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Here’s all you need to know about traveling Poland with allergies!
In advance of my trip, I spent hours researching the allergy scene in Poland, Allergy Friendly restaurants, guidance and advice, however I couldn’t find anything that covered all the information I needed.
So I’m sharing my experience of traveling Poland with food allergies and some information on allergy friendly restaurants, policies, overcoming the language barrier and travel tips that I found extremely helpful in the hope that it may help others.
It’s all you need in one place!
Before we dive in, it’s important to note that everyone’s allergies and dietary requirements are unique to them so what’s suitable for one person may not be for another with the same allergy/dietary requirement. Therefore, ensure to ask questions relevant to your dietary requirements and always speak directly with staff about your food allergies and check the ingredients before consuming food or drinks even if it’s recommended or you have had it before as recipes and ingredients can change.
Epidemiology (the study of food allergy in the Poland population, how common it is)
There is limited research studies reporting on the epidemiology and prevalence of food allergy in Poland however the EAACI (European Academy of Allergy and Clinical Immunology) have reported that around 5% of the population in Europe have food allergy (1).
According to the EuroPrevall study, the largest research project (16.935 school-age children and 17.295 adults) to investigate food allergies across Europe, the prevalence of food allergy in Polish children is as high as 6% (2).
According to the Polish Society of Allergology, further research studies investigating how much of the population in Poland have food allergy are required as it is among few of the European countries lacking population data on the incidence of allergy.
Food Labelling Laws
- European Commission Directive 2003/89/EC and 2006/142/EC
- Food Information for Consumers Regulation (EU) No. 1169/2011
These laws outline the requirements on the provision of food information to consumers which includes allergen labelling of food and drink sold non-packed or prepacked for direct sale. This is to ensure that all consumers are given comprehensive ingredient listing information to make it easier for individuals with food allergies/intolerances and dietary requirements to identify ingredients they must avoid.
The regulations for pre-packed and non-prepacked foods outline a list of 14 food allergens, which must be indicated by reference to the source allergen whenever they, or ingredients made from them, are used in pre-packed foods, including alcoholic drinks. The list includes; cereals containing gluten, crustaceans, molluscs, eggs, fish, peanuts, nuts( namely: almonds (Amygdalus communis L.), hazelnuts (Corylus avellana), walnuts (Juglans regia), cashews (Anacardium occidentale), pecan nuts (Carya illinoinensis (Wangenh.) K. Koch), Brazil nuts (Bertholletia excelsa), pistachio nuts (Pistacia vera), macadamia or Queensland nuts (Macadamia ternifolia)), soybeans, milk, celery, mustard, sesame, lupin and sulphur dioxide.
Therefore pre-packed and non-prepacked foods in Poland should have allergens used in the product indicated on the packaging. However this may be in the Polish language so use your phone to take a picture of the ingredients list and translate it using google translate.
Language: Polish
The biggest challenge of traveling with food allergies is overcoming the language barrier. Some of the staff in restaurants and cafes spoke English, however many spoke only Polish. So my Allergy Translation Card was absolutely vital in overcoming the language barrier when communicating my food allergies.
I also used google translate to communicate with staff which was extremely helpful. On goggle you can easily switch between languages and pass the phone to the staff member to reply by switching the order of the languages.
📲I kept the Translation Cards on my Home Screen on my mobile so I could access them quickly and easily. This was incredibly helpful for my travels!
Check out Allergy Act’s Useful Phrases for Polish Restaurants Resource below that will help with some quick translations for your trip to Poland.
Polish Cuisine
Most traditional Polish foods such as pierogi, kielbasa, zapikanka, many soups etc. do not contain nuts however some of the sweet desserts such as cakes, makowiec, halvah or ice cream and others may contain nuts in particular walnuts or almonds.
Peanut oil is not commonly used as it is expensive and can be seen as a luxury product. Sunflower oil or Rapeseed oil is most commonly used.
