Preferences catalog
The things people want you to know.
A growing library of real-world preferences — dietary, allergy, access, household, communication — each with scripts for the person who has the preference and for the person trying to accommodate it. Written to be useful, not exhaustive.
Dietary practice
How someone eats, by choice or by faith.
Vegan
The practical version of veganism for social settings: what it includes, what it doesn't, scripts for the host and the guest, and what actually helps at dinner.
Vegetarian
Vegetarians don't eat meat or fish but do eat dairy and eggs. The cooking implications, and the awkward edge cases — gelatin, broth, fish sauce — that catch hosts off guard.
Gluten-free
'Gluten-free' covers everyone from celiacs who get hospitalized by a breadcrumb to wellness-trend adopters. Knowing which version you're hosting changes the whole approach.
Dairy-free
Dairy-free covers milk, butter, cheese, cream, yogurt, and whey. The hiding spots — rice pilafs, breads, 'non-dairy' creamers that aren't — and how to cook around them.
Kosher
A short, useful overview of kosher dietary law for hosts — what to avoid, what 'meat and dairy separate' actually means in practice, and how strict your guest's practice probably is.
Halal
Halal guidelines for hosts: meat slaughtered according to Islamic law, no pork, no alcohol in cooking. The practical path for a non-Muslim host, from vegetarian defaults to halal-certified shopping.
Lactose intolerant
Lactose intolerance is a digestive issue, not an immune one. What that means for hosting: aged cheeses are usually fine, cross-contact doesn't matter, and lactase pills exist.
Pescatarian
Pescatarians eat fish but not other meat. A short guide for hosts — what that means at a dinner, what fish counts, and why 'just give them fish' misses the point.
Allergy
What someone can't eat, often with medical consequences.
Celiac disease
Celiac is an autoimmune disease triggered by gluten — not a preference or a sensitivity. Hosting a celiac is a cooking protocol, not a menu change.
Peanut allergy
A peanut allergy is often severe, sometimes life-threatening, and almost always worse in cross-contact than people realize. The hosting protocol, the scripts, and the EpiPen conversation.
Tree nut allergy
Tree nuts are a distinct allergy category from peanuts, covering almonds, walnuts, pecans, cashews, pistachios, Brazil nuts, and more. Where they hide, and how to host safely.
Shellfish allergy
Shellfish allergy splits into crustaceans (shrimp, crab, lobster) and mollusks (clams, mussels, scallops). Where they hide, the cross-contact risks, and what to plan for.
Egg allergy
Egg allergy is one of the most common childhood allergies and often persists into adulthood. What it covers, what hides eggs in the kitchen, and the substitutes that actually work.
Sesame allergy
Sesame was added as the ninth major allergen on US labels in 2023. The catch: it's hidden in everything from hummus to hamburger buns to 'natural flavorings.'
Soy allergy
Soy shows up in tofu and tempeh, but also soy sauce, Worcestershire, many breads, processed meats, and most Asian cuisines. Here's the working protocol.
Access
What someone needs to move, interact, or participate safely.
Household & hosting
How a home works — rules, habits, and the small stuff.
280+ preferences in the app
The catalog on the site is a curated SEO subset. The full Pref app has over 280 preferences across 16 categories — dining, travel, medical, personal care, style, and more.
