Guide
Can you bring food through TSA? What is allowed, item by item
Yes, you can bring food through TSA, and most of it can go in your carry-on. The rule that decides almost every case is simple: solid food is allowed in carry-on and checked bags, while food you could spill, spread, pump or pour counts as a liquid or gel and has to fit the 3.4 ounce (100 ml) limit in your carry-on. This guide goes through the main food types as TSA lists them, then covers frozen food, alcohol, baby food, and the customs rules that apply when you fly back into the United States.
On this page
The short answer: solid or liquid
TSA's wording is that solid food items, meaning not liquids or gels, can be carried in either your carry-on or your checked bags. Liquid or gel food larger than 3.4 oz is not allowed in a carry-on and should go in a checked bag if possible. So a sandwich, an apple or a bag of nuts goes through without a second thought, but a large jar of peanut butter, a tub of yogurt or a bottle of salad dressing does not, unless it is a travel-size container inside your quart-size liquids bag.
The test is the same one used for toiletries. If the food would take the shape of its container or could be smeared, it is treated as a liquid or gel. Our TSA liquids rule guide explains the 3-1-1 limit in full; TSA PreCheck does not lift the liquids limit, so the same food rules apply in the PreCheck lane. Two further points apply to everything below: officers may ask you to take food out of your bag so it does not clutter the X-ray image, and the final decision on any item rests with the TSA officer at the checkpoint.
Common foods and where they can go
| Food | Carry-on | Checked bag |
|---|---|---|
| Sandwiches, bread, pizza, pies and cakes, cookies, crackers | Yes | Yes |
| Nuts, dried fruit, cereal, candy, gum, snack bars | Yes | Yes |
| Solid cheese, solid chocolate | Yes | Yes |
| Cooked meat, seafood or vegetables with no liquid | Yes | Yes |
| Fresh eggs | Yes | Yes |
| Coffee beans or ground coffee, dry tea, dry spices, salt | Yes | Yes |
| Peanut butter, hummus, creamy dips and spreads, creamy cheese | 3.4 oz / 100 ml or less | Yes |
| Jam, jelly, honey, maple syrup | 3.4 oz / 100 ml or less | Yes |
| Yogurt, ice cream, soups, gravy | 3.4 oz / 100 ml or less | Yes |
| Salsa and sauces, salad dressing, oils and vinegars | 3.4 oz / 100 ml or less | Yes |
| Juice, soda, bottled water, liquid coffee | 3.4 oz / 100 ml or less | Yes |
| Canned food | Special instructions (see below) | Yes |
| Fresh fruit and vegetables | Yes within the continental US; restricted from Hawaii, Puerto Rico and the US Virgin Islands | Yes, same restriction |
A drink you buy after the checkpoint is a different matter: the limit applies to what you carry through screening, not to what you buy airside. An empty bottle or flask can also go through and be filled afterwards; TSA lists an empty coffee thermos as allowed in both bags.
Canned food
Canned food is not on the prohibited list, but TSA says that because of how cans appear on the X-ray, and because many contain liquid, they may need additional screening that could end with the item not being allowed through. TSA's own suggestion is to pack cans in a checked bag, ship them, or leave them at home.
Fresh fruit and vegetables from Hawaii, Puerto Rico or the US Virgin Islands
Within the continental United States, fresh produce can travel in either bag. Flying from Hawaii, Puerto Rico or the US Virgin Islands to the mainland is the exception: TSA says most fresh fruits and vegetables cannot be taken, because of the risk of spreading invasive plant pests. On those routes, eat fresh produce before you fly or leave it behind.
Frozen food, ice packs and coolers
Meat, seafood, vegetables and other non-liquid food can travel in carry-on or checked bags, including in a cooler. The catch is the ice. TSA says ice or ice packs must be completely frozen when they go through screening; if they are partly melted and there is liquid at the bottom of the container, they will not be permitted. Frozen liquid items follow the same logic: frozen solid is fine, slushy is a liquid.
For longer trips, dry ice is the usual answer. Under the federal hazardous materials rule for passengers, 49 CFR 175.10, you can carry up to 2.5 kg (5.5 lb) of dry ice per person to pack perishables, with the airline's approval, in a package that lets the carbon dioxide gas escape. In a checked bag, the package must be marked "DRY ICE" or "CARBON DIOXIDE, SOLID" with the net weight, or a note that it is 2.5 kg or less. Ask the airline before you go, because approval is its decision. TSA also lists live lobster as allowed through security in a clear, plastic, spill-proof container, subject to the airline's own policy.
Powders, protein and baby food
Protein powder, flour, sugar and similar powders are allowed, but TSA asks that powder-like substances over 12 oz (350 ml) go in a separate bin for X-ray screening. They may need additional screening, containers may have to be opened, and TSA encourages packing non-essential powders over that size in a checked bag.
Baby food is treated generously. Formula, breast milk, toddler drinks and baby or toddler food, including puree pouches, are allowed in carry-on in quantities over 3.4 oz and do not need to fit in the quart-size bag. Tell the officer at the start of screening and take them out to be screened separately. Our guide to flying with a lap infant covers the rest of the trip with a baby.
