How to Fly Food for Thanksgiving Dinner
If you’re heading to the airport later this week to celebrate Thanksgiving, you need to be careful about packing any goodies you plan to take with you to the holiday. Thanksgiving is subject to the same TSA rules as every other day, which means that not every piece of food can fly in your carry-on baggage.
The Points Guy spoke to a TSA spokesperson about what is allowed in the air and what is not. Here’s a rundown of what security clears and what you might want to leave at home.
And keep in mind that this week is sure to be one of the busiest weeks of the year for travel. If you are traveling with food, be sure to allow extra time before departure in case food needs to be checked with security. And pack well. Nobody wants to sit next to the guy who spilled nonsense on the floor.
Turkey
First things first: yes, you can take a whole turkey with you. It can be frozen or thawed, but it could potentially be subject to additional security checks.
Liquids
As usual, liquids should be in your checked bags and not in your carry-on baggage. This means that a bottle of wine, specialty sauce, or a bottle of whiskey should be checked and not thrown into a bag.
This rule also applies to anything packed in water. For example, items such as olives and tuna are not allowed in carry-on baggage.
Pies and cakes
Your baked goods are fine, even if there is liquid inside the apple pie. However, baked goods could potentially be subject to additional scrutiny, so expect a TSA to carefully review and possibly inspect your Tupperware cookware for explosive residues. The same goes for toppings and casseroles.
However, you cannot bring whipped cream on top of the pie in your carry-on baggage. This must be tested and must be in a 17 fluid ounce container or less. Better buy this when you land.
Vegetables
Raw vegetables are fine, but things like mashed potatoes and cranberry sauce won’t work for you. If you want to prepare a meal before your flight, you need to check it out, not take it with you.
Frozen food
An easy way to get around TSA restrictions is to freeze everything. You can take frozen food with you in your carry-on luggage if it hasn’t melted. So you can fly with everything from soup and cranberry sauce to mashed potatoes, as long as you freeze them beforehand and can keep them frozen.
Kitchen equipment
I was shocked that cast-iron pots cannot be taken with you in hand luggage. If you plan on bringing yours with you, you need to check it out. Other pots and pans will do as long as they fit your airline’s size and weight requirements.
And, as always, you cannot take sharp objects with you, such as knives, they will need to be checked.