diff --git a/CLAUDE.md b/CLAUDE.md
index 0166e3f..ebf653d 100644
--- a/CLAUDE.md
+++ b/CLAUDE.md
@@ -35,12 +35,11 @@ dotnet ef database update --project src/backend/YesChef.Api
 
 Note: `Program.cs` calls `db.Database.MigrateAsync()` on startup, so running the API auto-applies pending migrations against the configured `ConnectionStrings:DefaultConnection`.
 
-Backend tests (TUnit on Microsoft.Testing.Platform; integration tests use Testcontainers + Postgres). The `src/backend/global.json` opts `dotnet test` into MTP mode, so use `--solution` / `--project` flags:
+Backend tests (TUnit on Microsoft.Testing.Platform; integration tests use Testcontainers + Postgres). The `src/backend/global.json` opts `dotnet test` into MTP mode, which means project args must be passed via `--project` (positional project paths are rejected) and `--solution` is NOT a supported switch on the .NET 10 SDK. Run from `src/backend` so `global.json` is in scope — use `Push-Location` to avoid the blocked `cd`:
 
 ```powershell
-dotnet test --solution src/backend/YesChef.slnx                                                # all tests
-dotnet test --project src/backend/YesChef.Api.UnitTests/YesChef.Api.UnitTests.csproj
-dotnet test --project src/backend/YesChef.Api.IntegrationTests/YesChef.Api.IntegrationTests.csproj
+Push-Location src/backend; try { dotnet test --project YesChef.Api.UnitTests/YesChef.Api.UnitTests.csproj } finally { Pop-Location }
+Push-Location src/backend; try { dotnet test --project YesChef.Api.IntegrationTests/YesChef.Api.IntegrationTests.csproj } finally { Pop-Location }
 ```
 
 Integration tests start a single Postgres 17 container per test session, create a migrated `yeschef_template` database, then clone a fresh DB per test via `CREATE DATABASE … TEMPLATE …`. Tests run in parallel (capped by `IntegrationTestParallelLimit`) and require Docker (Rancher Desktop or Docker Desktop).
diff --git a/src/backend/YesChef.Api/Data/YesChefDb.cs b/src/backend/YesChef.Api/Data/YesChefDb.cs
index 2af2214..b6cdf4c 100644
--- a/src/backend/YesChef.Api/Data/YesChefDb.cs
+++ b/src/backend/YesChef.Api/Data/YesChefDb.cs
@@ -5,6 +5,7 @@ namespace YesChef.Api.Data;
 
 public class YesChefDb(DbContextOptions<YesChefDb> options) : DbContext(options)
 {
+    public DbSet<Family> Families => Set<Family>();
     public DbSet<User> Users => Set<User>();
     public DbSet<Store> Stores => Set<Store>();
     public DbSet<ShoppingList> ShoppingLists => Set<ShoppingList>();
@@ -14,6 +15,13 @@ public class YesChefDb(DbContextOptions<YesChefDb> options) : DbContext(options)
 
     protected override void OnModelCreating(ModelBuilder modelBuilder)
     {
+        modelBuilder.Entity<Family>(e =>
+        {
+            e.HasIndex(f => f.InviteCode).IsUnique();
+            e.Property(f => f.Name).HasMaxLength(100);
+            e.Property(f => f.InviteCode).HasMaxLength(100);
+        });
+
         modelBuilder.Entity<User>(e =>
         {
             e.HasIndex(u => u.Name).IsUnique();
diff --git a/src/backend/YesChef.Api/Entities/Family.cs b/src/backend/YesChef.Api/Entities/Family.cs
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..b253d8c
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/backend/YesChef.Api/Entities/Family.cs
@@ -0,0 +1,9 @@
+namespace YesChef.Api.Entities;
+
+public class Family
+{
+    public int Id { get; set; }
+    public required string Name { get; set; }
+    public required string InviteCode { get; set; }
+    public DateTime CreatedAt { get; set; } = DateTime.UtcNow;
+}
diff --git a/src/backend/YesChef.Api/Migrations/20260508033526_AddFamily.Designer.cs b/src/backend/YesChef.Api/Migrations/20260508033526_AddFamily.Designer.cs
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..9558ccc
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/backend/YesChef.Api/Migrations/20260508033526_AddFamily.Designer.cs
@@ -0,0 +1,340 @@
+// <auto-generated />
+using System;
+using Microsoft.EntityFrameworkCore;
+using Microsoft.EntityFrameworkCore.Infrastructure;
+using Microsoft.EntityFrameworkCore.Migrations;
+using Microsoft.EntityFrameworkCore.Storage.ValueConversion;
+using Npgsql.EntityFrameworkCore.PostgreSQL.Metadata;
