Can i pack baby food in my suitcase
Baby Formula | Transportation Security Administration
Carry On Bags: Yes (Special Instructions)
Checked Bags: Yes
Formula, breast milk, toddler drinks, and baby/toddler food (to include puree pouches) in quantities greater than 3.4 ounces or 100 milliliters are allowed in carry-on baggage and do not need to fit within a quart-sized bag. Formula, breast milk, toddler drinks, and baby/toddler food (to include puree pouches) are considered medically necessary liquids. This also applies to breast milk and formula cooling accessories, such as ice packs, freezer packs, and gel packs (regardless of presence of breast milk). Your child or infant does not need to be present or traveling with you to bring breast milk, formula and/or related supplies.
Inform the TSA officer at the beginning of the screening process that you are carrying formula, breast milk, toddler drinks, and baby/toddler food (to include puree pouches) in excess of 3. 4 ounces. Remove these items from your carry-on bag to be screened separately from your other belongings. TSA officers may need to test the liquids for explosives or concealed prohibited items.
Although not required, to expedite the screening process, it is recommended that formula and breast milk be transported in clear, translucent bottles and not plastic bags or pouches. Liquids in plastic bags or pouches may not be able to be screened by Bottle Liquid Scanners, and you may be asked to open them (if feasible) for alternate screening such as Explosive Trace Detection and Vapor Analysis for the presence of liquid explosives. Screening will never include placing anything into the medically necessary liquid.
TSA X-ray machines do not adversely affect food or medicines. However, if you do not want the formula, breast milk, toddler drinks, and baby/toddler food (to include puree pouches) to be X-rayed or opened, please inform the TSA officer. Additional steps will be taken to clear the liquid and you or the traveling guardian will undergo additional screening procedures, to include Advanced Imaging Technology screening and additional/enhanced screening of other carry-on property.
Ice packs, freezer packs, frozen gel packs and other accessories required to cool formula, breast milk, toddler drinks, and baby/toddler food (to include puree pouches) – regardless of the presence of breast milk – are also allowed in carry-ons, along with liquid-filled teethers. If these items are partially frozen or slushy, they are subject to the same screening as described above.
Please see traveling with children for more information.
Travelers requiring special accommodations or concerned about the security screening process at the airport may request assistance by contacting TSA Cares online at http://www.tsa.gov/contact-center/form/cares or by phone at (855) 787-2227 or federal relay 711.
For more prohibited items, please go to the 'What Can I Bring?' page.
3 Easy Tips to Meet The TSA Baby Food Guidelines
October 20, 2020 By Alexandra Maloney
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Bringing your little one along for a trip is a great way to bond and make lifelong family memories. Flying with your baby doesn’t need to be intimidating or stressful, and neither does getting their food through TSA. Your baby’s food is the most important thing you’ll travel with, and you’re permitted to bring frozen and bottled breast milk, as well as juices and formula for your baby on planes. All you need to do is plan ahead and budget more time at the airport!
TSA policies regarding baby food
TSA allows baby food in your carry-on bag — don’t leave your child’s food in your checked bag and risk it all getting lost in transit! Pack your formula, breast milk or juice in TSA pouches. When you arrive at TSA with your carry-on full of baby food, be sure to inform the TSA agent that you are traveling with the food before you begin your screening process. TSA will ask you to take these items out of your bag and will screen them through a separate process.
All formula, breast milk and juice will go through an X-ray screening process, the same one as your checked bag. TSA may need to test your liquids for explosives or concealed prohibited items and may request you to open them. If you don’t want your baby food open, you can deny this request — additional steps will be taken by TSA to ensure they’re safe for travel without opening.
Formula, breast milk and juices are an exemption under the 3-1-1 liquids rule for flying. This means that you can bring them in quantities greater than 3.4 oz, which is not the case for most other liquids going through TSA. Additionally, TSA allows ice packs and freezer packs for the purpose of freezing baby food — you can line a cooler bag with these to keep your baby food fresh!
If you’re flying with a toddler, you can bring gel or liquid-filled teethers, canned, jarred, and processed food along in carry-on baggage.
Tips for getting baby food through TSA without hassle
Make traveling with baby food quick and easy!
Determine how much food you’ll need to travel with in advance
No one knows your baby better than you — you know when your baby needs to eat! Before your trip, think about how long you’ll be gone, how many times and the amount your baby eats per day.
Plan to bring at least this much food for your trip!
For parents that pump, consider pre-pumping and freezing some breast milk, and bring your pump with you to supplement the rest. For parents using formula, pre-package your baby’s food in TSA baby food pouches and store them away for the trip.
