Allergen menu template (UK & EU 14 allergens)
If you serve food in the UK or the EU, you must be able to tell customers whether any of 14 specific allergens are in each dish. This guide shows how to lay that out so it's clear for guests and easy for staff to keep up to date.
The 14 allergens
- Celery
- Cereals containing gluten
- Crustaceans
- Eggs
- Fish
- Lupin
- Milk
- Molluscs
- Mustard
- Tree nuts
- Peanuts
- Sesame
- Soya
- Sulphur dioxide and sulphites (above 10 mg/kg or 10 mg/litre)
A simple template
Use one row per dish and one column per allergen. Mark each cell with a dot, a letter or an icon, and add a key at the bottom. Keep the dish name exactly as it appears on your menu, so staff and guests can match them.
| Dish | Gluten | Milk | Eggs | Nuts | Sesame | Other |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sourdough toast | ● | – | – | – | – | – |
| Brownie | ● | ● | ● | ● | – | – |
| Tahini salad | – | – | – | – | ● | Celery |
● contains · – does not contain. Example only: check every recipe with your kitchen.
Tips that keep it accurate
- Ask your suppliers for their allergen sheets, and file them next to the recipe.
- Update the allergen row whenever a recipe, a supplier or a brand changes.
- Say "may contain" only when you have a real cross-contact risk, and say which allergen.
- Give staff the same table you give guests, so answers match.
- Keep a dated copy each time you publish, for inspections.
Make it live with Menu Creator
Tag each dish with its allergens in the editor. The same information then appears on your live menu (scanned from the QR code) and on your printed menu, so you're never maintaining two lists. A full allergen matrix export is on the way.
Start your menu free and tag your first five dishes in about ten minutes.
This guide is general information, not legal advice. Check the current rules with your local authority or food safety team.