If your food is solid, you’re golden. Sandwiches, chips, cookies, fresh fruit, candy, granola bars—you can pack all of it in your carry-on bag. The TSA agents might peek at your bag of apples, but they won’t arrest you for having a healthy snack.
Think of it this way: if you can drop it on the floor and it goes thud, you’re probably safe. That bag of pretzels? Thud. Your peanut butter and jelly sandwich? A glorious, squishy thud. Bring it on.
The One Big, Greasy Exception: Peanut Butter and Jelly (and Jams)
Okay, here’s where it gets slightly tricky. Creamy peanut butter, jelly, jam, and Nutella fall into a weird gray zone. They’re not liquids, but they’re also not exactly solids, are they?
The TSA has a rule: anything that can be spread, poured, or squeezed counts as a liquid. That means your jar of peanut butter has to be under 3.4 ounces (100ml) if it’s in your carry-on. Sad, I know. Checked bags, of course, welcome your full-sized Skippy with open arms.
