*TSA-FRIENDLY SNACKS & RECIPES:* bit.ly/AirportSnacks-PP

A tip for the frozen water bottle: drink the melted water off right before going through security

Very informative. Whenever I pack hot food into a thermos, I usually prefill the thermos with hot or boiling water for 1 minute, then pour out and refill with the hot food, to keep it hotter longer.

I do a fritatta instead of a scramble. It bakes up solid and goes into a baggie, so no thermos needed as it tastes great at room temperature.

Dollar Tree has a wonderful assortment of single serving snacks.... chips, trail mix, candy and more! My problem is ... if I buy too many snacks too early.... sometimes, I am only left with one for my flight 😂

There's so many restaurants and snacks available once you're through TSA, I have never felt any need to bring snacks with me. When I do throw a couple of granola bars into my backpack 🎒, they usually make the round trip and I discover them when I am unpacking! "Oh, look! A snack!"

I buy divided containers at the dollar store and fill it with protein (chicken breast, deli meats, etc), fruit (berries), cheese (non smelly!) and crakers. Twice as much food as the prepared food for sale in some airlines, twice the taste, with exactly what husband and I like (we're under very strict diet) for half the price. We toss the containers when we arrive to our destination. **if you want cut apples, i dust it with cinamon. not only does it add lots of taste but they don't turn brown, also works at amusement parks**

Love the "No Durian Fruit!" signs with Asian airlines / hotels. You would understand if you smelt it!😅 Keep up the great work!

“It’s going to be up to the TSA agent….” Very dreaded words!!!!

“Sometimes that bag of baby carrots is not going to cut it” 😂 Keeping’ it real 💯 Awesome video! 👏🏼

Having celiac requires strong planning, meal preps, and backup meal options for emergencies or delays.

For most flights, I just go to the grocery store beforehand and pick up some things like a bag of trail mix, or nuts, or other snacks (just keep them sealed and don't open them until you get through TSA or you will probably have to throw them away at TSA). Although most airlines I fly on do at least offer some sort of free drink (water or soda) and a few snacks, depending on the length of flight, but it's nice to have your own just in case they don't (or if they can't serve food/drink due to turbulance which has happened a few times, and made a long flight, seem even longer). Then I just bring an empty water bottle and fill it at the airport. So if you eat lunch or dinner before you get to the airport too, and you bring snacks with you (that you bought elsewhere) you can avoid paying for overpriced airport food and snacks). But normally when I do this I do make sure it fits within my backapck (which is my personal bag) or can fit into a coat pocket as a coat doesn't count as a personal item and can be a life saver at times when they deem your carry-on to be too big for example (I've emptied things into my coat pockets and gotten on the flight before, because at least when I had this happen years ago, if you're wearing it, they don't count it towards your personal item or carry-on limits. The frozen item thing is a good hack, as my friend would sometimes freeze soda or juice and get it through TSA but he would also use a smaller container, like something that was maybe 8 oz, as to not draw too much attention to them. Some of these though I think depend on the specific TSA agent you're going through, as some may not allow certain items that may fall into a "grey" area like frozen fluids. One ting about the thermos idea is that if you DON'T have time to make food ahead of time, buying something like a burrito and then emptying the contents into a thermos can be quick way to make a snack that you can get through security and can be easily eaten out of the thermos with a fork. (I have used the thermos idea for getting food into things like conventions where outside food has not been allowed, never had any issues, but have not tried using it going through tsa). Your last point about additives is very important, especially if you are flying to another country, since they may not have the particular sweeteners or additives you like to use, so if you are traveling overseas, I would bring these just in case, although they may NOT be legal in some countries (just how certain foods and additives are not legal in the US; I'm saying this from the perspective of a US citizen though).

I pack Larabars and individual snack baggies filled with my why protein powder and put it in my shaker cup. Actually take enough white protein for each day that I’m gone. Individual almond packets too

I packed peanut butter and cut up apples and sat in the corner at the airport and had a guilt free snack. Easy and inexpensive

I fast on my flight days in order to be able to be light on my feet and move quickly without getting bogged down from a full stomach. It’s usually not more than a total of about ten hours door to door, so very doable.

