Can You Bring Food on the Plane? All Important Information

We all know it: You book the cheapest flight fare, skip checked baggage, and forgo a more or less tasty snack during the flight. But then it comes: hunger. What food you're allowed to bring on board to avoid this situation can be found here.

As the flight attendants walk through the aisles handing sandwiches, tomato juice, or a sip of wine to paying passengers, the idea of getting some airplane food becomes more tempting. But it doesn't have to come to that. For anyone who has ever wondered: "What food is allowed on the plane?", we will show you which foods you can take with you and why bringing snacks is essential for every carry-on.

The short and correct answer is: Yes, you are allowed to take food on the plane. There are numerous foods you can easily pack. These include fruits and vegetables, solid foods like sandwiches and granola bars, snacks like nuts, chips, and chocolate, as well as food for toddlers under three years. There are stricter rules regarding liquids, but solid foods pose no issues.

This food is allowed on the plane.

Bring an empty water bottle to the airport, as you can easily get it through security. At the gate, there are usually water dispensers to fill it up for free.

Yes, it is allowed to take drinks and liquid foods on the plane for toddlers and babies. If you are traveling with a toddler under 3 years old, you can take baby food and drinks needed for the duration of the trip without any issues. The 100 ml rule does not apply here.

Important: The (baby) food must be in the original sealed container when brought on board.

If it's your first time flying with your little one, we recommend our tips on the topic of Traveling with Toddlers. Here you can read how to avoid extra costs and how to ensure your trip doesn't become a nerve-wracking experience.

Yes, you can bring sandwiches on the plane. It's no problem to prepare a few sandwiches for the flight. Cheese, cold cuts, and salad with tomatoes and cucumbers are all allowed.

Why should it even be a problem to bring your own food on board? The answer: EU regulations for carry-on luggage are strict. A brief look back at 2006 reminds us of the foiled attack at London's Heathrow Airport. At that time, terrorists disguised as tourists tried to smuggle bottles of hydrogen peroxide through the airport security to later blow up airplanes. In 2006, liquids like water, coffee, and others could still be easily taken on board in larger quantities. Although the attack was foiled, security agencies realized that stricter guidelines were needed for everyone's safety. The 10 x 100 ml rule was born and implemented quickly.

Today, many years after the introduction of the regulations, we have more or less gotten used to the restrictions. Frequent travelers at the airport can usually be recognized by their transparent and resealable plastic bag filled with all liquids, which they pack from their suitcase prior to the inspection and place it on the conveyor belt without being asked. The 10 x 100 ml rule also applies to coffee to go and orange juice in the morning, as you cannot simply take those through security. However, if you purchase both after passing through security at the gates, you are of course free to take your drinks and snacks on board.

The self-made sandwich can be brought on board without any issues. The same goes for (almost) all other solid foods. However, it's important that the bread is already prepared before boarding, and you shouldn't take a jar of jam or honey to spread your sandwiches during the flight. In this case, the spread would count as a liquid and therefore would have to be packaged accordingly.

If you keep an eye on a few things, having a little snack on the plane is not a problem, and other passengers with their sandwiches bought on the plane ("Cheese or turkey? ") will surely get a little envious. The same goes for rolls from the airport bakery or grandma's streuselkuchen. Most fruits and vegetables are also allowed. So if you occasionally feel hungry, just pack an apple or a few strawberries. It doesn't always have to be a full warm meal.

Also, smaller snacks (granola bars, candies, etc.) are generally not a problem - but: be aware that it can occasionally happen that someone on your flight may have a severe nut allergy. In this case, you will be informed in advance that any food containing nuts is prohibited. Even small particles in the air can be dangerous for someone with a severe allergy.

These scenarios are also familiar to many of us: On vacation, a particular spice tasted great, you absolutely must bring back a boxed soup from Asia for your best friend, and of course, there's a new chew bone for the dog as a souvenir. Oh, and the medications were much cheaper in the Turkey than in the local pharmacy. Without a second thought, we buy food and medications, pack them in our suitcase, and take them home. We hardly think about the fact that certain foods may not be allowed for import. Why would we?

Customs regulations to consider:

Not all food items are allowed for import to the United States or anywhere in the EU. Therefore, it's important to check directly with customs on a case-by-case basis to avoid penalties.

"The import of certain food and feed products to Germany can [...] be restricted or even generally prohibited due to specific regulations. If meat, milk, and related products such as cheese or sausage are brought in privately, these items must meet the same veterinary requirements as commercial import shipments. This means that travelers carrying such items may only enter the European Union through specific entry points where a veterinarian is present."

Especially with meat, milk, and egg products, and even vegetables like potatoes, customs are very strict. Do yourself a favor and don't take such products with you on your trip (whether you're traveling from or to the United States) - this saves time, nerves, and in the end, also money. You should have no problems bringing spices in household quantities. Regarding medications, it gets serious: If you stocked up on cheap medications in your vacation country, you may only bring them in quantities recognizable for your own use. If the imported medication turns out to be a counterfeit, you obviously cannot bring it in, and the same applies to substances used in doping. Detailed information on import regulations can be found on the customs website.

There have been rumors circulating in the travel community several times that on flights operated by so-called budget airlines like Ryanair, Easyjet, and others, bringing your own food on board is not allowed. But we can assure you: Both Ryanair and Easyjet and Wizz Air explicitly allow the bringing of your own food, so in this case, you can stock up on snacks without having to rely on expensive airplane food.

If you follow a few simple rules, you can confidently bring your own food on board and enjoy it above the clouds. Bon appétit!