Alcohol
Miniature bottles of alcohol can go in a carry-on if they fit comfortably in your single quart-size liquids bag. Larger bottles belong in checked baggage, where 49 CFR 175.10 allows drinks of more than 24% and up to 70% alcohol by volume in unopened retail packaging, up to 5 liters (1.3 gallons) per person. Drinks of 24% or less, such as beer and wine, are not subject to that hazardous materials limit, though airlines may set their own rules. Spirits over 70% alcohol (over 140 proof) fall outside the passenger exception, so leave them out of both bags.
Carrying alcohol is not the same as drinking it. TSA reminds travelers that FAA regulations do not allow you to drink alcohol on board unless it is served by a flight attendant, so that miniature stays sealed until you land.
Flying back into the United States with food
TSA screening is about security. On an international arrival, U.S. Customs and Border Protection is looking for something else: plant pests and animal diseases. CBP says all travelers entering the United States must declare meats, fruits, vegetables, plants, seeds, soil, animals, and plant and animal products, including soup products, whether they are in checked bags, carry-on bags or a vehicle.
- Declare it, even if you think it is allowed. A CBP agriculture specialist decides whether the item can enter. Declared food that is not allowed is simply taken.
- Undeclared food can be expensive. CBP says prohibited agricultural items that are not declared are confiscated, and civil penalties for failing to declare can range up to $1,000 for a first-time offense with non-commercial quantities.
- Meat is the usual problem. Many fresh, dried and some canned meats and meat products are prohibited from foreign countries because of animal disease risks, and a product with meat from a restricted country as an ingredient, such as a beef broth, is usually prohibited too.
- Canada and Mexico have their own lists. CBP notes, for example, that fresh tomatoes and bell peppers from Canada are prohibited, and that several fruits from Mexico, including mangoes and oranges, need a permit.
If you are connecting after landing, remember that your carry-on is screened again by TSA before the domestic flight, so the liquids limit applies a second time. If you are travelling the other way, most countries run their own food and agriculture checks on arrival, and some are much stricter than the US. Check the official rules of the country you are flying to, and see our PreCheck vs Global Entry guide if you want a faster way through US arrivals.
How to pack food for a flight
- Sort solids from spreads. Anything you could spill, spread or pour goes either into a container of 3.4 oz (100 ml) or less in your liquids bag, or into checked luggage.
- Pack food where you can reach it. Keep it near the top of your bag in a separate pouch, so you can lift it out quickly if an officer asks.
- Freeze ice packs solid. Put them in the freezer overnight and pack them last. If they have started to melt by the checkpoint, they may be refused.
- Separate large powders. Containers of powder over 12 oz may need their own bin; consider checking them.
- Plan for the destination. On flights from Hawaii, Puerto Rico or the US Virgin Islands, leave fresh produce behind. On international arrivals, eat what you can on board and declare the rest.
- Check the airline. Dry ice, live seafood and large coolers depend on the airline's approval and its carry-on size limits as well as TSA's rules.
A cooler counts towards your baggage allowance like any other bag. On a cheaper fare that may mean a fee, so see baggage fees compared and Basic Economy vs Main Cabin before you decide what to carry.
Common questions
Can you bring food through TSA security?
Yes. TSA allows solid food in both carry-on and checked bags. Food that is a liquid or gel, such as yogurt, soup, jam or peanut butter, must be 3.4 oz (100 ml) or less per container in your carry-on, or packed in a checked bag.
Can I bring a sandwich on a plane?
Yes. Sandwiches are on TSA's list as allowed in carry-on and checked bags. A separate tub of spread, dip or dressing to go with it is treated as a liquid or gel, so keep it to 3.4 oz or less in your carry-on.
Is peanut butter a liquid at TSA?
For screening purposes, yes. TSA lists peanut butter as allowed in carry-on only in containers of 3.4 oz or less, and in any quantity in checked bags.
Can I bring food on an international flight?
You can bring food through TSA screening on the way out, but the country you land in applies its own rules. When you fly into the United States, CBP requires you to declare meats, fruits, vegetables, plants and animal products, and undeclared prohibited items can lead to a penalty of up to $1,000 for a first offense.
Can I take frozen food in my carry-on?
Yes, if it is not a liquid. Ice or ice packs used to keep it cold must be completely frozen at screening; partly melted ice with liquid in the container will not be permitted. Dry ice of up to 2.5 kg (5.5 lb) per person is allowed with the airline's approval in a vented package.
Can I bring fruit on a plane?
Within the continental US, yes, in either bag. Most fresh fruit and vegetables cannot be taken from Hawaii, Puerto Rico or the US Virgin Islands to the mainland, and fruit arriving from abroad must be declared to CBP.
Sources
- TSA: What Can I Bring? Food
- TSA: Liquids, aerosols and gels rule
- CBP: Bringing agricultural products into the United States
- 49 CFR 175.10, Exceptions for passengers, crewmembers and air operators (eCFR)
General information, not customs or legal advice. Trailisse is an independent travel agency; TSA, CBP and your airline are the authority.