How do I handle food allergies?Updated 2 months ago

Quick Answer

All CENTR recipes are tagged with common allergens to help you identify safe options. You can filter recipes by allergy tags in the Explore section and check individual recipe ingredients before preparing meals. While CENTR doesn't have a personal allergy profile feature, the allergy tagging system helps you find suitable recipes quickly.

Finding Allergy-Safe Recipes

Using Allergy Tags in Explore

1. Open the CENTR app or log in at centr.com
2. Navigate to the "Explore" section
3. Browse recipes (Coached or Self-Guided workouts section also has recipes)
4. Use filters to exclude recipes with specific allergens
5. Allergy tags appear on each recipe card

Common allergy tags include:

• Gluten
• Dairy
• Eggs
• Nuts (tree nuts and peanuts)
• Soy
• Shellfish
• Fish

Checking Individual Recipes

Before preparing any recipe:

1. Open the full recipe details
2. Review the complete ingredient list
3. Check for allergen tags displayed on the recipe
4. Look for potential cross-contamination ingredients (e.g., "may contain traces")
5. Read preparation notes for allergen warnings

Important: All care is taken to accurately mark recipes with allergy tags. However, always review the full ingredient list yourself to ensure safety, especially for severe allergies.

Managing Allergies in Your Meal Plan

If you find a recipe in your weekly meal plan that contains an allergen:

1. Go to Home > My Plan > Meals
2. Find the recipe with the allergen
3. Tap the swap button on that recipe
4. Browse alternative recipes in Explore
5. Use allergy filters to find safe replacements
6. Select a new recipe to replace the original

See our article "How do I swap meals?" for detailed swapping instructions.

Common Food Allergies and Restrictions

Gluten-Free: Filter for recipes without wheat, barley, rye, or gluten-containing grains. Many recipes naturally use gluten-free grains like rice, quinoa, and oats (ensure certified gluten-free oats for celiac disease).

Dairy-Free: Look for recipes without milk, cheese, yogurt, butter, or cream. Many recipes use plant-based alternatives like almond milk, coconut yogurt, or nutritional yeast.

Nut-Free: Filter out recipes containing tree nuts (almonds, cashews, walnuts, etc.) or peanuts. Be aware that some recipes may use nut-based milks or butters.

Egg-Free: Find recipes that don't use eggs as ingredients. Many vegan recipes are naturally egg-free.

Soy-Free: Avoid recipes with tofu, tempeh, soy sauce, or soy-based products.

Shellfish and Fish Allergies: Filter out seafood recipes. Choose vegetarian or vegan dietary preferences to automatically exclude all fish and shellfish.

Dietary Preferences for Common Allergens

Setting a dietary preference can help reduce allergen exposure:

• Vegan preference: Automatically excludes dairy, eggs, fish, and shellfish
• Vegetarian preference: Excludes fish and shellfish (but includes dairy and eggs)
• Pescatarian preference: Includes fish and shellfish (avoid if you have seafood allergies)

Set your preference in Profile > Profile Settings. See "How do I set my dietary preferences?" for more information.

Multiple Allergies

If you have multiple food allergies:

• Use multiple allergy filters simultaneously in Explore
• Combine dietary preference (vegan/vegetarian) with additional allergy filters
• Build a collection of saved safe recipes for easy access
• Plan your meals carefully and swap unsafe recipes proactively

Tips for Managing Allergies

• Review weekly: Check your meal plan each week and swap allergen-containing recipes immediately
• Save safe recipes: Use the ribbon button to save allergy-safe recipes you love for future reference
• Read every ingredient: Even if a recipe is tagged as safe, always verify the ingredient list yourself
• Cross-contamination: If you have severe allergies, check for "may contain" warnings in ingredient packaging
• Substitutions: Many recipes allow simple substitutions - replace dairy milk with plant milk, eggs with flax eggs, etc.

Important Safety Notes

Severe Allergies: If you have severe or life-threatening food allergies (anaphylaxis risk), always verify ingredients yourself and consult your allergist before trying new recipes. CENTR's allergy tags are helpful guides but should not replace personal verification.

Medical Advice: CENTR recipes are created by nutritionists but are not medical nutrition therapy. If you have celiac disease, severe allergies, or other medical dietary needs, work with your healthcare provider or registered dietitian.

Ingredient Changes: Food manufacturers may change product formulations. Always check current ingredient labels on products you purchase, even for familiar items.

Need Help?

If you have questions about allergen information in recipes or need help finding allergy-safe options, contact our support team at [email protected]