+using YesChef.Api.Data;
+
+#nullable disable
+
+namespace YesChef.Api.Migrations
+{
+    [DbContext(typeof(YesChefDb))]
+    [Migration("20260508033526_AddFamily")]
+    partial class AddFamily
+    {
+        /// <inheritdoc />
+        protected override void BuildTargetModel(ModelBuilder modelBuilder)
+        {
+#pragma warning disable 612, 618
+            modelBuilder
+                .HasAnnotation("ProductVersion", "10.0.7")
+                .HasAnnotation("Relational:MaxIdentifierLength", 63);
+
+            NpgsqlModelBuilderExtensions.UseIdentityByDefaultColumns(modelBuilder);
+
+            modelBuilder.Entity("YesChef.Api.Entities.Family", b =>
+                {
+                    b.Property<int>("Id")
+                        .ValueGeneratedOnAdd()
+                        .HasColumnType("integer");
+
+                    NpgsqlPropertyBuilderExtensions.UseIdentityByDefaultColumn(b.Property<int>("Id"));
+
+                    b.Property<DateTime>("CreatedAt")
+                        .HasColumnType("timestamp with time zone");
+
+                    b.Property<string>("InviteCode")
+                        .IsRequired()
+                        .HasMaxLength(100)
+                        .HasColumnType("character varying(100)");
+
+                    b.Property<string>("Name")
+                        .IsRequired()
+                        .HasMaxLength(100)
+                        .HasColumnType("character varying(100)");
+
+                    b.HasKey("Id");
+
+                    b.HasIndex("InviteCode")
+                        .IsUnique();
+
+                    b.ToTable("Families");
+                });
+
+            modelBuilder.Entity("YesChef.Api.Entities.Recipe", b =>
+                {
+                    b.Property<int>("Id")
+                        .ValueGeneratedOnAdd()
+                        .HasColumnType("integer");
+
+                    NpgsqlPropertyBuilderExtensions.UseIdentityByDefaultColumn(b.Property<int>("Id"));
+
+                    b.Property<DateTime>("CreatedAt")
+                        .HasColumnType("timestamp with time zone");
+
+                    b.Property<int>("CreatedByUserId")
+                        .HasColumnType("integer");
+
+                    b.Property<string>("Description")
+                        .HasColumnType("text");
+
+                    b.Property<string>("Instructions")
+                        .HasColumnType("text");
+
+                    b.Property<int?>("Servings")
+                        .HasColumnType("integer");
+
+                    b.Property<string>("SourceUrl")
+                        .HasColumnType("text");
+
+                    b.Property<string>("Title")
+                        .IsRequired()
+                        .HasMaxLength(300)
+                        .HasColumnType("character varying(300)");
+
+                    b.Property<DateTime>("UpdatedAt")
+                        .HasColumnType("timestamp with time zone");
+
+                    b.HasKey("Id");
+
+                    b.HasIndex("CreatedByUserId");
+
+                    b.ToTable("Recipes");
+                });
+
+            modelBuilder.Entity("YesChef.Api.Entities.RecipeIngredient", b =>
+                {
+                    b.Property<int>("Id")
+                        .ValueGeneratedOnAdd()
+                        .HasColumnType("integer");
+
+                    NpgsqlPropertyBuilderExtensions.UseIdentityByDefaultColumn(b.Property<int>("Id"));
+
+                    b.Property<string>("Name")
+                        .IsRequired()
+                        .HasMaxLength(200)
+                        .HasColumnType("character varying(200)");
+
+                    b.Property<string>("Quantity")
+                        .HasMaxLength(50)
+                        .HasColumnType("character varying(50)");
+
+                    b.Property<int>("RecipeId")
+                        .HasColumnType("integer");
+
+                    b.Property<int>("SortOrder")
+                        .HasColumnType("integer");
+
+                    b.HasKey("Id");
+
+                    b.HasIndex("RecipeId");
+
+                    b.ToTable("RecipeIngredients");
+                });
