How much food and drink can I bring through the airport?

[CharlotteMommy]

We're going to be taking our first plane ride with LO next week, and I was wondering if we are allowed to take food and drink (milk) through security or if we need to buy everything once we are through? TIA if you know...

[egoldber]

There is technically no restriction on food, but foods that are "liquid-like" (yogurt, applesauce) need to be in smaller than 4 ounce quantities. Milk is hit or miss. If you say it is for the "baby" they will probably let you bring it. Some more ornery security folks may not.

I usually just bring an empty cup and then get a beverage on the other side of security.

[Beckylove]

Food is usually ok as long as it isn't liquid or gel-- soup or jello. I've taken sandwiches, granola bars, crackers, chipotle tacos through security without problems.

Milk is a no, unless it is breastmilk. If you need cows milk, you have to buy it once you are through security.

[MamaSnoo]

I have only brought breast milk, which they have allowed, but they had a seperate inspection station and process for it. Regular milk I have just bought after passing through security. I have never had any problems with "dry" snacks (goldfish, cheerios, etc)

[mommyp]

They did let me bring some cow's milk in a drinking box for DD when we flew last year. I also brought the empty cup and got water on the other side. This year I had an applesauce pouch and that was fine too, I just had to take it out to show them. I did put them in the proper size ziploc-type bag just like any other small quantities of liquids.

[YouAreTheFocus]

I have flown with my formula-fed baby twice now, both times x-country. Both times I brought a lot of prepared formula. No problems. On the more recent flight I also brought several containers of baby food. No problems w/ that either. I actually asked about it the second time, and they basically said baby liquids were unlimited.

[Tenasparkl]

I got through (the "family" line) security the other day with a sealed horizon milk box and a sippy cup with juice for my almost 2 year old. They took them aside and waved them with a wand but we got through. I was fine if I had to throw out the milk and dump the juice but the woman said that it was no problem to take them for my daughter. I wish that I tried on our departure flight because I bought some unrefrigerated juice at LAX that my daughter ended up throwing up all over me on the rental car shuttle. Snacks all got through with no problem. Last year I had a jar of baby food that one person in the security line told me I didn't need to pull out of the bag and was then scolded by the next person down the line for not pointing it out.

[codex57]

Totally dependent on the security person. Prolly not worth your time to put up much of a fight unless it's breastmilk or something (in that case, I'd call for a supervisor if they object to breastmilk).

I fly out of a (usually) nicer airport and they've let me take hot water in a thermos a couple times. They see the baby, the diaper bag, the packets of formula (Similac and Enfamil make great single serve packets) and they suddenly relax the water rule. In Maui, a nice TSA agent even prompted me that the can of unopened juice I forgot was under the stroller was "for the baby." But there are PLENTY of stories of TSA agents rejecting milk and stuff clearly meant for babies.

[hbridge]

We always plan to buy milk on the "other side of security". HOWEVER, BE CAREFUL...our first flight with our little "milkaholic" and there wasn't anywhere to buy milk on the "other side of security". Thankfully the flight was to Orlando so our child SCREAMING at landing wasn't as obvious. So, if the plan is to buy milk at the airport, make sure there is somewhere that sells it.

PS The plan worked great on the flight home and every flight since :)

[hillview]

90% of the time if you have a child under 2 they will let you take milk, 10% they won't (even if you cry, ask me how I know). Other than that prepare to make purchases on the other side for liquids. Food is not limited (although you cannot take cool packs).
/hillary

[peanut520]

never had an issue with dd's liquids (cow's milk, water, and pouch apple sauce) packed in a cooler with a ice/cooler pack. we just keep our food in a seperate bag/cooler. we did get busted once with a soda in her cooler we forgot about and just threw it out, but he was fine with the 2 bottles of water in there for her.

[edurnemk]

I have never had an issue bringng milk (cow's milk, even), I've never taken more than 9-10 ounces and I use a stainless steel thermos container. Only once they took it aside to test it. I also always carry water for him. DS is 2.7 yo, and we've travelled a LOT.
Once we had a long layover at a small airport, and so I even had carrot soup for 14 month old DS, they checked it but let me bring it through. They're especially linient in the family line. But sometimes it depends on teh individual security officer.

