A tupper with hummus, a yogurt. A sandwich with lots of peanut butter, a little bottle of water. If you’re one of those who wants to save at the airport no matter what and always brings something to ease hunger (and not have to leave a kidney in the airport shops)… we have bad news. The TSA is applying some pretty strict rules and they’re not letting all our cravings through the security gate.
It’s not that it’s new, but now they’re stricter than ever. If you carry something that can be spread, poured or squashed and it exceeds 100 ml (which is about 3.4 ounces), they’re going to take it. It doesn’t matter if it’s your favorite snack or a gift from your grandma: if it doesn’t meet the rule, it’s going to the trash. And the worst part is that you’ll see it disappear right there, in front of everyone and without the right to complain!
What foods have made it onto the blacklist?
Basically, everything that has a creamy, gel, thick liquid or similar texture. Even if it looks like innocent food, the TSA treats it like it’s a bottle of perfume or c4.
- Creamy cheeses like Brie or Camembert (yummy), and any kind of spreadable cheese.
- Honey, which even if it looks solid when it’s cold, counts as a liquid.
- Hummus, sauces, peanut butter, yogurts, jams… all of that is subject to the famous 100 ml rule.
If you bring it in a container that exceeds that volume, it most likely won’t make it through the check. It’s not that security wants to eat your food, it’s just that rules are rules!
And if I put it in the checked suitcase?
No problem there. You can check in all those products with no quantity limit, as long as they’re well sealed. But of course, if your plan was to eat it on the plane or right after landing, that option is no longer useful, you’ll have to spend money at the airport bars.
Why are they so strict now?
The TSA aims to maintain safety in all airports in the country. It’s not that there’s any specific reason or that they want you to spend your money in the airport food courts, but they want to make it clear that nothing unsuitable will get through, and yes, the 3.4-ounce liquid rule in a transparent zip bag is still in force, we’re not off the hook yet, eh!
As for liquids, it’s better to make sure you don’t bring anything that doesn’t have a solid texture (sometimes you can’t even bring nougat!) To avoid misunderstandings, you can always use AskTSA on X (click here), they respond instantly!
How to avoid a bad time?
There are two clear options. One, put that type of food in containers of less than 100 ml and carry them in the typical resealable plastic bag (the classic one-liter Ziploc). Two, directly switch your type of snack and bring only solids: cookies, nuts, bars…
Remember that if it can be squashed, spread or spilled and the container is large, don’t take it in the cabin.
No, we don’t like having our hummus or jam confiscated either (much less our favorite perfume…) but if they’re being stricter, we have to go along with it. They’re warning us in advance, so check carefully what you’re carrying in your hand luggage and above all, if it’s a gift, check it in to avoid problems! Although we don’t know how bad the plane’s cargo hold might smell if you suddenly bring 1kg of Camembert, don’t you think?