How can we choose salads safely when one of us has a nut allergy?

They may be ground into a dressing or sauce, blended into pesto, toasted over the top, or included in a packaged grain, seasoning mix or fried topping. They can also be present in the oil used to fry an ingredient, particularly when food is prepared in a shared kitchen. Check stock cubes, bottled dressings, mayonnaise, curry sauces and prepared salads rather than judging by the dish name. For a serious allergy, read the full label every time and follow the person’s medical advice about precautionary allergen statements.

Start with ingredients that are naturally nut-free, then verify each packaged ingredient before opening it. Use a clean bowl, knife, board and serving spoon, and do not reuse oil, crumbs, pesto or dressing from another dish. Keep the safe portion covered and separate until serving, because a small amount transferred from a shared utensil can matter. If a label is unclear or the product says it may contain nuts, choose a different product instead of trying to remove the suspected ingredient.

A recipe that never relied on nuts has fewer points where an overlooked ingredient can enter. Removing nuts from a pesto, dressing or crunchy topping does not remove the risk from the prepared product, the oil or the equipment used to make it. It also avoids last-minute substitutions that change the balance of a salad and create extra work for the person checking every label. Build the meal around a verified nut-free dish, then add optional toppings only if they can be kept completely separate.