The Air Porter

Travel often involves happy occasions like holidays, birthdays, or anniversaries; and with that comes food and gift-giving.The TSA has provided the following guidelines when it comes to bringing items through checkpoints since traveling with gifts (or the gift of food) can create challenges not seen on routine business travel.This information is especially timely around Thanksgiving and Christmas when food gifts are at their highest everyone wants to contribute to the holiday dinner, and they often want to include bringing their already-prepared dishes on the planes with them.Following is a list of items that should be placed in your checked bag, shipped ahead, or left at home:

• Cranberry sauce
• Creamy dips and spreads(cheeses, peanut butter, etc.)
• Gift baskets with food items(salsa, jams and salad dressings)
• Gravy
• Jams
• Jellies
• Maple Syrup
• Oils and vinegars
• Salad Dressings
• Salsa
• Sauces
• Soups
• Wine, liquor, and beer

The TSA points out that you can bring pies and cakes through the security checkpoint but be warned they will be subject to additional screening; so if your baked good is particularly fragile, you may want to re-think bringing it.Also, as far as wrapped gifts the TSA suggests that you do not wrap gift items since they can/may be unwrapped by personnel to take a closer look at the item. So if you’ve spent money having a gift elegantly wrapped, you might consider shipping it ahead lest it be unceremoniously unwrapped at the security checkpoint.