frontend/src/components/household/HouseholdSwitcher.jsx

@@ -1,15 +1,47 @@
-import { useContext, useState } from 'react';
+import { useContext, useState } from "react";
-import { HouseholdContext } from '../../context/HouseholdContext';
+import { HouseholdContext } from "../../context/HouseholdContext";
-import '../../styles/components/HouseholdSwitcher.css';
+import "../../styles/components/HouseholdSwitcher.css";
-import CreateJoinHousehold from '../manage/CreateJoinHousehold';
+import CreateJoinHousehold from "../manage/CreateJoinHousehold";
 
 export default function HouseholdSwitcher() {
-  const { households, activeHousehold, setActiveHousehold, loading } = useContext(HouseholdContext);
+  const {
+    households,
+    activeHousehold,
+    setActiveHousehold,
+    loading,
+    hasLoaded,
+  } = useContext(HouseholdContext);
   const [isOpen, setIsOpen] = useState(false);
   const [showCreateJoin, setShowCreateJoin] = useState(false);
 
+  if (!hasLoaded || loading || (households.length > 0 && !activeHousehold)) {
+    return (
+      <div className="household-switcher household-switcher-empty">
+        <button className="household-switcher-toggle" type="button" disabled>
+          <span className="household-name">Loading households...</span>
+        </button>
+      </div>
+    );
+  }
+
   if (!activeHousehold || households.length === 0) {
-    return null;
+    return (
+      <>
+        <div className="household-switcher household-switcher-empty">
+          <button
+            className="household-switcher-toggle household-switcher-cta"
+            type="button"
+            onClick={() => setShowCreateJoin(true)}
+          >
+            <span className="household-name">Create or Join Household</span>
+          </button>
+        </div>
+
+        {showCreateJoin && (
+          <CreateJoinHousehold onClose={() => setShowCreateJoin(false)} />
+        )}
+      </>
+    );
   }
 
   const handleSelect = (household) => {
@@ -21,32 +53,35 @@ export default function HouseholdSwitcher() {
     <div className="household-switcher">
       <button
         className="household-switcher-toggle"
-        onClick={() => setIsOpen(!isOpen)}
+        type="button"
+        onClick={() => setIsOpen((current) => !current)}
         disabled={loading}
       >
         <span className="household-name">{activeHousehold.name}</span>
-        <span className={`dropdown-icon ${isOpen ? 'open' : ''}`}>▼</span>
+        <span className={`dropdown-icon ${isOpen ? "open" : ""}`}>&#9662;</span>
       </button>
 
       {isOpen && (
         <>
           <div className="household-switcher-overlay" onClick={() => setIsOpen(false)} />
           <div className="household-switcher-dropdown">
-            {households.map(household => (
+            {households.map((household) => (
               <button
                 key={household.id}
-                className={`household-option ${household.id === activeHousehold.id ? 'active' : ''}`}
+                className={`household-option ${household.id === activeHousehold.id ? "active" : ""}`}
+                type="button"
                 onClick={() => handleSelect(household)}
               >
                 {household.name}
                 {household.id === activeHousehold.id && (
-                  <span className="check-mark">✓</span>
+                  <span className="check-mark">&#10003;</span>
                 )}
               </button>
             ))}
             <div className="household-divider"></div>
             <button
               className="household-option create-household-btn"
+              type="button"
               onClick={() => {
                 setIsOpen(false);
                 setShowCreateJoin(true);

