Thanksgiving travel could set records this year, with more than 18 million people expected to pass through U.S. airports from Tuesday, Nov. 26, to Monday, Dec. 2, according to the Transportation Security Administration.
Since Thanksgiving is such a food-centric holiday, it’s safe to assume a bunch of those flyers will be traveling with pies, casserole ingredients, leftovers, and other comestibles.
Per TSA regulations, solid foods in carry-on bags can pass through airport security checkpoints, but liquids must be confined to containers no bigger than 3.4 ounces apiece.
Trouble is, the TSA adopts an expansive and idiosyncratic definition of what constitutes a liquid.
As a general rule, “if you can spill it, spread it, spray it, pump it, or pour it,” it counts as a liquid, the agency explains. You can still travel with foodstuffs that fall within those parameters, but if the item in question is larger than 3.4 ounces, it’ll need to go in checked luggage.
Even in a carry-on, food may undergo extra screening as you pass through the checkpoint, so you might want to take those items out of your bag and place them in a bin during the screening process in order to help speed things along.
Just in time for Thanksgiving, the TSA has shared examples of foods that can and cannot be carried through an airport security checkpoint. The lists should come in handy if you’re not the type of person who thinks of peanut butter as a liquid.
Foods that can be carried through a TSA checkpoint
• Candy and baked goods, including homemade or store-bought pies, cakes, cookies, and brownies
• Meats, including frozen, cooked, or uncooked turkey, chicken, ham, and steak
• Stuffing—whether cooked, uncooked, in a box, or in a bag
• Casseroles/mac and cheese—whether cooked in a pan or separated in ingredients to cook at your destination
• Fresh fruit and vegetables
• Spices
• Ice packs to keep things cold—but the packs must be frozen solid
Foods that must go in checked baggage
• Cranberry sauce—whether homemade or canned
• Gravy—whether homemade, in a jar, or in a can
• Wine: limited in checked bags to 5 liters, in unopened bottles, per passenger
• Canned fruit or vegetables (due to the liquid in the can)
• Preserves, jams, and jellies
• Maple syrup
If you’re not sure whether to pack something in your carry-on or in checked luggage, the TSA has a helpful “What Can I Bring?” feature at TSA.gov and in the free MyTSA mobile app. Simply enter the name of the item in the search bar and you’ll see whether it’s allowed.
Alternatively, you can message the agency via social media at @AskTSA or pose a question by texting “Travel” to AskTSA (275-872).
To avoid food-borne illnesses while transporting perishable items, take a look at the U.S. Food and Drug Administration’s tips for holiday food safety.
Related: 10 Surprising Things That Could Trigger an Extra Bag Search at the Airport