TSA Dishes on What Foods You Can (And Can’t) Fly With This Thanksgiving

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If you’re flying somewhere for Thanksgiving, and especially if you’re flying close to the big day (like Tuesday, Wednesday or Thursday itself), you may be thinking about bringing food with you. And that means you may be wondering what foods you’re allowed to fly with. RELATED: 12 Tips to Make Thanksgiving Travel Smoother and Safer

The TSA, anticipating confusion, created a page dedicated to Thanksgiving foods, which is the best place to go for answers. According to the TSA, “Travelers who are unsure if a food item should be packed in a carry-on or checked bag can check the TSA homepage, which has a helpful “What can I bring?” feature. Type in the item and find out if you can carry it through a checkpoint or if it should be checked. Another option is for passengers to tweet their question to @AskTSA to find out how best to travel with a specific food item or inquire via Facebook Messenger.”

Whatever food you’re traveling with, be sure to package everything in airtight containers, wrap carefully in plastic wrap for added protection and then pack in Ziploc bags so if anything spills, it won’t ruin everything else in your bag. If you’re packing bottle in your checked luggage, put them inside a pair of shoes if possible. Travel wine bags like these are great for protecting bottles of wine but can also be used for other bottles of similar size.

A short CNN round-up of Thanksgiving foods you’re allowed to fly with makes clear that turkey—cooked or uncooked—is also allowed in your carry-on. The question, as with most foods, is how to pack it safely and accessibly (in case you get picked for additional screening). If you want to bring ice packs, for example, remember that they must be completely frozen at the time you go through security.

Still have questions? The TSA dishes up these tips about traveling with food this Thanksgiving:

Thanksgiving foods that can be carried through a TSA checkpoint

Baked goods. Homemade or store-bought pies, cakes, cookies, brownies and other sweet treats.
Meats. Turkey, chicken, ham, steak. Frozen, cooked or uncooked.
Stuffing. Cooked, uncooked, in a box or in a bag.
Casseroles. Traditional green beans and onion straws or something more exotic.
Mac ‘n Cheese. Cooked in a pan or traveling with the ingredients to cook it at your destination.
Fresh vegetables. Potatoes, yams, broccoli, green beans, Brussels sprouts, cauliflower, beets, radishes, carrots, squash, greens.
Fresh fruit. Apples, pears, pineapple, lemons, limes, cranberries, blueberries, strawberries, bananas, kiwi.
Candy.
Spices.

Thanksgiving foods that should be carefully packed with your checked baggage

Cranberry sauce. Homemade or canned are spreadable, so check them.
Gravy. Homemade or in a jar/can.
Wine, champagne, sparking apple cider.
Canned fruit or vegetables. It’s got liquid in the can, so check them.
Preserves, jams and jellies. They are spreadable, so best to check them.
Maple syrup.

For more help regarding what foods you’re allowed to travel with:

If you want further answers, don’t forget that you can always ask the TSA specific questions on X (formerly Twitter), just like Chrissy Teigen did one year:

Whether you’re traveling with food or not, we wish you a very Happy Thanksgiving and safe travels!

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