meals they both accept. That avoids one person building a dairy-free list while the other separately checks for egg, then having to compare the two by hand. The meals that remain can be used for a shared week plan and one live shopping list.