If you can spend a bit of time preparing ahead get yourself a “ picnic in a bag” while you’re on your way to the airport eat the stuff and then dispose of the bag when convenient, I call it a “picnic in a bag” as you can put almost anything you want in there, the only rule is that you have to eat it before arriving at the airport. Airports try to make you spend when you don’t need to. If you’re not hungry when you arrive at the airport you won’t be buying a McDonald’s or similar. If you save a few podcasts you have something to occupy you while waiting. Airports have to make money but don’t feel compelled to buy stuff because it’s there. Most airlines will give you a meal of some sort so you’re not going to starve as it were. In most cases when you arrive at your destination you can find shops to buy stuff, find a local store and support them as will probably be cheaper and be grateful for the trade. Planning is always important and something folk overlook, don’t leave stuff until the last minute. The more prepared you are the better the journey will be in the end. I don’t see any sense in getting stressed about travel, if you get free samples of shower gel or something like that keep them for travel purposes. I have a bedside table in the spare bedroom with things I collect and keep, you never know when they will be needed. Every time you go out look for free stuff and don’t decline samples in stores as you can always find a use for them. Remember coupons can be a benefit too, the free stuff you got recently might be just what you need too, Always plan ahead and make things work out for you.

Beef Jerky! High protein that I need, factory sealed bag. Fits easily in my oversized purse.

Great idea about the egg scramble ☺️ I suffer from Celiac disease... traveling anywhere is complicated...the airport lounge's don't even accommodate anymore 😐

Thanks for the tips, Megan! I leave on Monday for another trip to my house in Chiang Mai. I fly to LAX on SWA, then PAL to Bangkok, and finally, the 13 hour train ride overnight to Chiang Mai. I arrive there at noon on Thursday. Both checked bags are are 49.2 and 49.5 pounds (I trust my portable scale and will have it in my pocket if I have any problems at check in at MCI and LAX). My carry on is at 7 kilos exactly. My one problem is that my wife at the last minute decided to send 3 large bags of Hersheys miniatures, weighing 9 pounds total. I am carrying a small backpack, which will have my 8 prescription medications in it. I assume that the medications don’t count toward weigh problems with the backpack. I am wearing a coat with large pockets on it and may try to put one bag in it and the other 2 bags in the backpack. The only place that might weigh the backpack is at LAX gate and Manila gate. What I do know is that I won’t be paying $200 to check my backpack. I’ll toss the candy first and look to replace it at either Manila airport duty or BKK airport duty free on landing. Otherwise, I’m good to go to a city whose daytime temperatures reach 100-105 F and still has problems with smog. Wish me good luck.

Thanks Megan, always great info.

Please do a video on how you travel gluten free!!! I have the same issue and have so much anxiety about eating at restaurants!!! Or airport food...

Great video and informative!

So helpful, lots of really great helpful information, thank you

This Celiac appreciates your posts addressing these issues. Thanks.

Thanks for the snacks recommendation. I’ve downloaded the pdf.

thanks for the information dear

Thank you so much for making this video 0:26

Thanks, Megan, for the insight for flight snacks for flights. 😊

Thank you so much! This is a gamechanger for me, as we travel with 3 preteen kids.

Very helpful video.

Informative, well presented, thought provoking. LOVE IT!

Thanks for providing the pdf of prepared food, which I've downloaded. ❤

Wow so many great tips it’s crazy! Thank you as I travel a lot! Just genius! 👍

I suggest that you explain what TSA defines a "liquid" as. It might help understand why ice cubes are allowed but not water or explain why ice cubes that melt while standing in the TSA line is not permitted.

Good video. If the airline isn't going to feed me, I'll have a meal at the airport. The only flights that ever caused me to fill my thermos with hot water, and to have a few sachets of soup in my jacket-pockets, were ........ Chinook flights in Afghanistan.

Thank you so much, Megan. These are great ideas. I appreciate your generosity with information. I must have a perfectly bland diet and cannot eat most tasty foods or prepared foods. I’ve found that very few airlines offer a bland diet option for special meals. Your tips have opened my eyes to ways i can fly again. I also have hypoglycemia and it’s extremely hard to make it through delays, when you are about to faint from not getting food quickly enough.

These are great tips! On a recent trip, I spent $36 on two bagels with cheese and a chocolate bar 🍫! So this is very helpful!

