TSA Provides Helpful Tips for Traveling With Holiday Gifts, Food

The Transportation Security Administration (TSA) has provided tips and tricks to make transporting food and gifts through airport security checkpoints easier during the winter holiday travel period.

TSA officials said most solid food items are permitted to go through a checkpoint with no issues, but if the food can be spilled, spread, sprayed, pumped or poured—and is larger than 3.4 ounces—it should be packed in a checked bag.

Security officers may need to perform additional screening on food items, so the government agency recommends removing all food items from carry-on bags and placing them in a bin for quick access at the checkpoint.

The TSA provided a helpful list of holiday foods that can be carried through airport checkpoints, including fruitcake, cookies, cake, pies, candy canes, spices, ham and more. Items that should be packed in checked baggage include Egg Nog, champagne, wine, cranberry sauce, maple syrup, jellies and more.

As for those traveling with holiday gifts, TSA recommends packing them in bags or boxes instead of wrapping them, as they would need to be opened if the item inside triggers a security alarm.

TSA officials also said snow globes are a popular holiday gift, but must be packed in a checked bag since the globe of water contains more than 3.4 ounces of liquid.

Earlier this year, the TSA revealed it would lower the online renewal fee for PreCheck from $85 to $70.