There is a huge range of restaurants and stores that offer international foods in Polish cities such as pizza and pasta, steak, chicken, fries, burgers, salads and sandwiches to Thai, Indian, Vietnamese, Japanese, etc.
Accommodation
Dining out together and sharing meals is such an essential part of our social fabric- it helps us form new connections with others, experience different food cultures and enjoy our time off cooking for ourselves. However, eating out when traveling to a new area can be extremely challenging and time-consuming for individuals with dietary requirements.
Staying in accommodation with self-catering is always a safe option as you can buy and prepare allergy friendly food that is safe for you.
If self catering is not an option, consider bringing a food flask to cook food in. There’s a wide variety of food you can cook in a food flask by just adding hot water and it’s very convenient to bring on the go. For example, porridge oats for breakfast, rice/couscous/pasta etc with a sauce for lunch or dinner.
Most mornings, we cooked breakfast and prepared food for packed lunches for the day at our accommodation. Some evenings we stayed in and cooked which helped with both saving money, time and pressure searching for appropriate allergy friendly restaurants.
My Personal Experience
I found eating out with allergies in Poland quite difficult as many of the restaurant’s menus did not have allergens clearly labelled.
Self Catered Accommodation
As I stayed in self catering accommodation, I could prepare my own breakfast, packed lunches and dinners for the day. I brought a food flask with me if I wanted to bring my food on the go such as morning porridge or pasta for lunch. I also brought lots of fruit with me during the day as snacks.
Eating Out
I found it quite difficult to find appropriate restaurants to dine out in during my trip to Poland.
Many of the restaurant’s menus were in Polish so to understand the ingredients I had to take a picture of it on my phone to translate it from Polish to English using google translate. Many restaurant menus did not have allergens declared on the menu so to enquire about allergens, I had to speak directly with the staff.
I presented my allergen translation card to staff which translated my allergens into the Polish language and although many did not speak English they understood my request due to my allergy card. I often communicated with staff members through Google Translate on my phone, typing in a question in English which automatically translated to Polish and allowing them to type the answer in Polish which translated to English for me so this was a very efficient way to communicate.
After reviewing menus and speaking with staff, there were some places I personally did not feel comfortable eating in and had to find somewhere else.
When dining out, I try to find out all of the information first, regarding cooking oil, nuts used in the kitchen, sauces, dips etc and decide whether I feel the staff are educated on catering for allergies/dietary requirements by asking questions, then and only then do I make my decision to eat there to try somewhere else.
Here’s what I did when eating out:
In advance:
- Researched restaurants menus in advance
- Called/emailed or visited restaurants to ask if they could cater for an individual with a nut allergy and ask my list of questions
On arrival:
- Informed staff about my food allergies and presented my Allergy Translation Card
- If they could accommodate me and I felt comfortable eating there, I asked what they would recommend would not contain my allergen
- Asked what cooking oil they use
- Asked if they used nuts or peanuts in any dishes, sauces or dips
- I often order pizza because I can ask about the ingredients in the sauce and toppings and can clearly see the ingredients when my meal arrives.
- For pizza orders, specify which pizza order I want and NO extra toppings/dips/sauces e.g pesto
- I ask them to use clean equipment, gloves, utensils and a clean surface area when preparing my meal to reduce the risk of cross contact (my allergy card also states this).
- When it arrives, I confirm with staff that this was the order prepared for someone with allergies.
General precautions I take when eating out abroad:
- Avoid desserts (often Italian desserts contain almonds and other nuts)
- Avoid street food
- Look for restaurants with allergens declared on the menu
- Only order food I have eaten before
- Always check what cooking oil is used
- Always inform staff about my food allergies
- Carry safe snacks in my bag
- Carry Adrenaline Auto-injectors and Medication
- Carry Allergy Translation Card
If I didn’t feel comfortable eating at a particular restaurant, I didn’t take the risk, I found somewhere else or bought Allergy Friendly food at the supermarket.
