Ok To Fly With Cheese, Meat?

[stolly]

I'd like to take some food in a cooler aboard the plane for my DD, some for the day of travel, and some for our destination. Do you think I'll be ok to take a pack of cheese slices (about 16 Kraft singles), 10 string cheeses, Perdue shortcuts, and some deli meat through security? I guess I'm most concerned about the cheese since it's most like a "gel" which is restricted on planes. I could have these things delivered to our destination, but I'd rather just take exactly what I know she likes in the quantities that will work well for our trip. Thanks!

[Ursa Major]

I don't believe there will be any problem at all taking those foods. I've taken a lot of food on many flights, and never had a problem. Other than little one-helping cans of pears this past February, when we went to Mexico. They took the one that was in my purse (my on-flight snack), but left the one in my backpack!

Coming home from Mexico, the security people didn't even bother taking away my water bottle, which I forget about.

On arrival in Mexico they had everybody push that red button (I had no idea why and what it was for ). Of course, when I pushed it, it buzzed. Which is when I found out that now all our luggage would be searched!

My husband still had his apple from home, and they took it away. You are not allowed to take fresh fruit into another country. Meaning that if you take some, you absolutely have to eat it on the plane.

I just realized that you are not allowed to take meat into another country. I always take meat, but eat it on the plane. So, if you are leaving the U.S., you can't take meat.

[RiceGuy]

The first thing that I'd probably do is call the airline and ask about the items I'd want to take. I wonder if sealed glass jars are considered less of a security risk than metal cans. Maybe they'll be OK if you remove the labels so they can see the contents? I wouldn't want to find out by trying to go through security with stuff, only to end up with nothing to eat on the flight.

I guess I'm most concerned about the cheese since it's most like a "gel" which is restricted on planes.

I guess that rules out pudding, cream cheese, cheese spreads, tofu, etc. Makes me wonder about baby foods, although they're more like a paste I guess. Gee, there goes toothpaste! No bubble gum either I suppose. Do they make passengers remove those Dr. Scholls gel insert thingies? Look out for the Vics VapoBomb!

Do they make old people remove their dentures? You know, there's that gel-like stuff to hold them in...could be a bomb...just attach the electrodes from their pacemaker...Suicidal Denture Bombers? Or a velvita bomb. Now that'll really make cheese whiz - all over the passengers.

So I guess I can't take any silly putty to play with on the flight either.

[home-based-mom]

Gee, there goes toothpaste!

My husband almost missed a flight because of someone's tube of toothpaste.

Remember that the shoebomber had enough explosives to blow up an airplane (ever see the video?) in a packet small enough to fit in the heal of his shoe. Yeah, it seem ridiculous at times, but evil twisted minds will stop at nothing to further their cause.

[MaryJones2]

As a general rule in the US you can take any food on board that is solid. So a sealed jar a salsa is a no no but a jar of processed peanut butter should be OK (I would no take the natural kind that sperates because it's not worth the hassle).

As a general rule for international travel you can not take any organic matter such as meat, cheese, fruits and vegetables in to a foreign country. Most airports have bins before you clear customs to dump any leftovers you may have before you enter the country so I wouldn't really worry about taking stuff to eat on the plane.

I take quite a few long haul flights and find that freezing food is a great option (Pasta with sauce, soups, etc.). It's all solid when it goes through security so it does not need to be declared. Plus 12 hours in to your flight you can heat it up and have a hot meal. Hard boiled eggs are also great!

It is always a good idea to take food. I was on a 15 hour flight recently and they didn't load my gluten-free meal on the plane and we didn't figure that out until after takeoff. I have a small lunch cooler and place it in the freezer the night before so it's nice and cold. I don't use the gel packs because I assume they would be a security issue.

[kbtoyssni]

As a general rule in the US you can take any food on board that is solid. So a sealed jar a salsa is a no no but a jar of processed peanut butter should be OK (I would no take the natural kind that sperates because it's not worth the hassle).

My peanut butter got taken away from me last weekend. Made me very mad. At my local airport, there are signs stating that some liquids are allowed on the plane if you have a doctor's prescription about a medical condition. I called TSA to ask about this policy, and the guy assured me I could take soup and my liquid-based pre-packaged Indian food on the plane with me. He encouraged me to carry all my food with me in case my luggage got lost. I brought peanut butter, celery and raisins with me plus a few apples and some string cheese (flying domestically). No problems on the way there, but they wanted to take away the PB on the way back. I argued for a while about having a prescription, but the guy there insisted that PB was on the not-allowed list so I couldn't take it. Basically disregarding everything the guy on the phone said about medical exemptions. I have to give the TSA a call to complain this coming week. I don't care what the policy is, but they need to be consistent. Luckily I was heading home because I would have starved if it got taken on the way there!

There's a list of prohibited foods towards the bottom of this page:

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