Your suggestions are amazing! I appreciate all the options for leaving from home to travel. Do you have suggestions to obtain food to travel from overseas back to the US to avoid over spending!. I love your channel and you have encourged me to travel more to the point where I have just planned my 1st overseas trip. I am excited. Thank you!

5:28 Ollie !!! thx Ms Megan 😄

Great tips as always! Many thanks

Great lesson on carrying homemade food with a thermos! I have been afraid the thermos would be taken. I, too, have problems with my diet that most airlines don't have a meal that matches my needs. I definitely will be packing my own for my next international flight! Thank you for your information.

Thank you Megan! 👍

I take a packaged bowl of Caesar salad. It has a little cup of dressing that I don't separate for TSA and I haven't been stopped for it yet. I eat it in the airport usually at bars where I buy a drink. I used to always take grapes which would trigger an additional search. So I started putting it in the tray

If you need to bring ice pack for medicine or baby formula those items will most likely go through secondary screening. Also, make the tsa agent aware that you have those items.

The hack of putting your food separate through security scanner is a great hack!! I do it all the time. I travel with almonds and other nuts and when you have a bag of that. the security scanner can’t see through and the security always has to take it out to see it. This way they don’t feel through all your stuff to get to the bags of nuts and food.

Love this video! So fun 👏

Love the idea of the bento box. I am going to purchase a sandwich I love from a nearby place and add more things to my little bento box. Thanks for the great video.❤

Thanks for sharing

With the food handlers strike on a major Cdn airline, I couldn’t get my non-dairy meal. I bought a vegan wrap after security at YYZ for my outgoing flight and a made to order turkey club at MCO after security for my return flight. If there is still a strike on my next trip, I’ll try to bring something from home for the flight out.

Another question, what do you do for the return trip home?

Megan, do you use a plastic thermos vs a stainless one so it can be xray'd easier?

Tail mix is our favorite snack to bring. The Costco big bag is the best and we put 1/2 cup of the mix in baggies.

THIS 11:30 is the MONEY tip I always use. And the reason I hold on to a couple of Starbucks bags at home! 🎯

Thanks for the recipes. On my trip to Vegas last fall (international flight), I had my raspberries, strawberries and sliced apples thrown out on me because they were packed at home, and didn’t come in “bought” packaging. A threat to farming/plants in the US according to the agent. She tried to throw out my Tupperware too! My next trip is in June, but will be cross-country, so no international borders. Flying Porter this time too. Looking forward to trying them out.

I haven't flown in years and had just assumed that you couldn't bring food on your flight. Great information 👍 thanks!

OMG I’ve been hoping for a video like this. This will save me so much money on airport food. Thank you so much!!

I have a 17 hour flight soon. Your videos are so awesome I needed this info ❤❤❤

Never use the hot water from the plane tanks for coffee, tea or food prep. Those tanks are never cleaned.

I am also celiac and have been bringing my own meals and snacks for years. I also travel with a wide mouth thermos, an immersion heater so I can boil water at airports or with water I bring onto plane or bottled water from plane using outlets under seat. I bring various snacks but also dehydrated meals as I have been caught out when my "special meal" was either not loaded or inedible. Fruit, veg, granola bars, tea, coffee, hot chocolate, drink mixes and whatever meal replacements I might want like oatmeal with fruit and nuts or a dehydrated Mylar bag with a full meal in it are essential. I just bought a freeze dryer which is a complete game changer. While mostly for food storage and remote camping trips it is awesome for plane travel. Just don't overdo it with the food as you may have to toss it upon arrival in a foreign country😁

Sleepy Ollie is better than no Ollie! Also, I'm so hungry after watching this video... 🤣

Thank you for your time and posting. I wonder if others worldwide think like this, hacks to bring food on a plane. Or do their planes have better food, or do they not think about eating as much as Americans?

Didn't know you were gluten sensitive too! I'm the same! Looking forward to seeing your snacks and recipes file. If you can do a video on your other favorite gluten-free snacks, that would be great if possible! ❤

Off topic BUT I haven’t flown international since before Covid so many carry on rules have changed. Would you recommend bringing your bag to the local airport ahead of time to see if it fits in one of their measuring devices/baskets?