From http://www.tsa.gov/travelers/airtravel/children/index.shtm

"Medications, baby formula and food, breast milk, and juice are allowed in reasonable quantities exceeding 3.4 ounces (100ml) and are not required to be in the zip-top bag. Declare these items for inspection at the checkpoint."

And more detail here http://www.tsa.gov/travelers/airtravel/children/formula.shtm

HTH

[niccig]

I've always bought on the other side. Many food places have small box of milk. If they don't, I get cold milk from Starbucks or whatever coffee place is there. I have gone through with water in a klean kanteen and no one has said anything..normally I have them empty.

[strawberryswing]

Food is not limited (although you cannot take cool packs).
/hillary

Does this mean no cool/ice packs of any kind (hard or soft)?

[egoldber]

FWIW, I've never had trouble getting cool packs through security, although technically I think they are only allowed for breastmilk and formula.

[Puddy73]

90% of the time if you have a child under 2 they will let you take milk, 10% they won't (even if you cry, ask me how I know). Other than that prepare to make purchases on the other side for liquids. Food is not limited (although you cannot take cool packs).
/hillary

This has been our experience as well. The randomness is annoying! On our last trip they didn't bat an eye at the 8 oz sippy cup of lemonade that DD2 was carrying, but made me throw out a sealed bottle of water that was in my bag.

[hillview]

Does this mean no cool/ice packs of any kind (hard or soft)?

Yes although I've never tried except for breast milk (which they allowed). I do bring ziptop bags if I need to and then ask a food counter to fill them up with ice :)
/hillary

[hillview]

This has been our experience as well. The randomness is annoying! On our last trip they didn't bat an eye at the 8 oz sippy cup of lemonade that DD2 was carrying, but made me throw out a sealed bottle of water that was in my bag.

TOTALLY bugs me. A lot easier with slightly older kids.
/hillary

[indigo99]

I read that they are no longer supposed to make you taste the bottle, but the security guard in Stockholm did it to us. It was just forumula, but it was a whole bottle that we had just made with a limited supply of formula along for the trip. We don't share food/drinks with the baby so we had to throw it out and start over once we got through security. DUMB! Why not just have us feed it to the baby in front of them. That makes more sense.

Every security checkpoint in 5 airports made us throw out any bottled water (which we had along for bottles) so we had to buy more inside security which is always ridiculously expensive.

[marylinda1]

I have flown with my formula-fed baby twice now, both times x-country. Both times I brought a lot of prepared formula. No problems. On the more recent flight I also brought several containers of baby food. No problems w/ that either. I actually asked about it the second time, and they basically said baby liquids were unlimited.

I got through (the "family" line) security the other day with a sealed horizon milk box and a sippy cup with juice for my almost 2 year old. They took them aside and waved them with a wand but we got through. I was fine if I had to throw out the milk and dump the juice but the woman said that it was no problem to take them for my daughter. I wish that I tried on our departure flight because I bought some unrefrigerated juice at LAX that my daughter ended up throwing up all over me on the rental car shuttle. Snacks all got through with no problem. Last year I had a jar of baby food that one person in the security line told me I didn't need to pull out of the bag and was then scolded by the next person down the line for not pointing it out.
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[Tinkerbell313]

We always try to go through the Family line...if we are not directed to it automatically(which we generally are if we have the kids with us) we ask to go through it. In the family line, we never have had a problem with applesauce, bottled water and soda.

[3blackcats]

I flew a couple of weeks ago and had no issues bringing the Horizon milkboxes through. They had to do the wand of the bag and pull everything out of the bag, but they let me take it through. For water, I just brought my empty camelback and filled that with a bottle of water when I got to the other side.

No issues on snacks. As long as they aren't liquid or gel, they don't care. I had tons of dry snacks in the bag that they looked through.

[alirebco]

It depends on the airport. BWI is fine with ice packs, yogurts, beverages but Orlando is strict as hell! They took my cold packs and dumped DS's water out of his KK.

[karstmama]

just to second the 'make sure there's a place to buy on the other side of security if that's your plan'.

i was in o'hare last week, and the international terminal has no concession stands or food (except for some duty-free chocolate) past security. i had to go back out, eat, and go through security again.