frontend/src/components/household/NoHouseholdState.jsx

@@ -0,0 +1,69 @@
+import { useContext, useState } from "react";
+import { HouseholdContext } from "../../context/HouseholdContext";
+import "../../styles/components/NoHouseholdState.css";
+import CreateJoinHousehold from "../manage/CreateJoinHousehold";
+
+export default function NoHouseholdState({
+  title = "No household yet",
+  description = "Create a household to start building lists, or join one with an invite code or invite link.",
+}) {
+  const { error, refreshHouseholds } = useContext(HouseholdContext);
+  const [showCreateJoin, setShowCreateJoin] = useState(false);
+  const [modalMode, setModalMode] = useState("create");
+
+  const openModal = (nextMode) => {
+    setModalMode(nextMode);
+    setShowCreateJoin(true);
+  };
+
+  return (
+    <>
+      <section className="no-household-state" aria-live="polite">
+        <div className="no-household-card">
+          <p className="no-household-eyebrow">Welcome</p>
+          <h2 className="no-household-title">{title}</h2>
+          <p className="no-household-description">{description}</p>
+
+          {error && (
+            <p className="no-household-error">
+              We couldn&apos;t load households: {error}
+            </p>
+          )}
+
+          <div className="no-household-actions">
+            <button
+              type="button"
+              className="btn-primary no-household-action"
+              onClick={() => openModal("create")}
+            >
+              Create Household
+            </button>
+            <button
+              type="button"
+              className="btn-secondary no-household-action"
+              onClick={() => openModal("join")}
+            >
+              Join Household
+            </button>
+            {error && (
+              <button
+                type="button"
+                className="btn-secondary no-household-action"
+                onClick={refreshHouseholds}
+              >
+                Retry Loading
+              </button>
+            )}
+          </div>
+        </div>
+      </section>
+
+      {showCreateJoin && (
+        <CreateJoinHousehold
+          initialMode={modalMode}
+          onClose={() => setShowCreateJoin(false)}
+        />
+      )}
+    </>
+  );
+}

frontend/src/components/manage/CreateJoinHousehold.jsx

@@ -1,21 +1,26 @@
-import { useContext, useState } from "react";
+import { useContext, useEffect, useState } from "react";
 import { useNavigate } from "react-router-dom";
-import { createHousehold, joinHousehold } from "../../api/households";
+import { joinHousehold } from "../../api/households";
 import { HouseholdContext } from "../../context/HouseholdContext";
 import useActionToast from "../../hooks/useActionToast";
 import getApiErrorMessage from "../../lib/getApiErrorMessage";
 import "../../styles/components/manage/CreateJoinHousehold.css";
 
-export default function CreateJoinHousehold({ onClose }) {
+export default function CreateJoinHousehold({ initialMode = "create", onClose }) {
   const navigate = useNavigate();
   const toast = useActionToast();
-  const { refreshHouseholds } = useContext(HouseholdContext);
+  const { createHousehold: createHouseholdWithContext, refreshHouseholds } = useContext(HouseholdContext);
-  const [mode, setMode] = useState("create");
+  const [mode, setMode] = useState(initialMode === "join" ? "join" : "create");
   const [householdName, setHouseholdName] = useState("");
   const [inviteCode, setInviteCode] = useState("");
   const [loading, setLoading] = useState(false);
   const [error, setError] = useState("");
 
+  useEffect(() => {
+    setMode(initialMode === "join" ? "join" : "create");
+    setError("");
+  }, [initialMode]);
+
   const extractInviteToken = (value) => {
     const trimmed = value.trim();
     if (!trimmed) return null;
@@ -27,7 +32,7 @@ export default function CreateJoinHousehold({ onClose }) {
       const parsed = new URL(trimmed, window.location.origin);
       const urlMatch = parsed.pathname.match(/^\/invite\/([a-zA-Z0-9]+)$/);
       if (urlMatch) return urlMatch[1];
-    } catch (error) {
+    } catch {
       return null;
     }
 
@@ -42,8 +47,7 @@ export default function CreateJoinHousehold({ onClose }) {
     setError("");
 
     try {
-      await createHousehold(householdName);
+      await createHouseholdWithContext(householdName);
-      await refreshHouseholds();
       toast.success("Created household", `Created household ${householdName.trim()}`);
       onClose();
     } catch (err) {
@@ -91,7 +95,14 @@ export default function CreateJoinHousehold({ onClose }) {
       <div className="create-join-modal" onClick={(e) => e.stopPropagation()}>
         <div className="modal-header">
           <h2>Household</h2>
-          <button className="close-btn" onClick={onClose}>&times;</button>
+          <button
+            className="close-btn"
+            type="button"
+            aria-label="Close household dialog"
+            onClick={onClose}
+          >
+            &times;
+          </button>
         </div>
 
