In no particular order, here is a list of countries that I have visited where I had a safe (and yummy!) eating experience. I am allergic to dairy, eggs, nuts, and shellfish, so some of the specifics may not apply to you, but I hope that you find it helpful!
Australia
I visited Sydney in December 2019 with my family, and we found that it was very easy to manage my allergies. We spent a good amount of time in the main supermarkets (Cole’s and Woolworth’s); the ingredients are clearly labeled on packages, and each store has a wide array of allergen-free foods. There is a large vegan population in Australia, which also made it easy for us to find food! The restaurants that we visited were familiar with allergies and willing to accommodate our needs. At the very first place we went to eat, we were given a copy of the menu with the nutrition and allergen information clearly labeled; when we went to the Taronga Zoo, we were able to eat lunch at the cafe, which we are rarely even able to do in the States. Allergen labeling laws: required to list peanuts, tree nuts, milk, eggs, sesame seeds, fish, shellfish, soy, lupin, wheat; “may contain” statements are voluntary and unregulated
Common allergens present: same as USA
Italy
We used our allergy translation cards for nearly every meal in Italy, but the restaurants were incredibly accommodating. I ate a lot of pizza and pasta (my carb-loving self was most definitely satisfied), and most places provided gluten-free options for my sister as well. We stayed in places with cooking facilities, which was helpful; grocery shopping (with the handy Google Translate feature that allows you to take a photo of any text and automatically translate it) was easy. Dairy-free sorbet is also available at nearly every gelato shop, which was so nice!
Allergen labeling laws: required to list gluten, crustaceans, eggs, fish, mollusks, nuts, peanuts, soybeans, milk, celery, mustard, sesame, lupin, sulphur dioxide or sulphites exceeding 10 mg/kg; “may contain” statements are voluntary and unregulated
Common allergens present in local cuisine: wheat, eggs, milk/cheese, nuts (esp. hazelnuts & pistachios), fish, shellfish
England
I visited Oxford, London, and Bath in April 2018 with my mom. Like Australia, the lack of a language barrier made eating in England very easy! When we were at Oxford, we had breakfast in the dining hall, and the staff there answered all of our allergy questions. In London, we were even able to go to the Podium Restaurant and Bar for afternoon tea; I could eat everything on their vegan menu, and it was such a fun experience. We also stayed in an apartment with a kitchen, so we were able to cook some of our own meals, and grocery shopping was as easy as it is at home.
Allergen labeling laws: required to list celery, cereals containing gluten (inc. wheat, rye, barley, oats), crustaceans, eggs, fish, lupin, milk, mollusks, mustard, tree nuts (inc. almonds, hazelnuts, walnuts, brazil nuts, cashews, pecans, pistachios, macadamia nuts), peanuts, sesame, soy, sulphur dioxide or sulphites
Common allergens present in local cuisine: same as USA
Japan
I ate a lot of soba noodles, udon noodles, and yakitori (grilled skewers) since I am allergic to shellfish and also often have mild reactions to fish. I would have eaten mochi or dango at every meal if I’d been allowed to, though! The mochi in Japan is unmatched – even the packaged ones at the convenience store were incredible. I did have to check that it didn’t contain peanuts, as that is a common filling.
Allergen labeling laws: required to list egg, milk, wheat, peanut, buckwheat, shrimp, and crab are labeled on goods; recommended that abalone, squid, salmon roe, salmon, mackerel, beef, pork, chicken, sesame, walnut, cashew nut, apple, banana, orange, kiwi fruit, peach, soybean, matsutake mushroom, yam and gelatin are also included
Common allergens present in local cuisine: shellfish, fish, soy
Canada
Our neighbor up North is a great place to visit if you have food allergies because there is no language barrier and the country is overall very health-conscious. I’ve visited Vancouver, Calgary, Banff, and Canmore and had great eating experiences in each city! My family stopped at Wild Flour Bakery in Banff several times because they had delicious vegan baked goods and soups.
Allergen labeling laws: required to list eggs, milk, mustard, peanut, seafood (shellfish, fish, crustaceans), sesame , soy, tree nuts (almonds, Brazil nuts, cashews, hazelnuts, macadamia nuts, pecans, pine nuts, pistachios, walnuts), wheat, and sulphites; “may contain” statements are voluntary
Common allergens present in local cuisine: same as USA
Singapore
I will preface this one by saying that Singapore is on this list because I have been there so many times and have so many family members there that I know what I can and can’t eat, and I have relatives who can ask if I’m unsure. But, most Singaporeans speak English, so you can always ask about allergens. I would not recommend eating at hawker centers if you are sensitive to cross-contamination as food is cooked in small places, often with the same utensils. Restaurants and food courts will likely be more accommodating.
Allergen labeling laws: gluten (such as wheat, rye, barley, oats, spelt), crustaceans, eggs, fish, milk, peanuts, soy beans, tree nuts (almond, hazelnut, walnut, cashew nut, pecan nut, brazil nut, pistachio nut, macadamia nut), and sulphites in concentrates of 10mg/kg or more; ingredient labels are written in English; “may contain” statements are voluntary (and often discouraged)
Common allergens present in local cuisine: shellfish, fish, eggs, soy; dairy is not common (coconut milk is often used instead)