+
+            modelBuilder.Entity("YesChef.Api.Entities.ShoppingList", b =>
+                {
+                    b.Property<int>("Id")
+                        .ValueGeneratedOnAdd()
+                        .HasColumnType("integer");
+
+                    NpgsqlPropertyBuilderExtensions.UseIdentityByDefaultColumn(b.Property<int>("Id"));
+
+                    b.Property<DateTime>("CreatedAt")
+                        .HasColumnType("timestamp with time zone");
+
+                    b.Property<int>("CreatedByUserId")
+                        .HasColumnType("integer");
+
+                    b.Property<bool>("IsArchived")
+                        .HasColumnType("boolean");
+
+                    b.Property<string>("Name")
+                        .IsRequired()
+                        .HasMaxLength(200)
+                        .HasColumnType("character varying(200)");
+
+                    b.Property<int>("StoreId")
+                        .HasColumnType("integer");
+
+                    b.Property<DateTime>("UpdatedAt")
+                        .HasColumnType("timestamp with time zone");
+
+                    b.HasKey("Id");
+
+                    b.HasIndex("CreatedByUserId");
+
+                    b.HasIndex("StoreId");
+
+                    b.ToTable("ShoppingLists");
+                });
+
+            modelBuilder.Entity("YesChef.Api.Entities.ShoppingListItem", b =>
+                {
+                    b.Property<int>("Id")
+                        .ValueGeneratedOnAdd()
+                        .HasColumnType("integer");
+
+                    NpgsqlPropertyBuilderExtensions.UseIdentityByDefaultColumn(b.Property<int>("Id"));
+
+                    b.Property<int?>("CheckedByUserId")
+                        .HasColumnType("integer");
+
+                    b.Property<DateTime>("CreatedAt")
+                        .HasColumnType("timestamp with time zone");
+
+                    b.Property<bool>("IsChecked")
+                        .HasColumnType("boolean");
+
+                    b.Property<string>("Name")
+                        .IsRequired()
+                        .HasMaxLength(300)
+                        .HasColumnType("character varying(300)");
+
+                    b.Property<int?>("RecipeId")
+                        .HasColumnType("integer");
+
+                    b.Property<int>("ShoppingListId")
+                        .HasColumnType("integer");
+
+                    b.Property<int>("SortOrder")
+                        .HasColumnType("integer");
+
+                    b.HasKey("Id");
+
+                    b.HasIndex("CheckedByUserId");
+
+                    b.HasIndex("RecipeId");
+
+                    b.HasIndex("ShoppingListId");
+
+                    b.ToTable("ShoppingListItems");
+                });
+
+            modelBuilder.Entity("YesChef.Api.Entities.Store", b =>
+                {
+                    b.Property<int>("Id")
+                        .ValueGeneratedOnAdd()
+                        .HasColumnType("integer");
+
+                    NpgsqlPropertyBuilderExtensions.UseIdentityByDefaultColumn(b.Property<int>("Id"));
+
+                    b.Property<DateTime>("CreatedAt")
+                        .HasColumnType("timestamp with time zone");
+
+                    b.Property<string>("Name")
+                        .IsRequired()
+                        .HasMaxLength(100)
+                        .HasColumnType("character varying(100)");
+
+                    b.Property<int>("SortOrder")
+                        .HasColumnType("integer");
+
+                    b.HasKey("Id");
+
+                    b.HasIndex("Name")
+                        .IsUnique();
+
+                    b.ToTable("Stores");
+                });
+
+            modelBuilder.Entity("YesChef.Api.Entities.User", b =>
+                {
+                    b.Property<int>("Id")
+                        .ValueGeneratedOnAdd()
+                        .HasColumnType("integer");
+
+                    NpgsqlPropertyBuilderExtensions.UseIdentityByDefaultColumn(b.Property<int>("Id"));
+
+                    b.Property<DateTime>("CreatedAt")
+                        .HasColumnType("timestamp with time zone");
