Don't let language barriers get in the way of your food and allergy safety
Safety translations to help
prevent emergencies abroad
Expect the best, plan for the worst
English cards for local dining
help keep your family safe
Medical translations to show at the boarding gate and airport security
We provide cards. We provide translations. We provide knowledge. We specialize in food allergies, drug allergies, diet restrictions and medical emergency translations in more than 60 languages from Italian to Indonesian to Chinese to Japanese. See List of Languages. We serve travelers in over 20 countries and we can help you, too.
Your food allergy cards have set my mind at ease when ordering in restaurants in Europe. The first time I ordered and used your peanuts and shellfish food allergy and medicine allergy cards was 2010 when my husband and I traveled to Italy. I also used your food allergy cards in 2014 while vacationing in France, Germany and Switzerland and even brought my French translation cards with me when we traveled in Canada. Fortunately, I've never had to use the cards that explain my husband's penicillin allergy but I'm glad I travel with them. I'm happy I ordered new cards for my trip this spring to countries in Eastern Europe. I love that your allergy cards are sturdy, plastic and fit nicely in my wallet. …
- Ellie in Michigan
I want to send you some feedback and thanks! We had a business/vacation trip to Germany in April, with our 2 year old who has peanut allergies. While we attempted to speak German when possible (we really don't know it), the food allergy cards were very handy. When the waiters didn't understand our German, we gave them the chef card and they easily helped us determine any peanut issues. Your cards allowed me to relax and feel confident that my child was eating safe foods in a country where I didn't know the language. Thanks so much!! …
- Tracie in North Carolina
Just wanted to let you know your food allergy translation cards were great for travelling in Hong Kong and Thailand. With a severe MSG food allergy (plus other food allergies) I wondered about the wisdom of travelling to Asia, but I had two weeks away and not one food problem. The great benefit was being able to tell the waiter to show the chef the food allergy card. Often the waiter would say, "Can do - without" But I would insist they show the chef the card, then the waiter would come back with a different story. They were then very concerned and kept checking that I would only eat from the 'safe' dishes. …
- Judy in Sydney, Australia
We wanted to let you know how grateful we were to have my husband's food allergies translated into Spanish and Italian. We used your Italian food allergy cards constantly on our trip, as there were numerous occasion when English was not spoken. They were also a tremendous 'ice-breaker'... in one friendly Italian restaurant, the waiter (after he read all of the allergies) threw up his hands, said 'vino' and brought a bottle of wine saying that's all he could have! …
- Cathy in Ottawa, Canada
Not sure if you remember me, but I had ordered Japanese food allergy cards while still in Ohio. We have been in Japan since early Feb. and you had asked if I would let you know how the cards are working…..I have to tell you that they have been a SERIOUS benefit to us here!!! I carry them everywhere and am able to not only use them in restaurants, but also when shopping at an off-base grocery. Even on-base, there are many Japanese who work the restaurants and their English is not very good at times. The quality of the food allergy cards is excellent and we are so thankful to have them. Thanks for putting out such an awesome product!!! …
- Lucie in Japan
I have dealt with you in the past and wanted to let you know that your gluten free translation cards are fantastic! We were in a busy street in the middle of Istanbul and wanted to have lunch on our way to visit Topkapi. I showed your gluten free card and ended up being shown by the owner by way of pointing what I could and could not have. When my meal came, it looked so good our friends ordered the same lunch. It also worked in Rhodes, Greece as the owner advised me they put flour in their rice which is most unusual for me. Thanks to your cards we are able to travel wherever we wish and have absolutely no problem with my gluten free diet. In fact, I feel that we are given superior treatment as the owner normally becomes involved and the cards are taken directly to the chef to confirm that the food is all right for me. I have told many people of your business and I hope they are using it to their advantage as I do. …
- Anne in Ontario, Canada
My recent trip to Italy was a great success thanks to your Italian Strongly Worded food allergy card on peanut/peanut oil. The very first day I used it, the waiter told me that when he showed the card to the chef, the chef told him that I could not eat their pizza because peanut oil is used in the dough. That came as quite a surprise as I had never heard of using peanut oil in dough, but it shows how invaluable the food allergy card is. The cards also proved useful when ordering gelato because of possible cross contamination. The gelato store manager stated that I was safe eating only the fruited gelatos. I highly recommend the use of these life-saving food allergy cards when traveling to any foreign country. …
- Kathy in Virginia
Throughout my life, my severe food allergy to nuts have made me fearful to travel, particularly in countries where I don't speak the language. After reading my food allergy cards the waitstaff always went out of their way to make sure that all of my food was cooked and served without any contact with any of the foods that I am allergic to. We were still, of course, cautious when eating--we stayed away from food stalls and buffets, and we were always insistent that the waiter show the food allergy card to the cook. The cards proved to be one of the best purchases I have ever made. …
- Marcia in Korea
I have just returned from trip to Vietnam and would like to express my upmost gratitude. When showing your food allergy cards at restaurants, the waitstaff spent a lot of time studying the cards. Often they would consult the chef but surprised me was the limited food I could eat. I realized how much fish and shellfish are in dishes that you would least expect - especially in Asian cuisine. If I did not have the food allergy cards with me, I am not sure what would have honestly happened so I am really thankful. …
