question about food allowed on plane

Things like crackers, peanut butter crackers, and cheese aren't liquids. They don't have to go in the 1 qt baggie. Jello is on the 3-1-1 list, so it would have to go in. Each passenger is allowed one quart-size bag only, and all liquids must fit within it with the top zipped. As for water, many airports have places after security where you can buy water and carry it on (this is not subject to the 3-1-1 rule). You could also bring just an empty sports bottle and fill it with water on the plane. Even if they did happen to confiscate something, snacks and such are available on the plane.

Thank you so much for clarifying that for me. This will be my first time flying since 911 and I am a bit nervous, not so much about flying, but about getting through all the check points without any problems.

I am looking for a good pair of slip on shoes just for the airports, as having to bend down to untie my good hiking shoes would be awkward for me.

This is good advice for my husband as well. He will be going to Sicily this summer with his professor and a group of grad students.

Depending on who you are flying with most likely the flight attendents will give a bottle of water if you ask. If they hesitate, tell them kindly that you need to drink a lot of liquids, and will be rising frequently and coming to fetch more or buzzing them for more water. (I have only had to do this once). Most of the time they will give you the bottle. Of if you have a wide mouth water bottle you can ask them to fill it on their rounds, though in this case they will usually just give you the bottle.

Thank you all for the reassuring advice. I see that there are a number of wonderful products that can replace the liquid stuff... strip style shampoos and soaps. If I do things right, I may not have any liquids going, or very little.

I am enjoying the adventure of planning this trip. It is about as exciting as actually being on the trip itself. :)

I've been taking my own food for 20 plus years just because I've always liked to eat low sodium but tasty food. That said I've never had any solid food taken. I usually take a leak proof container of fresh orange slices or whatever - no juice, a sandwich, and an empty thermos. I fill the thermos up after the security checkpoint with, for me, a large unsweetened ice tea purchased at a Burger King etc. OK OK I also bring some chocolate....

Sue, I wouldn't bother with some of the products that are now being promoted for "dry " travel( sorry dry shampoo and strip shampoo is just a wrong concept, LOL ) . It is almost like people think if they don't bring shampoo they won't find any in Europe,LOL
For a short trip you can find little sample size shampoo bottles at most drug stores, and you CAN bring multiples of them if you want, as long as they all fit in the baggie. You could also just bring one to start then spend 2 or 3 euros in a store in Europe and buy a regular bottle of shampoo, just throw out what you don't use for return trip.

OK, the last time I flew we could buy things after security in Munich, but CDG was a madhouse and they made people leave things they had purchased AFTER security (all three lines of security) before we got on the bus to board. There must have been 30 bottles of French wine sitting beside the door. The gate people must have had a great evening. It wasn't just Delta either, the other airlines were all doing the same.

I tried taking a small jar of peanut butter onboard and they said no!

Was it over 3 oz., Sidney? Peanut butter in a jar (or jam or syrup or other "liquid/gel" foods) still has to meet the 3 oz. rule. I can't say that I've ever seen a 3 oz. or less jar of peanut butter.

I do hear stories now and then about food and check points. One lady had a Peanut Butter and jelly sandwich she made for her child. The security said the peanut butter was ok, but the jelly had to go. :O

Plus, I am not sure how much the security folks actually keep up with all of the changing rules and regulations.

At anyrate, the fresh fruit, sandwich, and empty thermos sound reasonably safe.

I keep joking with my husband that if things keep going, we may end up finding ourselves flying in the nude with no carryons at all. :D

As other travellers said, you have to worry only about liquids.
I would say preseve is considered liquid.
I don't eat peanut butter or preserve, but I am sure you can buy them in small jars.If not you can buy small plastic containers you can put some in it.
About th sandwiches that were confiscated. That's weird, one sandwich takes less then 3oz of any type of spread. Another thing is that the security guys don't search your carry-ons, or at least they weren't doing it when I travelled last year.Then how do they know what you have in your bag? the xrays won't see any difference between liquids and solids.
I remeber reading about the sandwich story on some other forum, but that was the only case I've ever heard of it.You can buy water after to pass the security. I always carry an empty small thermos in the aircraft and buy water after security. They checked it, and let me go.

Sue, it was the standard size small jar.My main point was that they consider it a liquid.

Because I have a peculiar diet for health reasons, I have found a lot of solutions for carrying on food. I buy bottled water after the security checkpoint and carry those little packets of additives (found by the Crystal Light and Kool-aid in the grocery store). Some of these contain sugar, some sweetner. You could make up your own drink additives to help you with whatever you would need in case your condition causes an issue. Just put the mixture in those snack size baggies and pour into the bottle as needed. Instead of a jar of peanut butter, bring some of those cracker and peanut packages where you spread the peanut butter yourself. That way you could eat just the peanut butter if needed, and the packages are so small there shouldn't be a problem.

Another idea is to have your doctor write a letter stating your condition and the food you need to have available. They won't ease up on the liquids, but they might give you the benefit of the doubt if something is borderline.

Thanks for knowing that you are hypoglycemic and being proactive enough to bring a snack with you at all times! As EMS I can really appreciate that. I wish all my passengers were so thoughtfully prepared!
Had you thought of carrying those tablets that diabetics carry? They are small and easily transported. Or even a packet of sugar comes in handy to add to a bottle of water. (That's why you'll find sugar packets in our medical kits...)
The suggestion to carry a wide mouth sports drink bottle is a good one. I often advise that. We can refill
it for you as needed. We often have only the 1.5 litre bottles on board which can't be distributed to everyone. Don't drink from the tap in the Lav. Some people do but it's not safe.
Depending on who you fly with, you may be able to purchase snacks on board for an inflated price. So do bring some. there were some good suggestions listed.
Be sure to visit the Airline's website. Smart travelers always start there!

Safe Skies,
F/A

Know the regulations of the airports through which you will be traveling. I had water that I had purchased after the security checkpoints taken away from me before I could board the plane in at least two airports last summer. In one, I told the clerk that I was purchasing it for the plane, and she failed to put it in a seal, "stamped" bag that would have been ok. In the other, they would allow none on at all.

Also, a related question. Is it ok to bring on empty water bottles or thermoses? I thought that the reason for the 3oz container size rule (not just that amount of liquid) was so that nothing could be mixed together.

Denice, good question. An empty water bottle is no problem at all. It's probably a safe bet to just carry an empty one and ask the Crew to fill and refill it for you. That way there is no possibility of it being taken away. It won't cost you anything either. I couldn't believe that bottled water cost $3.75 US at one Airport. Wish I could remember where but I'm sorry I can't recall. I do remember that I didn't buy it, though!

Thanks for the information. I like to have plenty of water during flights and hate to keep asking the flight attendants for it.

Almost everyone is packing a lunch in their personal item these days.

If it's not life or death to lose something to security, pack whatever you want and show it to them. If there are things they don't allow, you can replenish your supplies at the restaurants and newsstands in the airport after clearing security.

For water, buy or save some sports bottles, bring them through security empty, then fill them at a drinking fountain before boarding. I hate to rely on getting anything on board the aircraft (some airlines have much better service than others). Even if the attendants bring something, you can't be sure it will be appetizing.