Amazing Foods You Can (and Can’t) Bring Through Airport Security
Experts expect air travel this summer to be nothing short of “chaotic” given the shortage of staff combined with the highest number of travelers the country has seen since the pandemic began. With long security screening times on the horizon, the Transportation Security Administration is already warning air travelers against accidentally carrying prohibited items in their carry-on baggage, and some of those prohibited items are food. So before you jump in line for screening this summer, check out the rules for these eight foods.
Cheese
Hard cheese will go through airport security without a problem, but if you plan to take cream cheese with you in your hand luggage, you may have problems. According to the TSA, cream cheeses are treated as liquids, which means they are legal, but only in increments of 3.4 ounces or less. But where does hard cheese end and cream cheese begin? According to TSA spokesperson Lisa Farbstein, “If you can spill, smudge, spray, pump or pour, it’s a liquid.”
Fruits and vegetables
Fruits and vegetables have a few caveats. They are allowed to be carried in hand luggage as long as they are in solid form and not in liquid or gel form (for example, pineapple will do, but a cup of pineapple must meet the 3.4 ounce rule). In addition, the TSA notes that passengers flying from Hawaii, Puerto Rico, or the US Virgin Islands to the US mainland “cannot carry most fresh fruits and vegetables due to the risk of spreading invasive plant pests.”
frozen food
Frozen foods are allowed in carry-on baggage under certain circumstances. The TSA writes: “If the food is packed with ice or ice packs in a refrigerator or other container, the ice or ice packs must be completely frozen when going through the screening. If the ice or ice packs are partially melted and any liquid remains at the bottom of the container, they are not allowed.” So you can take frozen food with you on your flight, but the TSA agent decides if it’s actually frozen , which leaves you in a race against time.
Lobsters live
Surprisingly, there are situations where you are allowed to carry a live lobster through airport security. The TSA writes: “Live lobster is allowed to pass through security and must be transported in a clear, plastic, spill-proof container. The TSA officer will visually inspect your lobster at the checkpoint. We recommend that you contact your airline to inquire about your airline’s policies regarding transporting your lobster prior to arrival at the airport.” Transportation Security Administration law; It would be a shame to bring a live lobster through security only to have your agent at the entrance tell you that it should actually be in your checked bag.
Ice cream
If you are trying to smuggle traditional ice cream through security in your hand luggage, it will be subject to the 3.4 ounce rule. But if you’re willing to get creative, that rule doesn’t apply to bringing astronaut ice cream on a plane.
Peanut butter
By itself, the TSA qualifies peanut butter as a liquid, making it subject to the 3.4 ounce rule. Instead of arguing with a TSA agent about exactly where the solid state ends and the liquid state begins, instead try checking out these Skippy TSA-approved peanut butter bags if you really can’t make an entire flight without peanut butter.