- Alex in Melbourne
I have returned from my trip to Bangkok. The strongly worded food allergy cards were amazing. First, I asked the waiter if peanuts or peanut oil were used in their recipes. They usually said no. When I showed the waiters the strongly worded card, they paused, went to check with the cook and/or manager, and usually suggested a particular meal to eat. At most Thai restaurants I stuck with dessert. One restaurant was extremely accommodating, cooking my food from scratch with freshly washed pots and utensils. The SelectWisely cards were a life-saver! …
- Michelle in Georgia
My 12 year old son has gone on 2 school international tours using your food allergy cards. 5 different countries with no allergen exposures. Parents do not travel with the school so having the allergy cards is a great worry reducer. …
- Susan in California
Just to let you know that the cards I ordered in March were amazing. I had my son's food allergies to milk, eggs and nuts translated into Thai by you. We used them everywhere we went and couldn't have survived without them. The staff in the resort in Phuket took the cards to the kitchen and managed to provide safe meals for my son. We did have an incident at breakfast and we think the Special K cereal may have been cross contaminated with nuts. My son had a severe anaphylactic allergy reaction so we used your Emergency card to get us to the hospital. The hotel staff got us a taxi immediately, the taxi driver read the Emergency card and got us to the hospital very quickly. The doctors read the food allergy cards and understood what was going on. They treated him instantly. In summary your food allergy cards and emergency cards were a life-saver for us. Thank you very much. It is a great service you provide. …
- Jenny in Australia
I just wanted to tell you that the food allergy cards that we ordered worked just great. Everywhere that we went my husband would just show them his card and they took it to the person in charge and they checked to make sure that there was not any cottonseed oil in the products. It seems that Germany does not even use cottonseed oil but my husband said the cards were worth their weight in gold to him. So you see, you have a very good product that you are selling. I am sure it will help many other people in the same situation. You can use this letter as a testimonial if you like. We are very grateful to you. Again, thank you. …
- Peg, Ohio
I have been using your food allergy cards for at least 8 years and am a huge fan. Thank you so much for allowing me to follow my husband on expat assignments to Germany and now China and still be able to eat out and travel extensively. I have bought new cards because I have developed new food allergies but also have purchased them for my daughters and recommended them to MANY expats in both countries - including my nephew who is here in China as well with an allergic son. These food allergy cards give me a great deal of confidence when eating out and the Chinese here in Shanghai have been very attentive to my dietary concerns. Thanks, again! …
- Barbara, Shanghai
My daughter did great in China with her food choices. She enjoyed the most freedom she has ever experienced eating out in restaurants. Dairy is used very infrequently in Chinese cooking; however, when needed, the food allergy cards were of great help. The Chinese were very intrigued with the cards. Several people commented that the translations were very accurate and precise! Thank you so much for providing this service; it is well needed and very useful! …
- Lois, Atlanta
You have made my day! Your food allergy cards in Russian arrived in this morning's mail. Yes, in England we get mail on a Saturday and I couldn't be happier about the envelope from your organisation that dropped through my door this morning. The cards are perfect: clear, concise, informative and easy to read. I've had cards in other languages from other places which aren't nearly as good and don't give the kind of no-nonsense information with translations underneath so the person with the card knows exactly what message they are giving. …
- Alison, Kent, England
I’m going to England as part of my university study abroad program. I am taking your multi-language food allergy card with me since I expect to travel around Europe while I’m there. A great service for the food-allergy sufferers like me. …
- David, New York
I’m back from Japan and wanted to let you know that your Japanese food allergy card made a tremendous difference! I was able to get very good meals customized to my food requirements. Thanks to you, I did not have a single food related reaction during my entire trip. I really appreciate your extra efforts with the translation and timing. Thanks again! …
- Blanche, Pennsylvania
Our entire family thanks you for your food allergy translation cards! We ordered some in Italian, French and Spanish due to our son's severe peanut and tree nut allergies. On our first night in Rome we handed one to our waiter, who promptly took it back to the chef who said they would make him something special since they did indeed use peanut oil in their kitchen. That was one of many situations when those cards came in very handy, since we aren't fluent in any of the languages. Your cards were an immense help to us. …
- Louise, Connecticut
It's been a few months since the last Latex Allergy Awareness Week in the U.S. This is a particularly difficult medical condition where touching or just breathing the air can cause allergic reactions.
Unlike packaged foods, cosmetics typically have no ingredients label making it impossible to know the compounds used in the product. Best way to avoid this is with a small skin test first.
Traveling over a long period of time? Check out this article from the NY times for things to bring, to do and to remember.
A great way to understand a new culture is to share in the local cuisine. But ordering food when you have food allergies or other diet restrictions can be challenging. Here are some general tips from personal experience and from speaking to other travelers.
© 2024 SelectWisely LLC - All Rights Reserved.
SelectWisely In-Flight Video On American Airlines
