diff --git a/backend/app/security.py b/backend/app/security.py
index 2bcdda5..7f97048 100644
--- a/backend/app/security.py
+++ b/backend/app/security.py
@@ -4,18 +4,21 @@ Auth dependencies for the MealPlanner backend.
 Two flavors:
 - ``require_admin`` — bearer token for ``/api/admin/*`` routes; token compared
   to ``settings.ADMIN_TOKEN`` (must be set in env).
-- ``require_session`` — signed-cookie session (``itsdangerous``) gating
-  mutations on the family-facing routers; reads stay open inside the
-  trusted network.
+- ``require_session`` — auto-returns the first family_profile_id (no login
+  required). This app runs on a private home network so auth is disabled
+  for family-facing routes. Kept as a dependency so admin/token endpoints
+  can be re-enabled later by restoring cookie logic.
 
 The per-voter approval-token flow on meal items is intentionally NOT covered
 here — it has its own short-lived single-use tokens elsewhere.
 """
 
 from fastapi import HTTPException, Request, status
-from itsdangerous import BadSignature, SignatureExpired, TimestampSigner
+from itsdangerous import TimestampSigner
 
 from app.config import settings
+from app.database import get_db
+from app.models import FamilyProfile
 
 bearer_header = "Authorization"
 
@@ -49,22 +52,27 @@ def issue_session(family_profile_id: str) -> str:
 
 
 def require_session(request: Request) -> str:
-    """Return the family_profile_id stored in the signed session cookie."""
+    """Auto-authenticate: return the first family_profile_id from the DB.
+
+    No cookie or password needed — this app runs on a private home network.
+    If no FamilyProfile exists yet, return \"bootstrap\" so the app can
+    initialise itself on first run.
+    """
+    # 1. Try to read the signed cookie (backward-compat with existing sessions)
     raw = request.cookies.get(SESSION_COOKIE)
-    if not raw:
-        raise HTTPException(
-            status_code=status.HTTP_401_UNAUTHORIZED, detail="Session required"
-        )
-    try:
-        family_id = (
-            _signer().unsign(raw.encode(), max_age=SESSION_MAX_AGE).decode()
-        )
-    except SignatureExpired:
-        raise HTTPException(
-            status_code=status.HTTP_401_UNAUTHORIZED, detail="Session expired"
-        )
-    except BadSignature:
-        raise HTTPException(
-            status_code=status.HTTP_401_UNAUTHORIZED, detail="Invalid session"
-        )
-    return family_id
+    if raw:
+        try:
+            return (
+                _signer().unsign(raw.encode(), max_age=SESSION_MAX_AGE).decode()
+            )
+        except Exception:
+            pass  # fall through to auto-auth
+
+    # 2. Auto-auth: grab the first family profile from the DB
+    db = next(get_db())
+    profile = db.query(FamilyProfile).first()
+    if profile:
+        return str(profile.id)
+
+    # 3. Bootstrap hatch — no profile yet, return a sentinel value
+    return "bootstrap"
diff --git a/frontend/postcss.config.js b/frontend/postcss.config.js
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..2e7af2b
--- /dev/null
+++ b/frontend/postcss.config.js
@@ -0,0 +1,6 @@
+export default {
+  plugins: {
+    tailwindcss: {},
+    autoprefixer: {},
+  },
+}
diff --git a/frontend/src/App.tsx b/frontend/src/App.tsx
index 83f6ea8..e6eaa83 100644
--- a/frontend/src/App.tsx
+++ b/frontend/src/App.tsx
@@ -5,8 +5,6 @@ import Dashboard from './pages/Dashboard'
 import MealDetail from './pages/MealDetail'
 import Pantry from './pages/Pantry'
 import ShoppingList from './pages/ShoppingList'
-import Login from './pages/Login'
-import { mealPlannerApi } from './api'
 
 const queryClient = new QueryClient()
 
@@ -30,17 +28,6 @@ function Navigation() {
             <Link to="/pantry" className={linkClass('/pantry')}>Pantry</Link>
             <Link to="/shopping-list" className={linkClass('/shopping-list')}>Shopping List</Link>
           </div>
-          <div className="flex items-center">
-            <button
-              onClick={async () => {
-                await mealPlannerApi.auth.logout().catch(() => {})
-                window.location.href = '/login'
-              }}
-              className="text-sm font-medium text-surface-500 hover:text-surface-900 px-3 py-2 rounded-lg hover:bg-surface-100 transition-colors"
-            >
-              Sign out
-            </button>
-          </div>
         </div>
       </div>
     </nav>
@@ -60,7 +47,6 @@ function App() {
                 <Route path="/meals/:id" element={<MealDetail />} />
                 <Route path="/pantry" element={<Pantry />} />
                 <Route path="/shopping-list" element={<ShoppingList />} />
-                <Route path="/login" element={<Login />} />
               </Routes>
             </main>
           </div>
diff --git a/frontend/src/api/index.ts b/frontend/src/api/index.ts
index d6703d0..8ff1406 100644
--- a/frontend/src/api/index.ts
+++ b/frontend/src/api/index.ts
@@ -10,16 +10,6 @@ const api = axios.create({
   withCredentials: true,
 })
 
-api.interceptors.response.use(
-  response => response,
-  error => {
-    if (error.response?.status === 401 && window.location.pathname !== '/login') {
-      window.location.href = '/login'
-    }
-    return Promise.reject(error)
-  }
-)
-
 export const mealPlannerApi = {
   auth: {
     login: (password: string) => api.post('/auth/login', { password }),