         <div className="mode-tabs">

frontend/src/context/HouseholdContext.jsx

@@ -1,4 +1,4 @@
-import { createContext, useContext, useEffect, useState } from 'react';
+import { createContext, useCallback, useContext, useEffect, useState } from 'react';
 import { createHousehold as createHouseholdApi, getUserHouseholds } from '../api/households';
 import { AuthContext } from './AuthContext';
 
@@ -6,6 +6,7 @@ export const HouseholdContext = createContext({
   households: [],
   activeHousehold: null,
   loading: false,
+  hasLoaded: false,
   error: null,
   setActiveHousehold: () => { },
   refreshHouseholds: () => { },
@@ -17,27 +18,65 @@ export const HouseholdProvider = ({ children }) => {
   const [households, setHouseholds] = useState([]);
   const [activeHousehold, setActiveHouseholdState] = useState(null);
   const [loading, setLoading] = useState(false);
+  const [hasLoaded, setHasLoaded] = useState(false);
   const [error, setError] = useState(null);
 
+  const clearActiveHousehold = useCallback(() => {
+    setActiveHouseholdState(null);
+    localStorage.removeItem('activeHouseholdId');
+  }, []);
+
+  const loadHouseholds = useCallback(async () => {
+    if (!token) return;
+
+    setLoading(true);
+    setError(null);
+    try {
+      console.log('[HouseholdContext] Loading households...');
+      const response = await getUserHouseholds();
+      const nextHouseholds = Array.isArray(response.data) ? response.data : [];
+      console.log('[HouseholdContext] Loaded households:', nextHouseholds);
+      setHouseholds(nextHouseholds);
+
+      if (nextHouseholds.length === 0) {
+        clearActiveHousehold();
+      }
+    } catch (err) {
+      console.error('[HouseholdContext] Failed to load households:', err);
+      setError(err.response?.data?.message || 'Failed to load households');
+      setHouseholds([]);
+      clearActiveHousehold();
+    } finally {
+      setLoading(false);
+      setHasLoaded(true);
+    }
+  }, [clearActiveHousehold, token]);
+
   // Load households on mount and when token changes
   useEffect(() => {
     if (token) {
+      setHasLoaded(false);
       loadHouseholds();
     } else {
-      // Clear state when logged out
       setHouseholds([]);
-      setActiveHouseholdState(null);
+      clearActiveHousehold();
+      setError(null);
+      setLoading(false);
+      setHasLoaded(false);
     }
-  }, [token]);
+  }, [clearActiveHousehold, loadHouseholds, token]);
 
   // Load active household from localStorage on mount
   useEffect(() => {
-    if (households.length === 0) return;
+    if (households.length === 0) {
+      clearActiveHousehold();
+      return;
+    }
 
     console.log('[HouseholdContext] Setting active household from:', households);
     const savedHouseholdId = localStorage.getItem('activeHouseholdId');
     if (savedHouseholdId) {
-      const household = households.find(h => h.id === parseInt(savedHouseholdId));
+      const household = households.find(h => h.id === parseInt(savedHouseholdId, 10));
       if (household) {
         console.log('[HouseholdContext] Found saved household:', household);
         setActiveHouseholdState(household);
@@ -49,26 +88,7 @@ export const HouseholdProvider = ({ children }) => {
     console.log('[HouseholdContext] Using first household:', households[0]);
     setActiveHouseholdState(households[0]);
     localStorage.setItem('activeHouseholdId', households[0].id);
-  }, [households]);
+  }, [clearActiveHousehold, households]);
-
-  const loadHouseholds = async () => {
-    if (!token) return;
-
-    setLoading(true);
-    setError(null);
-    try {
-      console.log('[HouseholdContext] Loading households...');
-      const response = await getUserHouseholds();
-      console.log('[HouseholdContext] Loaded households:', response.data);
-      setHouseholds(response.data);
-    } catch (err) {
-      console.error('[HouseholdContext] Failed to load households:', err);
-      setError(err.response?.data?.message || 'Failed to load households');
-      setHouseholds([]);
-    } finally {
-      setLoading(false);
-    }
-  };
 