Allergy Friendly Restaurants
There is not a standard definition for an “Allergy Friendly Restaurant/Catering Establishment”, however Allergy Act’s definition of allergy-friendly is one which:
- The restaurant is open to discussing and accommodating individuals with food allergies and dietary requirements
- The restaurant informs the customer about the necessary precautions that they will go through in order to reduce any cross contamination with potential allergens
- Allergens are declared on menu or an Allergen list provided or an Allergen notice is present on the menu stating to inform staff about allergies when ordering food
An “Allergy Friendly Restaurant/Catering Establishment” does not imply that the restaurant will be 100% free of one or more particular allergens nor does it imply that an individual with dietary requirements or food allergies will definitely not experience an adverse food reaction, because there is always a possibility of this no matter what precautions are taken.
Allergy Friendly recommendations are just a guide to what restaurants may be more willing to accommodate individuals with food allergies and/or dietary requirements. As always, it’s important to note that everyone’s allergies and dietary requirements are unique to them so what’s suitable for one person may not be for another with the same allergy/dietary requirement. Ensure to ask questions relevant to your dietary requirements and always speak directly with staff about your food allergies. Check the ingredients before consuming ANY food or drinks even if it’s recommended or you have had it before as recipes and ingredients can change.
These were restaurants that were open to discussing and accommodating my dietary requirements
WARSAW
La Mia Italia
📍Warsaw, Poland
Cuisine: Italian | Pizzeria
Meal Type: Lunch | Dinner
Venue Type: Restaurant
✅Allergy Friendly
✅Vegetarian & Vegan Dishes
Review:
No Peanuts or Nuts used directly in any dishes at time of visit..
Cooking Oil: Olive Oil and Rapeseed Oil
The staff were extremely helpful in this restaurant and although they did not speak English, when I presented my allergen translation card which translated my allergens into the Polish language, they understood my request. I communicated with staff members through Google Translate on my phone, typing in a question in English which automatically translated to Polish and allowing them to type the answer in Polish which translated to English for me so this was a very efficient way to find out details about what allergens are used in the kitchen and overcome any language barriers. The staff were very patient with me and checked ingredients with the chef and on food packaging. I ordered the vegetarian pizza and it was delicious! This was such a lovely dining experience with extremely helpful staff in a beautiful Italian restaurant. Would definitely recommend and go out of my way to visit again next time I’m in Warsaw!
Vapiano
Cuisine: Italian | Pizzeria | Vegetarian Friendly
Meal Type: Lunch | Dinner
Venue Type: Cafe | Restaurant
✅Allergy Friendly
✅Vegetarian & Vegan Dishes
Review:
Ingredients of each dish are indicated on the menu online however allergens are not highlighted. Typical Iranian restaurants with simple pasta, pizza and ravioli dishes.
Check out the Allergy Friendly Restaurants on allergyact.org and share your experiences about your recommendations on places you have eaten out in Poland or abroad to help guide others in the Allergy Community.
As always, it’s important to note that everyone’s allergies and dietary requirements are unique to them so what’s suitable for one person may not be for another with the same allergy/dietary requirement. Therefore, ensure to ask questions relevant to your dietary requirements and always speak directly with staff about your food allergies and check the ingredients before consuming food or drinks even if it’s recommended or you have had it before as recipes and ingredients can change.
RESOURCES
Download & Print the FREE useful phrases resource for travelling Poland at the top of the post!
Feel free to share this Guide on traveling Poland with food allergies with friends or family who are planning a trip there soon.
And if you do visit, let me know how your trip went and if you have any allergy friendly recommendations to add to the list!
REFERENCES
- https://www.eaaci.org/images/Fyhrquist_et_al-2019-Clinical_and_Translational_Allergy_1.pdf
- https://cordis.europa.eu/project/id/514000/reporting
get involved.
join the community.
check the social.
DISCLAIMER
The content of this website is intended for educational purposes only and should not be substituted for medical or professional advice. Please consult with your doctor for any health related questions or concerns.