I have a feeding tube so have to carry boost (formula). Yes, I can bring several bottles with me because it is for medical reason but I must leave extra time for my boost and medical equipment checked. I also carry a doctor’s note in case I am questioned.

Hi Megan. I get really hungry travelling. lol

On my trip last year to Amsterdam I cut up cheese and sliced up an apple that I soaked in fruit fresh and water then drained and bagged. Due to very bad weather, my flight to IAD was late and what was supposed to be a 3hour lay over turned into a jog to my gate where last boarding was in progress. So no meal in DC as planned. We then sat on the tarmac for over 2 hours due to a tornado nearby. In flight dinner was late for turbulence, first class is served then more turbulence, so dinner delayed. I break out my apple and cheese that I share with my seat neighbor. So on a large bowl of cereal at 8am to dinner after 10pm w/o anything in between except what I brought. I now bring more food to supplement what the airline serves incase I can’t eat much of it (tomato & bell pepper allergies). I bring a packet of koyo ramen, beef jerky, cheese and whole apple with chopsticks and sea to summit collapsing bowl w/ water tight lid. And 2 pkts instant oatmeal for an AM arrival as I can’t sleep on planes and just want 4-6 hrs sleep asap after check in.

Nice suggestions. However, as you've covered, one should be prepared to explain or open containers while going through security if agents ask for a visual inspection. Sometimes it is possible they might ask you to discard or separate out items whic takes time. Also the frozen bottle hack can go both ways.

OK first enjoyed the tips. Good ideas. Question: at 7:35 you talk about egg scramble/Monster Mash, why did you look up? Question: hot water on flights. I am a tea drinker. The hot water (business/first class) they bring you always has the taste of coffee. Drink tea with a coffee flavor and it does not work. Solution: ??? help ???

I use Stasher bags to store and separate my stuff. They’re waterproof, see through and come in a lot of sizes.

I normally budget food and drink into my travel plans as part of the experience but this time being on a budget, we are gonna try our hands at a “snackle box”. I got them for under $5 a piece on amazon and will just buy water after TSA 🤞🏻

Driving an hour to the airport and getting there 2 hours before the flight, my turkey sandwich was room temperature and not very appealing. I solved this by freezing my sandwich the night before. In the morning I packed it with a side of not frozen lettuce to add when on the plane. Delish!

Besides passing through TSA, some states may have Agricultural Inspections Stations at the airport and may not allow certain foods to be taken on planes. For example, fresh fruits are not allowed to be taken on flights out of Hawaii to the continental US, although they would pass TSA.

Before boarding a Salt Lake flight an announcement concerning a fellow passengers' peanut allergy was made prohibiting any peanut containing food items consumed during the flight. So much for the Snickers bar and peanut butter and jelly sandwich I'd packed.

My Sardines, olives and aged cheese tastes great while flying !😁😁

I'm sorry about your condition. It does make things a bit more challenging. My favorite gluten free dish is egg fried rice. Cold day old rice bright to room temp, eggs, scallions, green peas. I like Spam ham but i grew up on it and it's optional. Make sure the rice is loose. In more oil you think you need, scramble the eggs seasoned with salt until about 80% done. Move it to the side a bit and throw in the rice. Mix rice with eggs and cook for a bit. Add salt to taste. Put in peas and add chopped scallions. Cook a little longer and it's done. You can add whatever proteins you'd like.

It really depends on the agent because I’ve had my home prepared breakfast trashed twice. I had a very early flight for a business meeting and wouldn’t have time for breakfast once landed and didn’t want to have the plane food. Both times they advised it wasn’t allowed to bring food through security.

I have some new dollar tree containers, they are round and have screw on lids. Found them in the baby section actually! Perfect for little snacks like cheese. And also found little squeezable dressing containers that I'm going to use for my other liquids. Snacks from the dollar tree are a must have too lol. I have my one in flight meal paid for already! From Japan back to the US. Only because I know I'm going to miss the food from their, I already paid for it! 😂

I always use zip lock bags for my food.....Hudson news bags are great for a carry on...& frozen water bottles...I never starve at the airport

What Voltage Converter do you use?