   const setActiveHousehold = (household) => {
     setActiveHouseholdState(household);
@@ -101,6 +121,7 @@ export const HouseholdProvider = ({ children }) => {
     households,
     activeHousehold,
     loading,
+    hasLoaded,
     error,
     setActiveHousehold,
     refreshHouseholds: loadHouseholds,

frontend/src/pages/GroceryList.jsx

@@ -13,6 +13,7 @@ import {
 import { getHouseholdMembers } from "../api/households";
 import SortDropdown from "../components/common/SortDropdown";
 import AddItemForm from "../components/forms/AddItemForm";
+import NoHouseholdState from "../components/household/NoHouseholdState";
 import GroceryListItem from "../components/items/GroceryListItem";
 import AddItemWithDetailsModal from "../components/modals/AddItemWithDetailsModal";
 import ConfirmBuyModal from "../components/modals/ConfirmBuyModal";
@@ -80,7 +81,12 @@ function getNextModalItem(sortedItems, currentIndex, excludedItemId) {
 export default function GroceryList() {
   const pageTitle = "Grocery List";
   const { userId } = useContext(AuthContext);
-  const { activeHousehold } = useContext(HouseholdContext);
+  const {
+    activeHousehold,
+    households,
+    loading: householdLoading,
+    hasLoaded: householdsLoaded
+  } = useContext(HouseholdContext);
   const { activeStore, stores, loading: storeLoading } = useContext(StoreContext);
   const { settings } = useContext(SettingsContext);
   const toast = useActionToast();
@@ -762,18 +768,29 @@ export default function GroceryList() {
   };
 
 
-  if (!activeHousehold) {
+  if (!householdsLoaded || householdLoading || (households.length > 0 && !activeHousehold)) {
-    return (
+    return (
-      <div className="glist-body">
+      <div className="glist-body">
-        <div className="glist-container">
+        <div className="glist-container">
-          <h1 className="glist-title">{pageTitle}</h1>
+          <h1 className="glist-title">{pageTitle}</h1>
-          <p style={{ textAlign: 'center', marginTop: '2rem', color: 'var(--text-secondary)' }}>
+          <p style={{ textAlign: "center", marginTop: "2rem", color: "var(--text-secondary)" }}>
-            Loading households...
+            Loading households...
-          </p>
+          </p>
-        </div>
+        </div>
-      </div>
+      </div>
-    );
+    );
-  }
+  }
+
+  if (!activeHousehold) {
+    return (
+      <div className="glist-body">
+        <div className="glist-container">
+          <h1 className="glist-title">{pageTitle}</h1>
+          <NoHouseholdState />
+        </div>
+      </div>
+    );
+  }
 
   if (storeLoading) {
     return (

frontend/src/pages/Manage.jsx

@@ -1,12 +1,13 @@
 import { useContext, useEffect, useState } from "react";
 import { useSearchParams } from "react-router-dom";
+import NoHouseholdState from "../components/household/NoHouseholdState";
 import ManageHousehold from "../components/manage/ManageHousehold";
 import ManageStores from "../components/manage/ManageStores";
 import { HouseholdContext } from "../context/HouseholdContext";
 import "../styles/pages/Manage.css";
 
 export default function Manage() {
-  const { activeHousehold } = useContext(HouseholdContext);
+  const { activeHousehold, households, loading, hasLoaded } = useContext(HouseholdContext);
   const [activeTab, setActiveTab] = useState("household");
   const [searchParams] = useSearchParams();
 
@@ -17,14 +18,25 @@ export default function Manage() {
     }
   }, [searchParams]);
 
