Allervibe
Eating with a food allergy in Poland
Poland applies the full EU allergen rules, and milk bars and restaurants are increasingly used to the question — but classic Polish cooking is built on wheat, egg, dairy and cream, and menus rarely say so. A card in Polish gets a precise answer from the kitchen.
What labels and restaurants will tell you
- The EU 14 allergens must be highlighted on packaged food; restaurants and bakeries must make allergen information available for unpackaged food.
- Voluntary "może zawierać" trace warnings are common on sweets and baked goods.
- Many restaurant menus list allergens by number; ask for the "lista alergenów".
Where the common allergens hide
- Wheat and egg: pierogi, naleśniki, kluski, breaded cutlets (kotlet schabowy), most soups thickened with roux.
- Milk: sour cream (śmietana) on soups and pierogi, twaróg in fillings and cheesecake, butter everywhere.
- Nuts and poppy seed: makowiec and Christmas baking; walnut and hazelnut in sweets.
- Celery and mustard in stocks, salads (sałatka jarzynowa) and sausages; sulphites in dried fruit and wine.
How to use the card
Hand it over before you order, not after the food arrives, and wait for the person who cooks — not just the one who takes the order — to read it. If a dish is doubtful, the safest answer is a different dish, not a modified one. For packaged food, scan the barcode with Allervibe: it reads the ingredient list in the local language and checks it against the same allergens on your card.
Frequently asked questions
Is the Polish allergy card free?
Yes. Pick your allergens, add a name if you want one, and print. No account, no app, no email.
Who translated the card?
The allergen names and the card wording are the same translations used inside the Allervibe app, reviewed by native speakers. They use the legal allergen terms, not slang, so a cook or waiter recognises them at once.
What size is it?
Credit-card size (85.6 × 54 mm), so it fits a wallet or phone case. Print two and keep one in your passport.
Can I make one in a language other than Polish?
Yes — the language picker on this page offers fourteen languages, and you can print a card in each.
Cards in other languages
Japanese · Thai · Vietnamese · Greek · Turkish · German · French · Spanish · Italian · Portuguese · Dutch · Croatian · All languages