Pack your baby food well & keep it with you
TSA allows ice packs, freezer packs and the like for baby food — take advantage of this! Make sure you’re packing your cooler bag tightly and putting as many of these as you need inside to keep your food frozen.
Since baby food is allowed in your carry-on bag, be sure to keep your eye on it at all times. Don’t let it leave your sight when it’s going through TSA or in the airport in general — your baby needs it and unless you’re on a very short flight, they’ll probably need to eat on the plane.
Insider Tip: Some airlines, like Southwest, allow babies and young toddlers to travel for free! Always be sure to check if there’s a child fare when booking your flight.
Give yourself extra time to go through security
Because of all the policies TSA has surrounding baby food, it’s important to give yourself extra time when traveling with it. You might need to jump through a few hoops to get it past TSA, and all food needs to be separately screened. This applies especially if you plan to bring a large amount of baby food on the plane. It’s better to be safe than sorry in this case — make sure you get your baby food through security and make your flight with plenty of time to spare!
FAQ for traveling with baby food
Can you bring squeezable baby food on a plane?
Yes! Squeezable pouches, jars or cans of baby food are all allowed on the plane and adhere to the same rules as breast milk, juices and formula. You can even bring gel or liquid-filled teething rings and toys for your little ones on the plane!
How much baby food can you take on a plane?
TSA allows baby food in “reasonable quantities” on planes. Basically, this means there is no strict cut-off for how much food you can bring on the plane.
Bring only the amount of baby food your baby needs for the trip and you shouldn’t have any problems getting through security.
Can I bring water for baby formula on a plane?
Yes! Again, water for baby formula and babies is permitted by TSA in “reasonable quantities” in carry-on bags. The water for your baby formula will have to undergo the same screening process as the other foods you bring for your baby, but you shouldn’t have any trouble getting it onto the plane.
Bottom line
Whether you’re solo parent traveling or tag-teaming it with little ones, getting your baby’s food through TSA can be a stress-free and hassle-free process. TSA allows formula, breast milk and juices in quantities that exceed 3.4oz, which is the typical rule, and you’ll be able to bring stocked cooler bags as well if needed. Be sure to give yourself plenty of time to get through security and have the food screened properly, plus keep it in your carry-on bag to make sure you have it with you whenever your baby needs it.
After that, all that’s left to do is enjoy your trip with a happy and full baby!
Alexandra Maloney is a contributor for Million Mile Secrets where she covers points and miles, credit cards, airlines, hotels, and general travel. She's worked as a writing consultant for the University of Richmond and is a features writer for The Collegian UR.
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Editorial Note: We're the Million Mile Secrets team. And we're proud of our content, opinions and analysis, and of our reader's comments. These haven’t been reviewed, approved or endorsed by any of the airlines, hotels, or credit card issuers which we often write about. And that’s just how we like it! :)
Transportation of baby food on the plane. Photo instruction
The most important thing is children's health and therefore it is better to start preparing a supply of baby food for the duration of the trip with a consultation with a personal pediatrician. Only he will give the most correct recommendations on the set of the right products for your beloved child (climate, environment, stress during flights are changing).
Properly selected baby food is the key to a pleasant trip
It is better for moms to buy from a long list than order online, because you should pay attention to the wrappers, they must be intact; single doses of nutrition should be with a sufficiently large margin of shelf life without special conditions, such as curds or yogurts. Although, if you wish, you can buy a cooler bag on the road, a very convenient thing. Purchased baby food should be divided into two unequal parts. nine0003
Buy baby food only in original packaging from manufacturers that guarantee the quality of the goods
The first part - baby food for the duration of the flight allowed in hand luggage.
Take only the necessary amount of food and juices in your hand luggage for the duration of the flight. Warm water for dry milk or cereals will always be brought by the stewardess at your request. You can also simply order special children's on-board meals for the duration of the flight (it's free with Aeroflot), but no later than 36 hours before departure.
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Feed the baby at his first request, if necessary, water for formula can always be taken from the stewardess
The second part is baby food for the duration of the trip. There are no restrictions on the carriage of baby food, its quantity is not limited by anything, as it is packed in checked baggage.
Take on the road not only cereals, but also some cookies - children endure stress more easily when they eat something sweet
It’s not worth taking with you, you can always buy after arrival at a local shopping center or pharmacy. Jars, bottles, soft bags "spiders" with food for the baby must be properly packaged to ensure integrity during tough transportation. nine0003
A well-fed baby will quickly fall asleep, and will have sweet dreams most of the way
To do this, take a food plastic container, wrap everything bought in advance separately with thin packaging cellophane, lay it down and very carefully fill all the remaining empty space with bubble wrap, paper towels, foam rubber .