+  if (!hasLoaded || loading || (households.length > 0 && !activeHousehold)) {
+    return (
+      <div className="manage-body">
+        <div className="manage-container">
+          <h1 className="manage-title">Manage</h1>
+          <p style={{ textAlign: "center", marginTop: "2rem", color: "var(--text-secondary)" }}>
+            Loading household...
+          </p>
+        </div>
+      </div>
+    );
+  }
+
   if (!activeHousehold) {
     return (
       <div className="manage-body">
         <div className="manage-container">
           <h1 className="manage-title">Manage</h1>
-          <p style={{ textAlign: 'center', marginTop: '2rem', color: 'var(--text-secondary)' }}>
+          <NoHouseholdState />
-            Loading household...
-          </p>
         </div>
       </div>
     );

frontend/src/styles/components/HouseholdSwitcher.css

@@ -1,6 +1,7 @@
 .household-switcher {
   position: relative;
   display: inline-block;
+  min-width: 220px;
 }
 
 .household-switcher-toggle {
@@ -8,6 +9,7 @@
   align-items: center;
   justify-content: space-between;
   gap: 0.5rem;
+  width: 100%;
   padding: 0.5rem 1rem;
   background: var(--card-bg);
   border: 1px solid var(--border);
@@ -16,7 +18,6 @@
   font-size: 1rem;
   cursor: pointer;
   transition: all 0.2s ease;
-  width: 100%;
 }
 
 .household-switcher-toggle:hover {
@@ -29,20 +30,30 @@
   cursor: not-allowed;
 }
 
+.household-switcher-cta {
+  justify-content: center;
+  font-weight: 600;
+  color: var(--primary);
+}
+
+.household-switcher-empty .household-switcher-toggle {
+  width: 100%;
+}
+
 .household-name {
-  font-weight: 500;
   flex: 1;
-  text-align: left;
   overflow: hidden;
+  text-align: left;
   text-overflow: ellipsis;
   white-space: nowrap;
+  font-weight: 500;
 }
 
 .dropdown-icon {
+  margin-left: auto;
+  flex-shrink: 0;
   font-size: 0.75rem;
   transition: transform 0.2s ease;
-  flex-shrink: 0;
-  margin-left: auto;
 }
 
 .dropdown-icon.open {
@@ -51,10 +62,7 @@
 
 .household-switcher-overlay {
   position: fixed;
-  top: 0;
+  inset: 0;
-  left: 0;
-  right: 0;
-  bottom: 0;
   z-index: 999;
 }
 
@@ -64,12 +72,12 @@
   left: 0;
   right: 0;
   width: 100%;
+  overflow: hidden;
   background: var(--card-bg);
   border: 2px solid var(--border);
   border-radius: 8px;
   box-shadow: 0 8px 24px rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.3);
   z-index: 1000;
-  overflow: hidden;
 }
 
 .household-option {
@@ -98,19 +106,21 @@
 }
 
 .household-option.active {
-  background: rgba(30, 144, 255, 0.15);
+  background: color-mix(in srgb, var(--primary) 15%, transparent);
   color: var(--primary);
   font-weight: 600;
 }
 
 .check-mark {
   color: var(--primary);
-  font-weight: bold;
   font-size: 1.1rem;
+  font-weight: bold;
 }
 
-.household-divider {);
+.household-divider {
+  height: 1px;
   margin: 0.25rem 0;
+  background: var(--border);
 }
 
 .create-household-btn {
@@ -119,7 +129,11 @@
 }
 
 .create-household-btn:hover {
-  background: rgba(30, 144, 255, 0.15
+  background: color-mix(in srgb, var(--primary) 15%, transparent);
-.create-household-btn:hover {
+}
-  background: var(--primary-color-light);
+
+@media (max-width: 640px) {
+  .household-switcher {
+    min-width: 180px;
+  }
 }

