Food Allergy accommodation?

I would learn the Italian words for whatever you are allergic to. There are flip books available where you can show your waiter what the problem is, but the easier - I would have thought - would be to write down on a card those things to which you are allergic, with a statement that you are allergic to these and please don't serve me them, or food prepared where they are prepared - or I will become ill in your restaurant. Have that translated by a bilingual Italian English speaker.

It is my experience that Europeans in general, and including Italians, are sensitive to such things.

More specifically (and not for answering here if you'd rather not), think about the different nuts that you may be OK with or not that you may run into in Italy and Europe.

Pine nuts. - That would leave out most Pesto unless specially made.

Hazelnuts. - In all sorts of pastry, other desserts and gelato. You may think it looks like milk chocolate but it may have Hazelnuts.

etc.,

My understanding from friends is that Italy has become quite literate with regard to food allergies. I even heard, and our Italian colleagues could confirm this, that if you are and Italian citizen and confirmed celiac then you receive a small subsidy every month as a result.

My husband had a food allergy. I looked up the words for his allergy and wrote it down in the language of the countries we were visiting. I am assuming you have an epi pen and know how to deal with the airlines!! Good luck.

https://community.ricksteves.com/travel-forum/france/daughter-with-food-allergies-visiting-france-next-summer-beginning-prep-now

The above link is to another post (by me) on this topic.

It will be most important to translate your allergies so you can communicate at restaurants and with vendors. You will be able to enjoy Italy safely with an allergy, but be prepared. I'd suggest making 3x5 index cards, translated into the various languages of where you are traveling, describing what allergy you have and the reaction to this allergy (it would be good to laminate the card/s to protect & preserve them). Having the cards translated can be as easy as “do it yourself” basic words from a phrasebook or a more intense version with assistance from a language school, community college or high school language teacher. Keep in mind that 911 does not work in Europe, so you may want to include emergency numbers for the countries in which you will be traveling.

Useful contacts for emergency needs in Italy include:
English-Speaking Police Help: 113
Ambulance: 118
Road Service: 116

Important phrases:
Non posso mangiare i noci = I cannot eat nuts.
Sono allergica = I'm allergic.

On our older travel forum one poster wrote:
“My 5 year old son is allergic to peanuts/nuts, dairy/eggs/cheese and shellfish. When I went to Italy, besides explaining this all to my close native Italian friend who speaks fluent English, I had 3 sheets of paper each containing his 3 allergy topics on them. On each sheet, in Italian, on the top, I had written "Allergies - Cannot Eat - Danger!" Then I put a red crossed out circle. I glued pictures of "danger" foods with its corresponding Italian words next to it and put an X on the food picture. I used some common Italian dishes/desserts that would contain his allergens but that might not be apparent (ie mascarpone . I researched (on the Internet) regional dishes and the ingredients before I left and printed out some of those photos and names. That way I was also familiar myself of what I may encounter over there, including candies and treats that many well-meaning adults (outside of restaurants) may try to give my son that would contain nuts and other allergens. I made copies of the sheets of papers and always kept one set with son and me so I could always show anyone, even if my Italian friend was not around.”

"Non posso mangiare LE noci".
I cannot eat nuts.

"Sono allergica/o alle noci"
I'm allergic to nuts.

I carry a note-pad on a key-ring (that's the only way to describe it) that I bought at Target. I write hotel addresses on the pages individually and hand them to taxi drivers. If I were you, I'd write what the previous poster just wrote in Italian, I am allergic to nuts, and tear the page out and hand it to all persos serving food. DO be careful with the Gelato.