Got a flight coming up? When it comes to snacks and foodie souvenirs, it can sometimes be hard to know what you can and can’t take with you. So, to help you figure out what’s fit to fly and what’s strictly prohibited according to Transportation Security Administration (TSA) guidelines, we’ve put together the ultimate list of foods you can and can’t take in your carry-on and checked luggage.

Click or scroll through our gallery to discover the foods you can and can’t take on an airplane – some of which may surprise you.

The following foods are all TSA-approved, so can be taken aboard a plane both in carry-on bags and checked luggage. However, if you’re planning on taking them into the cabin with you, please note that to comply with the TSA’s 3-1-1 rule, all drinks and creamy or liquid foods must weigh under 3.4oz each and fit into a quart-sized bag. Top tip: if you have items in your luggage that aren’t easily recognizable (flour or spices, for example), it’s worth labeling them to ensure a quicker trip through security.

When it comes to packing baby formula, you’re free to stash any reasonable amount in your checked luggage; however, if you’d prefer to take more than 3.4oz of formula in a carry-on bag, the guidelines are a little more complicated. Though it’s OK to travel with this babies’ staple in principle, special screening will be required – so make sure it's properly labeled and easy to hand at security.

From sesame seed bagels to crusty baguettes, all types of bread are good to join you on your journey – either in a carry-on bag, or in your checked luggage. To prevent crumbs from spilling into your bag en route to your destination, be sure to wrap your baked goods carefully before hopping on your flight.

Want to pack a cake or pie as a gift or sweet souvenir? Happily, you can. Though it’s unclear what the guidelines are when it comes to pies with lots of soft fruit fillings, according to the TSA website both categories of baked goods can be taken on a flight, whether packed neatly into carry-on or checked luggage.

Sweet-toothed travelers, rejoice: hard chocolates and candy are perfectly fine to fly with you, either in your carry-on or checked luggage – and gum’s OK, too. To avoid any melting mishaps or spillages, make sure you keep your treats neatly packaged; after all, no one wants to get home to a case full of chocolate-covered clothes.

The rules are slightly more complicated when it comes to cheese. Planning on taking hard cheese on your travels? No problem – it can go in either your carry-on or checked luggage. Want to take creamy cheese with you? It’s fine to take in your carry-on bag, so long as it weighs less than 3.4oz and is sealed up in a quart-sized bag; if it weighs more, it’ll need to go in a checked bag instead. For a smooth trip through security, be sure to tightly wrap your cheese before setting off.

If you want to take your favorite caffeinated brew on vacation with you, we’ve got great news: coffee beans, tea sachets, and loose tea leaves all fall under the banner of ‘dry goods,’ so they’re A-OK to take on an airplane. Whether you choose to stash them in your carry-on or checked luggage is up to you.

So long as there’s no liquid involved, you’re totally within your rights to take cooked food with you on a plane journey, either in carry-on or checked bags. Just make sure any cooked food you want to fly with is packaged neatly to keep the line moving swiftly through security.

Unlike fresh fruits and vegetables, which can be a little tricky (more on this later), dried fruit is a snack that’s certified fit to fly. Pack it carefully and stow it in your checked luggage, or take it in your carry-on bag to nibble on throughout the journey.

We’ve already mentioned that coffee beans and tea leaves are good to fly – but what other dried goods can you take with you? Things like pasta, grains, spices, protein powder, and dry pet food can all be taken on an airplane with no problems, both in carry-on bags and in checked luggage. If the items aren’t clearly recognizable, it’s a good idea to label them so TSA officers know what they are.

Though fresh eggs aren’t the first food item we’d think about packing in our luggage, they’re fine to fly (either in a checked suitcase or a carry-on bag). Though the inside is technically liquid, they’re still sturdy enough to be considered solid food by the TSA. Just make sure to wrap them carefully to prevent them from breaking during the flight.

Whether your snack of choice is chips, crackers, nuts, cookies, or granola bars, you’ll be pleased to know that it’s not against the rules to pack them in your carry-on or checked luggage for an airborne journey – so long as they’re sealed, that is. This is especially helpful if you’ve got a long flight in store, and you don’t want to fork out money for expensive in-flight snacks!

In tasty news, pizza is TSA-approved – so whether you’re traveling back from New York City with a thin-crusted pie in tow, or you’re returning from Motor City with a Detroit-style slice, you’re welcome to stash it in your carry-on or checked luggage. The only question is, how does one effectively wrap pizza without messing up the toppings?

