TSA: Pies Are OK, But May Be Subject To Additional Screening
The TSA has a holiday food travel guide up on its website and the verdict is in: Pies and cakes are OK, but "be advised that they might be subject to additional screening."
We think that might be code for "we shall consume your delicious pie." Maybe not. Anyway here are the items that the TSA will not allow:
Gravy
Salad dressing
Oils and vinegars
Cranberry sauce
Salsa
Sauces
Creamy dips
Wine, liquor and beer
Other beverages
Jams
Jellies
Soups
You should also remember not to wrap any presents or whatnot that you're bringing with you, because the TSA will just unwrap them.
Last time we flew we brought some cheese curds back from Chicago and they didn't care. (Yum.) What food items have you managed to get through security?
Traveling for the holidays? How to Pack Food and Gift Items [TSA] (Thanks, Danielle!)
(Photo:tengaport)
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Comments:
I bring back pastries and Cuban sandwiches when I come back from a visit to my family. I carry those with me.
As for checked luggage, I bring back rum. And last time, a grape soda that I can only find back home. Although I can buy rum at Duty Free after I have gone through security and carry that with me on the plane. There's so little rhyme or reason to so many of these restrictions.
Oh a pie! We're, uh, gonna hafta do some uh extra screening on that. I'll jus take this into the, uh, test area. *Leaves*
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Om nom nom.
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I'm sorry to inform you that your pie did not pass our *burp*, oh excuse me. Our, uh, screenings. The pie was deemed too, uh, moist. Yeah it, uh, could have been part of a, uh, moisture bomb. So, uh, sorry to say you will not be getting your pie back.
@JeffM: You can totally bring Carmex in your pocket, or even your carry-on bag.
"You are permitted to bring solid cosmetics and personal hygiene items as such lipstick, lip balm and similar solids."
Doesn't anybody realize the irony that if an item is confiscated, it's because it's been deemed a dangerous substance, a threat to security, yet all these items are thrown into a bin, which is then thrown in the dumpster (assuming that it isn't regifted to the TSA agent). Shouldn't the bomb squad be carefully disposing of these potential explosives or toxic chemicals??
The only reason we haven't had another 9/11 is because terrorists haven't chosen to pull it off, not because we surrender gravy or 16 oz. bottles of water at screening. The terrorists HAVE won.
@Meg Marco: Oh man, I'll be driving within 2.5 miles of that place tonight. No time for cheese curds though.
@theninjasquad: People who are just flying home for Thanksgiving Day, and want to bring something to dinner. Also, a pie is hardly going to spoil on the shorter flights (i.e. NY to Buffalo or Florida). You can just put it in tupperware and carry it on.
I once flew with friends from Buffalo to Tokyo with a couple bags of Mighty Taco (a Buffalo chain). It held up surprisingly well, and we didn't get stopped.
@HRHKingFriday: I flew yesterday with M&Ms, granola bars, sourdough bites and apple chips. No problem there and I sure can't count on my looks to look like an innocent little girl: I'm a bearded guy (a beard: terrorist! terrorist!) who does not look that young anymore.
@theninjasquad: I like to keep my pies at room temperature. Refrigeration tends to dry the filling.
I'm all for Security Theater if it helps some easily-scared-yet-also-easily-convinced-by-authority-in-the-wake-of-9/11 folks feel safe, but looking at the list above, they're clearly trying to ruin our fun. The terrorists really did win.
at what point does the insanity stop?! can someone please fucking tell me?... i'm no terrorist and my knowledge of explosives is about as elaborate as "huh huh, explosions are cool". however, it seems that it would be just as easy to conceal an explosive in a cake, a bottle of salad dressing, a jar of gravy, or a tastykake for that matter.
none of this shit makes any sense!? none at all. wake the fuck up america. your constitution has been taken from you, because you refuse to use it and don't even bother asking for your bill of rights. you care only for stuffing your pockets and faces, filling out comment cards, and taking your medications to make it through another day.
@Jeff_McAwesome: seconded! cheese curds = delicious. haven't been able to find any really good curds here in Chicago, though. (maybe i'm spoiled from growing up and going to college in Madison, though). what Chicago really needs to discover is deep fried cheese curds. now that's good stuff.
@Jeff_McAwesome:
Re: Chicago cheese curds
Take 94 north past Gurnee and into Wisconsin. Look for a place called the Mars Cheese Castle. Problem solved.
And deep fried cheese curds with either marinara or blue cheese dipping are absolute heaven.
You may have been lucky to get curds through the Chicago TSA. I witness a TSA man leap into action to protect the world from a jar of olives only to have the world and olives saved by a clear plastic zip lock bag. More at my travel blog here
@Marko_Vulvic: Our government may be insane- few of us will disagree with that- but its still a nice place to live.
And its not so much the government- its the people running the government. WIth the right people this could be a great system. Unfortunately, the right people aren't getting the job.
I flew from PHX to Vegas for my sister's bachelorette party with two shaped cakes. The lines at security weren't bad. When they x-rayed my cakes, they stopped, laughed, and called some other agents over to look at the image. They asked only one question: "Bachelorette part in Vegas, huh?" and sent me on my way.
When will this stupid war on moisture stop? I remember some European country (Britain?) getting ready to pass a law to stop this stupid nonsense. It's like xraying our shoes. It didn't work the first time! There are so many ways that I can see getting parts for bomb through security, and I don't even travel that much, nor am I so damn brilliant!
@Marko_Vulvic: Yep, they (the gov. + other crazy, insane, or otherwise lunatic people(there's plenty, although not EVERYONE is like that)) still haven't figured it out yet.
If only this country had a GENERALLY higher moral/standard set.
@Omi: @dwayne_dibbly:
you two made me laugh for a good 10 minutes! (my boss wonders what's so funny) Great visuals.





























Looks like the TSA will need to order some larger size uniforms after they "screen" your delicious pie...