+
+                    b.Property<string>("Name")
+                        .IsRequired()
+                        .HasMaxLength(100)
+                        .HasColumnType("character varying(100)");
+
+                    b.Property<string>("PasswordHash")
+                        .IsRequired()
+                        .HasColumnType("text");
+
+                    b.HasKey("Id");
+
+                    b.HasIndex("Name")
+                        .IsUnique();
+
+                    b.ToTable("Users");
+                });
+
+            modelBuilder.Entity("YesChef.Api.Entities.Recipe", b =>
+                {
+                    b.HasOne("YesChef.Api.Entities.User", "CreatedByUser")
+                        .WithMany()
+                        .HasForeignKey("CreatedByUserId")
+                        .OnDelete(DeleteBehavior.Cascade)
+                        .IsRequired();
+
+                    b.Navigation("CreatedByUser");
+                });
+
+            modelBuilder.Entity("YesChef.Api.Entities.RecipeIngredient", b =>
+                {
+                    b.HasOne("YesChef.Api.Entities.Recipe", "Recipe")
+                        .WithMany("Ingredients")
+                        .HasForeignKey("RecipeId")
+                        .OnDelete(DeleteBehavior.Cascade)
+                        .IsRequired();
+
+                    b.Navigation("Recipe");
+                });
+
+            modelBuilder.Entity("YesChef.Api.Entities.ShoppingList", b =>
+                {
+                    b.HasOne("YesChef.Api.Entities.User", "CreatedByUser")
+                        .WithMany()
+                        .HasForeignKey("CreatedByUserId")
+                        .OnDelete(DeleteBehavior.Cascade)
+                        .IsRequired();
+
+                    b.HasOne("YesChef.Api.Entities.Store", "Store")
+                        .WithMany()
+                        .HasForeignKey("StoreId")
+                        .OnDelete(DeleteBehavior.Cascade)
+                        .IsRequired();
+
+                    b.Navigation("CreatedByUser");
+
+                    b.Navigation("Store");
+                });
+
+            modelBuilder.Entity("YesChef.Api.Entities.ShoppingListItem", b =>
+                {
+                    b.HasOne("YesChef.Api.Entities.User", "CheckedByUser")
+                        .WithMany()
+                        .HasForeignKey("CheckedByUserId")
+                        .OnDelete(DeleteBehavior.SetNull);
+
+                    b.HasOne("YesChef.Api.Entities.Recipe", "Recipe")
+                        .WithMany()
+                        .HasForeignKey("RecipeId")
+                        .OnDelete(DeleteBehavior.SetNull);
+
+                    b.HasOne("YesChef.Api.Entities.ShoppingList", "ShoppingList")
+                        .WithMany("Items")
+                        .HasForeignKey("ShoppingListId")
+                        .OnDelete(DeleteBehavior.Cascade)
+                        .IsRequired();
+
+                    b.Navigation("CheckedByUser");
+
+                    b.Navigation("Recipe");
+
+                    b.Navigation("ShoppingList");
+                });
+
+            modelBuilder.Entity("YesChef.Api.Entities.Recipe", b =>
+                {
+                    b.Navigation("Ingredients");
+                });
+
+            modelBuilder.Entity("YesChef.Api.Entities.ShoppingList", b =>
+                {
+                    b.Navigation("Items");
+                });
+#pragma warning restore 612, 618
+        }
+    }
+}
diff --git a/src/backend/YesChef.Api/Migrations/20260508033526_AddFamily.cs b/src/backend/YesChef.Api/Migrations/20260508033526_AddFamily.cs
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..dfeb606
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/backend/YesChef.Api/Migrations/20260508033526_AddFamily.cs
@@ -0,0 +1,44 @@
+using System;
+using Microsoft.EntityFrameworkCore.Migrations;
+using Npgsql.EntityFrameworkCore.PostgreSQL.Metadata;
+
+#nullable disable
+
+namespace YesChef.Api.Migrations
+{
+    /// <inheritdoc />
+    public partial class AddFamily : Migration
+    {
+        /// <inheritdoc />
