A TikTok creator @brandithecsa is reminding travelers that they do not necessarily have to buy an expensive meal at the airport before boarding a flight. In a June 27 video, the Southwest Airlines employee explained that travelers can bring food through Transportation Security Administration (TSA) checkpoints.
The video has more than 122,000 likes as of publication, and commenters are sharing details of the meals they have taken through airport security. The creator herself opens the video with: "If you want to bring a whole charcuterie board through TSA, you can."
The creator said travelers frequently ask questions about whether they can bring food through security. Her answer, she clarified, is yes. She also said travelers can bring ice through TSA checkpoints. She noted that there are exceptions for certain medical and infant-related needs, including water needed to take medication and milk for an infant.
@brandithecsa They won’t take your meal, I promise lol #fyp #tsa #traveltok #travel #airportsecurity
♬ original sound - brandithecsa
Following her tip, commenters shared what they had brought through security, from breakfast burritos and pizza to cakes and large quantities of tamales on flights. One said they had traveled with a full charcuterie box and tacos, while another recalled bringing five cheesecakes home from New York. Others mentioned carrying a whole pizza from Chicago, a 5-pound brisket from Texas and 12 dozen tamales.
“I make breakfast burritos before every flight!” one wrote.
Another person said they had brought a whole muffuletta sandwich from New Orleans. Someone else said their husband had taken a pizza from Chicago to Northern California.
However, while solid food is generally allowed through TSA checkpoints, the consistency of some foods can affect how they are screened. Foods such as peanut butter, yogurt and mashed potatoes can be restricted, as they may be seen as liquids, gels, creams or pastes. These items may be subject to the 3-1-1 rule, which means they generally must be in containers of 3.4 ounces or less when carried through security.
The creator also said that bringing food does not mean it will necessarily pass through without TSA inspection. Officers may ask travelers to remove food from their bags, and some items may be subject to additional screening.
That possibility came up in the comments, too. One traveler recalled TSA officers unwrapping an entire burrito during screening. Another said a store-bought, sealed pudding was taken away from them.
The creator's overall message, however, was that travelers do not automatically have to leave their meals at home. She noted that food consistency and the possibility of extra screening are the main factors travelers should keep in mind.