The main condition is that the jars should not touch each other without a gasket, you can check (to do this, close and shake the receptacle).
On the plane you can be offered meals that are good even for children from 2 years old
Now wrap the properly packed baby food with clothes in a suitcase, stick a “glass” sticker when checking in luggage, all this will ensure the safety of the baby food.
If the child's age allows you to refuse special foods, then there is no need to bring food with you
Attention! When traveling to EU countries, it is forbidden to import meat and dairy products produced outside the EU countries. This applies to baby food too, and not just cheeses and sausages. nine0040
Both parents and children will be able to satisfy their hunger among such assortment. To do this, a couple of bottles of mineral water are frozen and placed in a box with dairy products, a black bag on top, a newspaper, another bag, placed in the middle of the suitcase, cold is enough for eight hours.
If the flight does not take long and the child is not breastfeeding, you can completely abandon the extra food load, and upon arrival visit the nearest supermarket
After defrosting, mineral water is drunk with great pleasure.
Don't leave the children hungry, otherwise they will put everyone on the ears!
If you are interested in ordering on-board baby seafood meals for the duration of your flight, please contact us!
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Is it possible to take baby food in hand luggage on the plane
Traveling with children should be comfortable. Therefore, it is necessary to prepare for a flight on an airplane with a child. nine0003
The baby will not be able to do without regular meals for a long time. In order for the baby to be able to eat on time, you need to put the usual food with you.
Transportation regulations allow you to take baby food in your hand luggage on the plane, however the requirements of different airlines are different.
There is a single rule for all air carriers: baby food should not be more than the child needs for the flight.
What kind of baby food can be taken on a plane as hand luggage
First of all, it should be the usual food for the child, depending on age. For small crumbs - these are milk mixtures, vegetable or fruit puree. For an older baby, the main meal is taken for a quick snack - fruits and cookies, as well as drinks.
In any case, the amount of baby food allowed in hand luggage is sufficient for the baby's flight. No airline will allow you to carry food for several days in your hand luggage.
How much liquid baby food can I take on a flight
The generally established rules stipulate that no more than 1 liter of liquid is allowed into the aircraft cabin, distributed in containers up to 100 ml. The rules for transporting food for children are more loyal. It is often allowed to transport liquid food for crumbs with a volume of more than 100 ml.
However, this issue is usually decided on an individual basis.
Baby food in hand luggage: Russian airlines regulations
In accordance with the rules in force on the territory of the Russian Federation, you can take as much baby food as hand luggage on an airplane as necessary for a comfortable flight of children. Many Russian air carriers do not limit parents to liquid baby food up to 100 ml in one container. However, you should take reasonable amounts of food for children with you. For convenience, carefully pack liquid nutrition in plastic containers to prevent leakage. nine0003
For example, S7 Airlines writes on its official website: “Parents can take food for their child on board without any worries. There are no hard limits on volume or content.” But Pobeda, when traveling with a child, allows you to take food and drinks with you, but each container should not exceed 100 ml.
For older children on long flights, the airline can order a special children's menu.
The order must be made at the stage of booking tickets. For example, Aeroflot will offer fruits, vegetables, various pastries and drinks for children to eat. The children's menu is distinguished by the absence of hot dishes. nine0003
Regulations for the carriage of baby food in other countries
On international flights, you can also put baby food in your hand luggage, but the rules for transporting it will be stricter. A set of products for a child depends on the duration of the flight and is usually limited to three servings.
Liquid food must be packaged in plastic containers with a volume of up to 100 ml and no more than 1 liter per person. The rules provide for the packaging of each container in an individual transparent plastic bag. Containers should be tightly closed. nine0003
For children over 2 years of age, the shipping rates for baby food vary. Products are stored in containers with a volume of not more than 100 ml. Each container must be signed and packed in a separate transparent bag.
It should be noted that for children over two years old on international flights, many airlines provide a special children's menu free of charge. So, Swiss Air, Air France offer for kids vegetable salads, cereals, yogurt, fruits or something more substantial, for example, chicken nuggets with a side dish. In order for the baby to be provided with food, it must be ordered in advance, at least 36 hours before departure. nine0003
In a nutshell…
We think now you have no questions about whether you can take baby food in your hand luggage on the plane. However, a brief summary of the above.
Our Luggage recommends. When placing baby food in hand luggage on an airplane, follow a few general rules:
- The food must not be perishable. It is better to take infant formula in dry form and dilute it on the plane, after asking the flight attendant for warm water.
- All containers, including puree jars, must be properly packaged. nine0101
- Liquid baby food must not exceed one litre.