Thankfully, everyone’s favorite handheld snack, the sandwich, is also permitted on flights, whether packed carefully into checked luggage or cradled in a carry-on bag. Hoagie, sub, or grinder, all sandwiches are welcome, on one condition: any liquid dipping sauces weighing more than 3.4oz must be left behind, unless you stow them in your checked luggage.

So, which foods can't you take in your carry-on luggage? Firstly, you're not permitted to take any drinks or liquids (such as soups, oils, and vinegars) that weigh over 3.4oz. Similarly, non-solid foods (like soft cheese, peanut butter, sauces, jams, and jellies) weighing over 3.4oz are a no-no. Canned foods, fresh fruits and vegetables, and fresh meat and seafood are also forbidden from the cabin – but fortunately, these can be taken in checked luggage instead.

If you want to travel with any of the following foods and drinks, you’ll need to ensure they’re stowed carefully in your checked luggage; unfortunately, the TSA doesn’t currently permit them to be taken into the cabin in carry-on bags. Alternatively, you could try shipping these items to ensure they get to their destination safely.

Coffee and bottled drinks like water, juices, and sodas are all approved by the TSA. However, while any reasonable amount can be taken on board in your checked luggage, you’ll need to ensure that your drink of choice weighs less than 3.4oz if you want to take it into the cabin, sealed up in a quart-sized bag – and with such a small volume permitted, it's barely worth it. Alcoholic beverages with 24% alcohol or less can be taken in carry-on luggage too, as long as they also comply with the 3-1-1 rule. 

Given their weight, it’s probably a good thing that canned foods are only really permitted to be taken on a plane in checked luggage – after all, who wants to lug a heavy carry-on bag through an airport? Most cans weigh more than 3.4oz, so they’re unlikely to comply with the TSA’s 3-1-1 rule – meaning you can't take them into the cabin, even if you wanted to.

It’s fine to take fresh fruits and vegetables with you on a flight if you stash them in your checked luggage – and, most of the time, TSA officials will be happy for you to pack solid fruits and vegetables in your carry-on bags, too. However, if the produce is soft, mashed, or liquid, it must comply with the 3-1-1 rule. Passengers flying into the US mainland from Hawaii, Puerto Rico, or the US Virgin Islands are not currently permitted to travel with most fresh fruits and vegetables, due to the risk of spreading invasive plant pests.

Hopping on a short flight and want to take fresh meat or seafood in your checked luggage? According to the TSA website, you can; just make sure that it’s wrapped tightly in a sealed package. However, if the food is packed with ice or ice packs, you’ll need to make sure the ice or ice packs are completely frozen before you try to take them through screening.

Though very small amounts of beverages with less than 24% alcohol are permitted in carry-on luggage if they fit in a quart-sized resealable bag, high-proof alcohol – between 24-70% ABV – must be transported in checked luggage only, with a limit of five liters per passenger. However, any drink that contains more than 70% alcohol is not permitted on a plane, period.

Here, we’re talking creamy dips and spreads, oils and vinegars, honey, hummus, ice cream, jams and jellies, maple syrup, peanut butter, soups, yogurts, and pet foods. All of these can be taken in checked luggage, no problem – but if you want to take them in your carry-on bag, you’ll need to ensure they weigh less than 3.4oz first, and place them in a resealable quart-sized bag.

There are a few foods and drinks that you simply cannot take aboard a plane, whether they're in your checked luggage or not. Firstly, any drink that contains more than 70% alcohol is not permitted – and if you're planning on packing any beverages that contain between 24% and 70% alcohol, there's a five-liter limit per passenger. Currently, travelers flying into the US mainland from Hawaii, the US Virgin Islands, or Puerto Rico are also restricted from carrying most fresh fruits and vegetables, due to the risk of spreading plant pests.

Depending on which country you’re traveling to, different rules may apply when it comes to taking foods and drinks with you – so be sure to check the latest local guidelines. If you’re traveling into the US from another country, remember that you’ll need to go through customs, where your bags might have to undergo screening. Check the latest regulations from U.S. Customs and Border Protection for a full list of permitted items.

Have you noticed that food tastes different on an airplane? There's a reason for that

Last updated by Lottie Woodrow.