Food in carryon

toandjo

Mouseketeer
Joined
Mar 2, 2007
are you allowed to pack homemade sandwiches in carryon? We have a very short layover and not sure if we will have time to buy at airport. Also, what about fruit?
 
Which side of the border is your layover on? Domestic travel with food is generally fine. Crossing the US border with food can be difficult - many fruits are not allowed (mostly citrus), and meats can be a problem. A PB&J would probably be okay though. Your issue here is US Border Control, not TSA.

We often travel with snacks/foods for my DS (Celiac) and have never had an issue with the above, and we are honest and declare. It is at the discretion of the agent, and we have always been waived (waved?) through, but we are always prepared to surrender if they press the issue.
 
We are flying Calgary to Huston then on to Orlando. Very early flight, leaves at 6 am, thinking if we have to be at airport at 3 am we are not eating a whole lot before!
 
We normally take food, but for a flight over the border, it's much harder to find something that's allowed into the country. You may have to suck up the inflated prices and order something on board. We did that. It wasn't great food, but it was something in our stomachs.
 


When we have an early morning flight I usually just pick up a muffin and drink at Timmies once we're through security. I take that onto the plane and consume there, no issues.
 
If you are not bringing in the prohibited food items, just make sure you declare it at customs and you should be fine. I used my cash miles to get some Starbucks evouchers. Then after security, I bought some drinks and snacks from Starbucks for the flight. It’s free in a sense!
 
Hi, last year my DD21 was flying back to her University in Canada from Toronto, she had a small jar of unopened peanut butter that was confiscated at security.
 


Hi, last year my DD21 was flying back to her University in Canada from Toronto, she had a small jar of unopened peanut butter that was confiscated at security.

PB is considered a liquid, so needs to conform to the 3-1-1 rules.

Most prepared foods are okay to fly with. I'd stay away from fresh fruit and veg.
 
are you allowed to pack homemade sandwiches in carryon? We have a very short layover and not sure if we will have time to buy at airport. Also, what about fruit?

I remember declaring the uneaten portion of my Subway sandwich once, and the customs agent laughed at me. That was a land crossing though, and IIRC we were coming back into Canada, not entering the US.

Fruit is hit-or-miss. Mostly they're worried about seeds. We've crossed the border with cut-up melon (seeds removed), strawberries, and grapes without issue. Citrus fruit is definitely no-go, and apples probably won't be allowed either.

YMMV. Most likely you'll be okay with sandwiches, but make sure you declare them at customs (assuming your layover is in the US) and be prepared for the possibility that they'll be confiscated.
 
It's not forbidden but it's subject to security agents' mood at the time. They have the authority to make you toss it ... just plan accordingly and make sure your snacks are in retail packaging. Sooooo maybe not sandwiches!

I say this because coming back from Orlando, the first TSA agent we encountered looked at the sealed and freshly-cold juice bottle from the vending machine that they watched us buy and said, "tell the next agent that your child REQUIRES this for a MEDICAL NEED or I cannot let you pass this point with it." I agreed and moved forward ; the next agent got right in my face and started barking, "NO LIQUIDS!" and shoving a trash bag at me. I looked back at the first agent who looked at me, I said, "My child requires this as a medical need." He looked at her, then he looked at me, then he shoved the bag in my face again and shouted, "I'm the agent who is dealing with you now, it doesn't matter what she told you back there. I said NO LIQUIDS!" My DH threw the brand-new juice in the trash because it was clear that this TSA agent was ready to go ballistic if anyone challenged his reasoning. And then we had to spend $$$$ on the airplane flight's snack packs because all we had in the carry-on was candy, and I just couldn't eat anything else from Goofy's Candy Co. without throwing up from all the sugar...
 
The only meat you can't bring across the border is lamb. Just declare what you have and don't put vegetables on your sandwich. No liquids or liquid types. I had a cheese spread taken away even though I felt it was a solid.
 

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