A guest has a peanut allergy and my sauce is already mixed. How do I change dinner without making her feel awkward?
Food"Couldn't she just have the noodles without the topping?" my brother asked. The peanuts weren't a topping. I'd blended peanut butter into the sauce an hour before our friend Leena messaged to say she has a peanut allergy.
Dinner is tomorrow, and nobody has eaten the sauce. Leena apologised for the late message and offered to bring her own meal. I told her I wanted her there, then realised I was about to promise more than I knew how to deliver. My brother has offered to cook a separate portion in the same kitchen. I haven't checked the other ingredient labels or asked what arrangements Leena is comfortable with.
The [FDA's food-allergy advice](https://www.fda.gov/food/buy-store-serve-safe-food/food-allergies-what-you-need-know) recommends reading labels and avoiding the relevant allergen. Its [cross-contact guidance](https://www.fda.gov/food/retail-food-protection/allergen-removal-and-transfer-using-wiping-and-cleaning-methods-retail-food-establishments) also explains how an allergen can unintentionally get into other food. Removing visible peanuts wouldn't address a sauce that already contains peanut butter.
I can change the menu, arrange food from somewhere Leena trusts, or welcome her bringing a meal and cover its cost. How do I offer those choices without asking her to reassure me that my kitchen is safe, or turning tomorrow's dinner into everyone watching what she eats?