What are TSA approved snacks?

5 TSA-Approved Snacks
  • Veggies and Hummus. Pop carrots and celery into a glass jar. ...
  • Assorted Chilled Snacks. Use silicone cupcake holders to separate lunch meat, cheese cubes, dried fruits and nuts and crackers in a glass container. ...
  • On-the-Go Salad. ...
  • Dried Nuts and Fruits. ...
  • Apple and Peanut Butter.




In 2026, most solid food items are fully TSA-approved for your carry-on bag, but the "liquids, gels, and aerosols" rule remains the primary hurdle. You can freely bring snacks like nuts, beef jerky, granola bars, crackers, and solid fruits (apples or oranges). However, any snack that is "spreadable" or "creamy"—such as hummus, peanut butter, yogurt, or salsa—is classified as a liquid and must be in a container of 3.4 ounces (100ml) or less to pass through security. Interestingly, a sandwich with peanut butter is usually fine, but a jar of peanut butter is not. A peer-to-peer "pro-tip" for 2026: frozen liquid items (like a juice box) are permitted as long as they are frozen solid when they go through the X-ray; if they are slushy or melting, they will be confiscated. Always keep your snacks easily accessible, as TSA officers may ask you to remove food from your bag to ensure a clearer X-ray image of your electronics and other gear.

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10 TSA-Approved Snacks
  • Trail Mix.
  • Beef Jerky.
  • Cheese & Crackers.
  • Veggies & Hummus (under 3.4 oz)
  • Sandwich (use individual packets of mayo or mustard)
  • Nuts.
  • Granola/Protein Bar.
  • Muffins/Baked Goods (no jelly, cream, or custard-filled donuts)


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Can you take food through airport security? Are you allowed to bring your own food/snacks on board a plane, or eat your own meal while waiting for your flight to depart? Yes, you are! Did you know that (in theory) you can even take a cheeseburger with you?

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Solid food items (not liquids or gels) can be transported in either your carry-on or checked bags. Liquid or gel food items larger than 3.4 oz are not allowed in carry-on bags and should be placed in your checked bags if possible.

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You may not be nuts about it, but TSA considers your PB a liquid. In carry-on, it needs to be 3.4oz or less, the TSA said via posts on Twitter and Instagram. The agency says peanut butter fits its definition of liquid, which it declares as something with no definite shape that takes the shape of its container.

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Solid foods, including peanut butter and jelly sandwiches, are allowed in carry-on bags with no quantity limitations or packing requirements.

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Foods you can't pack in your carry-on
Think: creamy cheeses, liquid chocolate, liquid coffee, creamy dips and spreads, gravy, honey, hummus, ice cream, jam, jelly, juice, syrup, peanut butter, salad dressing, sauce, salsa, soda, soup and yogurt.

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Is toothpaste considered a liquid by the TSA? Yes, toothpaste must adhere to the 3-1-1 rule for liquids and gels. Toothpaste can be brought through TSA security in your carry-on as long as it is 3.4 ounces (100 milliliters) or less and placed in a 1-quart bag.

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If you're wondering if airport scanners can see pills, the answer is yes, they can see the pills that you are traveling with. This is regardless if the pills are contained in plastic pill bottles, or contained in any other non-metallic and metallic objects.

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Checked Bags: Yes Solid food items (not liquids or gels) can be transported in either your carry-on or checked baggage. TSA officers may instruct travelers to separate items from carry-on bags such as foods, powders, and any materials that can clutter bags and obstruct clear images on the X-ray machine.

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Solid food items (not liquids or gels) can be transported in either your carry-on or checked baggage. TSA officers may instruct travelers to separate items from carry-on bags such as foods, powders, and any materials that can clutter bags and obstruct clear images on the X-ray machine.

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Firearms, ammunition, and fireworks are prohibited, as are all knives and safety razors (including pocket knives and Swiss Army knives). Straight razors and replacement blades for straight razors are also not allowed. Most tools also cannot be packed in carry-on luggage, as they have the potential to cause harm.

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Water bottles must be empty. If you get to the TSA checkpoint with a water bottle containing any liquid, you must drink it or throw it away.

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Yes, solid food is allowed through TSA security in any amount. If the item is considered a liquid, paste, cream, gel, or aerosol, it is still allowed, but must be smaller than 3.4 ounces. Otherwise, you'll be required to check the item or throw it out.

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Yes, the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) will allow you to bring sandwiches through airport security in your carry-on baggage. If the sandwiches aren't already pre-packaged, they should be wrapped or placed in a resealable bag or container with a secure lid.

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Safety Razors: Because the razor blades are so easy to remove, safety razors are not permitted in your carry-on luggage with the blade. They're fine to pack in your carry-on without the blade. The blades must be stored in your checked luggage. The same applies for straight razors.

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TSA Isn't Very Strict About Quart Size Bags
If the bag is transparent, resealable, and doesn't look much larger than a 1-liter Ziploc bag, it will be allowed. You'll only encounter problems if your toiletry bag looks way too large or if you encounter a very strict officer, but this happens rarely.

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Each passenger may carry liquids, gels and aerosols in travel-size containers that are 3.4 ounces or100 milliliters. Each passenger is limited to one quart-size bag of liquids, gels and aerosols.

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Yes, as long as it is contained within the quart-sized bag, it's also important to note that these bags will be screened separately from your other items when going past security. If containers are larger than 3.4 ounces (100 ml), they won't be allowed through security, and the security officer will discard them.

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3-1-1 for carry-ons = 3.4 ounce (100ml) bottle or less (by volume) ; 1 quart-sized, clear, plastic, zip-top bag; 1 bag per passenger placed in screening bin. One-quart bag per person limits the total liquid volume each traveler can bring.

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Since a bar of soap is a solid rather than a liquid, TSA puts no restrictions on bringing them through airport security. You can bring a bar soap of any size or as many bars as you wish.

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Foods considered liquids and gels, including nut butters, hummus and soft cheeses, must comply with TSA regulations. That means that no individual liquid food item can be over 3.4 ounces. All of your liquid and gels, including foods and toiletries, need to fit in a single quart-sized bag.

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