Thank you for reminding people that some food smells can be unpleasant to their fellow passengers. I don't know whether or not I have a peanut allergy, because I never have been able to get near enough to one to try it. Merely smelling peanuts or peanut butter makes me terribly nauseated. I traveled monthly back when they served them on airplanes, and I just accepted that for about 20 minutes every flight, I would be plunged into my own, private hell.

So if flying from USA to Amsterdam then to South Africa, I’ll have to eat everything before I land in Amsterdam and having nothing left for flight to South Africa, right?

So does that mean if I have a connecting flight I might not be able to bring my own food all the way? I fly from Germany to England, then to the US. And I would need my food for the England-US flight. But since I have to go through immigration and customs in England, does that mean I won't be able to take my food?

Coming home from San Diego, I brought a huge styrofoam container of the previous night’s spaghetti. I had no trouble getting through security and luckily I enjoy it cold. I expected it to be confiscated, but thought I’d give it a shot anyway. They didn’t even ask me any questions when I sent it through screening in the plastic bin.

Can I pack single dill pickles if it does not include the brine?

You can take ice thru security in your beverage container and you can freeze bottled water or other liquids as long as it is frozen when you go thru security. I am a retired TSA Lead security Officer

Hi! Can I spread peanut butter on apple slices or celery stalks and bring that and peanut butter won’t be considered a liquid? I’m getting nervous for my first big travel overseas.

I try not to eat too much and stick to foods i find easy to digest because I'd rather be a little hungry than bloated and 💨💨 😝. I have a flight to Scandinavia from Seattle next month and I'm planning out the airplane food (& not buying an online meal).

When flying coach on short flights,i pick up a packaged sandwich at my local grocery store,they are sealed and kept in the cold section..the night before my flight..

Arby's roast beef sandwich, and pkg of sauce; buy 2-3, open up at home , separate meat from bun to 'dry' a little; assemble& put sauce on, rewrap, freeze. Take out and put in carryon, frozen; they thaw out in couple of hours. Do same with homemade--no mayo, dairy.

Since I’m flying mostly internationally, I only bring dried fruits and nuts since I get a meal and a snack anyway. Great tips for those who don’t get a meal on their flight, but please for the love of dog, don’t bring anything too stinky 😅

I’m going to bring cucumber with hummus between like you showed ❤me

For a domestic flight with a group I was living with, I once brought a box of like 10 burritos through airport security 😂 It was allowed. I've also more recently brought a bag of pizza slices and a container of leftover Chinese food. It's usually fine, especially if it's consumed before you land. I also tend to bring raw veggies and granola bars.

All good idea but there’s no way I’m putting my ziplock food bag directly in those nasty contaminated bins! I don’t even put any clothing (jacket, blazer etc) Orin those bins. Before security I put in my carryon until I’m thru, same with my personal bag it goes in a garbage bag in the bin which goes in the trash after security. Dirty shoes doesn’t and food, clothes doesn’t work for me.

I knew Stan's Monster Mash in thermoses would draw extra TSA attention! Haha. And besides, he is a celebrity and would get more perks that me if I tried the same thing. And yes, these airlines are cracking down on the hacks we all use, unlike a decade ago when they were so lenient and allowed us to carry so much more for free.

I love taking left over Chinese food with me sometimes!

I usually just use a plain white plastic grocery bag for my snacks, and I have never had anyone look through it, even when some were opened. As long as they are not liquids and are consumed before you land (if you are traveling internationally), no one seems to care.

I like traveling with gummies too 🤭

I started to give the flight attendents my thermos so they fill it with hot or cold water. Works every time and it's so much more liquid I can drink than those few cups of coca cola or water we get...

I pack my food/snacks in an insulated food bag, that way it's all in one place & cool - no risk of food poisoning.

I got pulled out of line and spent a half hour waiting for them to test my Vital Proteins collagen peptides powder and flavored ground coffee for explosives. Evidently, at least one of the ingredients is also on the list of bomb ingredients, don’t know about the coffee. I told the TSA officer that they should warn us on their site, as I’d checked and nothing was said. He said no because not all protein powders trigger the search because of different ingredients. They tested it and had to get clearance from on the phone to let me carry it through, otherwise there was a chance that they’d confiscate it. Needless to say, I started mailing it and the coffee ahead of time and then just bought a container to keep at my son’s house, since I visit several times per year.