frontend/src/styles/components/NoHouseholdState.css

@@ -0,0 +1,76 @@
+.no-household-state {
+  display: flex;
+  justify-content: center;
+  margin: 2rem auto 0;
+}
+
+.no-household-card {
+  width: min(100%, 38rem);
+  padding: 2rem;
+  border: 1px solid var(--border);
+  border-radius: 20px;
+  background:
+    radial-gradient(circle at top right, color-mix(in srgb, var(--primary) 14%, transparent), transparent 38%),
+    linear-gradient(180deg, color-mix(in srgb, var(--card-bg) 96%, white), var(--card-bg));
+  box-shadow: 0 20px 50px rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.12);
+  text-align: center;
+}
+
+.no-household-eyebrow {
+  margin: 0 0 0.5rem;
+  font-size: 0.85rem;
+  font-weight: 700;
+  letter-spacing: 0.08em;
+  text-transform: uppercase;
+  color: var(--primary);
+}
+
+.no-household-title {
+  margin: 0;
+  font-size: clamp(1.75rem, 4vw, 2.4rem);
+  color: var(--text-primary);
+}
+
+.no-household-description {
+  margin: 1rem 0 0;
+  color: var(--text-secondary);
+  font-size: 1rem;
+  line-height: 1.6;
+}
+
+.no-household-error {
+  margin: 1rem 0 0;
+  padding: 0.85rem 1rem;
+  border-radius: 12px;
+  background: var(--danger-light, rgba(220, 53, 69, 0.1));
+  color: var(--danger);
+  border: 1px solid color-mix(in srgb, var(--danger) 50%, transparent);
+}
+
+.no-household-actions {
+  display: flex;
+  flex-wrap: wrap;
+  justify-content: center;
+  gap: 0.75rem;
+  margin-top: 1.5rem;
+}
+
+.no-household-action {
+  min-width: 11rem;
+  min-height: 44px;
+}
+
+@media (max-width: 640px) {
+  .no-household-card {
+    padding: 1.5rem;
+    border-radius: 16px;
+  }
+
+  .no-household-actions {
+    flex-direction: column;
+  }
+
+  .no-household-action {
+    width: 100%;
+  }
+}

frontend/tests/household-onboarding.spec.ts

@@ -0,0 +1,59 @@
+import { expect, test } from "@playwright/test";
+
+function seedAuthStorage(page: import("@playwright/test").Page) {
+  return page.addInitScript(() => {
+    localStorage.setItem("token", "test-token");
+    localStorage.setItem("userId", "1");
+    localStorage.setItem("role", "admin");
+    localStorage.setItem("username", "new-user");
+  });
+}
+
+async function mockConfig(page: import("@playwright/test").Page) {
+  await page.route("**/config", async (route) => {
+    await route.fulfill({
+      status: 200,
+      contentType: "application/json",
+      body: JSON.stringify({
+        maxFileSizeMB: 20,
+        maxImageDimension: 800,
+        imageQuality: 85,
+      }),
+    });
+  });
+}
+
+test("new users with no households see create and join actions instead of a loading dead-end", async ({ page }) => {
+  await seedAuthStorage(page);
+  await mockConfig(page);
+
+  await page.route("**/households", async (route) => {
+    await route.fulfill({
+      status: 200,
+      contentType: "application/json",
+      body: JSON.stringify([]),
+    });
+  });
+
+  await page.goto("/");
+
+  await expect(page.getByRole("button", { name: "Create or Join Household" })).toBeVisible();
+  await expect(page.getByRole("heading", { name: "No household yet" })).toBeVisible();
+  await expect(page.getByRole("button", { name: "Create Household" })).toBeVisible();
+  await expect(page.getByRole("button", { name: "Join Household" })).toBeVisible();
+
+  await page.getByRole("button", { name: "Join Household" }).click();
+  await expect(page.getByLabel("Invite Code or Link")).toBeVisible();
+  await page.getByRole("button", { name: "Close household dialog" }).click();
+
+  await page.getByRole("button", { name: "Create Household" }).click();
+  await expect(page.getByLabel("Household Name")).toBeVisible();
+  await page.getByRole("button", { name: "Close household dialog" }).click();
+
+  await page.goto("/manage");
+
+  await expect(page.getByRole("heading", { name: "Manage" })).toBeVisible();
+  await expect(page.getByRole("heading", { name: "No household yet" })).toBeVisible();
+  await expect(page.getByRole("button", { name: "Create Household" })).toBeVisible();
+  await expect(page.getByRole("button", { name: "Join Household" })).toBeVisible();
+});