Traveling provides the perfect opportunity for people to recharge and unwind. You may want bring along food you want relatives abroad to try out. However, when it comes to food, the TSA has rules on what you can carry and can’t carry through Customs checking.
Knowing what food items you can carry to airport security can save you and your fellow travelers time and hassle. First off, let’s focus on the items you can carry.
Items To Avoid Carrying When Passing A Foreign Country
Cake
This may come as a surprise to you but the TSA allows you to carry cake to your destination. While it may undergo additional inspection, as long as it’s not ice cream cake or Jell-O, you don’t have to worry about leaving your cake in your home country.
Pies
Baked goods, whether homemade or store-bought, are safe to carry on board. However, TSA rules require that you should carry it in a secured box or container Surely, you wouldn’t bring your pie just on a dish through customs.
Spices
Spices are used as ingredients for cooking and your friend from another country may want to try them out on a new menu they are working on. The good news is that they are allowed on planes. Just make sure that you separate them from toiletries and other food items to prevent confusion and spillage.
Pizza
Perhaps you got hungry on the terminal and had no time to grab dinner in the airport. Well, you don’t have to worry about having pizza for your dinner on the plane. For pizza, the TSA requires that you wrap it in a box to pass TSA inspection.
Pizza
Baby food
A 6-month old toddler can become noisy when hungry. A hungry baby crying on a plane can become annoying and outright embarrassing. Well you don’t have to worry about a hungry baby crying on board your flight because baby food is allowed by the TSA to carry on a plane. Keep in mind, however, that the TSA may open your baggage if it exceeds more than 4 ounces.
Fresh Fruit
Carrying fresh fruits is allowed on the plane. However, it is not advisable to buy them at the airport. The best thing to do is bring your own apples or oranges. But don’t carry the whole fruit, snack-sized fruits or veggies are great to carry on-board.
Pet food
Bringing along your pet canine or feline on your trip? Make sure to clear them with your airline first and don’t forget to bring their food along. Dry or moist pet food is exempted from the 3-1-1 rule and you should carry them on your carry-on bag. Wet food should adhere to the 3-1-1 rule when going in your carry-on bag.
Now, here are the fruits you are not allowed to carry on the plane
Creamy cheese over 3.4 ounces
Cheddar cheese is allowed on the plane but anything on the creamier side such as blur, brie, and cream cheese needs to be less than 3.4 ounces.
Jam and jelly over 3.4 ounces
Even if the jam and jelly is in a sealed container but over 3.4 ounces, you need to carry it in your checked bag. Just to be on the safe side, put it in a plastic bag to prevent accidental breakage and spillage onto your clothes or other things.
Alcoholic beverages over 140 proof
For alcoholic beverages over 140 proof, it’s a flat-out NO for carrying on a plane. It won’t pass through security whether it’s in your checked bag or carry-on. However, mini-bottles below 3.4 ounces will be allowed by customs security.
Knowing what to carry and not to carry will save you from all the hassle of being delayed with your flight as well as the inconvenience of having some of your stuff left behind in your home airport.