+        protected override void Up(MigrationBuilder migrationBuilder)
+        {
+            migrationBuilder.CreateTable(
+                name: "Families",
+                columns: table => new
+                {
+                    Id = table.Column<int>(type: "integer", nullable: false)
+                        .Annotation("Npgsql:ValueGenerationStrategy", NpgsqlValueGenerationStrategy.IdentityByDefaultColumn),
+                    Name = table.Column<string>(type: "character varying(100)", maxLength: 100, nullable: false),
+                    InviteCode = table.Column<string>(type: "character varying(100)", maxLength: 100, nullable: false),
+                    CreatedAt = table.Column<DateTime>(type: "timestamp with time zone", nullable: false)
+                },
+                constraints: table =>
+                {
+                    table.PrimaryKey("PK_Families", x => x.Id);
+                });
+
+            migrationBuilder.CreateIndex(
+                name: "IX_Families_InviteCode",
+                table: "Families",
+                column: "InviteCode",
+                unique: true);
+        }
+
+        /// <inheritdoc />
+        protected override void Down(MigrationBuilder migrationBuilder)
+        {
+            migrationBuilder.DropTable(
+                name: "Families");
+        }
+    }
+}
diff --git a/src/backend/YesChef.Api/Migrations/YesChefDbModelSnapshot.cs b/src/backend/YesChef.Api/Migrations/YesChefDbModelSnapshot.cs
index 77a545b..cbb9396 100644
--- a/src/backend/YesChef.Api/Migrations/YesChefDbModelSnapshot.cs
+++ b/src/backend/YesChef.Api/Migrations/YesChefDbModelSnapshot.cs
@@ -1,4 +1,4 @@
-// <auto-generated />
+// <auto-generated />
 using System;
 using Microsoft.EntityFrameworkCore;
 using Microsoft.EntityFrameworkCore.Infrastructure;
@@ -22,6 +22,35 @@ namespace YesChef.Api.Migrations
 
             NpgsqlModelBuilderExtensions.UseIdentityByDefaultColumns(modelBuilder);
 
+            modelBuilder.Entity("YesChef.Api.Entities.Family", b =>
+                {
+                    b.Property<int>("Id")
+                        .ValueGeneratedOnAdd()
+                        .HasColumnType("integer");
+
+                    NpgsqlPropertyBuilderExtensions.UseIdentityByDefaultColumn(b.Property<int>("Id"));
+
+                    b.Property<DateTime>("CreatedAt")
+                        .HasColumnType("timestamp with time zone");
+
+                    b.Property<string>("InviteCode")
+                        .IsRequired()
+                        .HasMaxLength(100)
+                        .HasColumnType("character varying(100)");
+
+                    b.Property<string>("Name")
+                        .IsRequired()
+                        .HasMaxLength(100)
+                        .HasColumnType("character varying(100)");
+
+                    b.HasKey("Id");
+
+                    b.HasIndex("InviteCode")
+                        .IsUnique();
+
+                    b.ToTable("Families");
+                });
+
             modelBuilder.Entity("YesChef.Api.Entities.Recipe", b =>
                 {
                     b.Property<int>("Id")
diff --git a/src/backend/YesChef.Api/Program.cs b/src/backend/YesChef.Api/Program.cs
index 4d1ad74..a195503 100644
--- a/src/backend/YesChef.Api/Program.cs
+++ b/src/backend/YesChef.Api/Program.cs
@@ -4,6 +4,7 @@ using Microsoft.EntityFrameworkCore;
 using Microsoft.IdentityModel.Tokens;
 using YesChef.Api.Auth;
 using YesChef.Api.Data;
+using YesChef.Api.Entities;
 using YesChef.Api.Features.Recipes;
 using YesChef.Api.Features.ShoppingLists;
 using YesChef.Api.Features.Stores;
@@ -49,6 +50,14 @@ using (var scope = app.Services.CreateScope())
 {
     var db = scope.ServiceProvider.GetRequiredService<YesChefDb>();
     await db.Database.MigrateAsync();
+
+    if (!await db.Families.AnyAsync())
+    {
+        var inviteCode = builder.Configuration["FamilyCode"]
+            ?? throw new InvalidOperationException("FamilyCode configuration is required to bootstrap the default family.");
+        db.Families.Add(new Family { Name = "Family", InviteCode = inviteCode });
+        await db.SaveChangesAsync();
+    }
 }
 
 app.UseAuthentication();