Can I bring food from home on an airplane?

[ny biker]

I'm leaving for a trip in a couple of days, my first time on an airplane since 2003. So all these security rules are new to me.

I will need to eat breakfast while I'm on the plane, or else will wind up totally ill with a massive headache. Looking at the map of restaurants at Dulles Airport, I don't think there will be any good options for breakfast food that I can buy there, carry on the plane and actually have any desire to eat. So I am wondering -- can I bring something like a bagel with cream cheese from home and get it through security? Has anyone ever done anything like that? What about a bagel with butter (if cream cheese looks too much like an explosive)?

The TSA says this:

http://www.tsa.gov/travelers/airtravel/holiday.shtm

The flight leaves at 7:40 a.m. eastern time. In order to get there 2 hours ahead of time plus allowing 30 minutes to park the car and take the shuttle to the terminal, I will need to leave my house at 4:30 a.m. (Which means I'll be pulling an all-nighter, since I'm a night person who nevers get to bed before 1 a.m. no matter how early I have to get up. Anyway.)

My flight gets in at 12:19 p.m. eastern time (10:19 local time in Salt Lake City).

I really really really need to eat breakfast sometime between takeoff and landing and it really has to be something that will stick with me, like a whole wheat bagel, not total junk or fluff like a pastry.

I was also planning to bring some Kashi cookies in a zip-loc bag for a snack, but they won't do for breakfast. Neither will granola bars. I would have to eat too many of them to get the amount of calories that I need.

My normal breakfast is whole-grain waffles. But it won't help to eat them at home because I will be leaving home long before breakfast time.

Thoughts? Advice??

Thanks!!

[jessmarimba]

The easiest solution would be to put the cream cheese in a "toiletry" container in the toiletry ziploc, or get a little single-serving cream cheese packet. I would imagine that cream cheese or butter could be misconstrued as a "gel" by a cranky TSA agent, and the system pretty much gives them the final word regardless of the current regulations.

I have actually taken cupcakes through without issue (despite the frosting) but always expect problems.

I agree with you on the food options at Dulles. I was stuck there once for 5 hours (from 5:20 am to about 10) waiting for a flight to Richmond. My terminal was surprisingly deserted at 5 am.

[TsPoet]

I've never even thought about it, just done it! I'm a T1 diabetic, I always have food with me. A bagel with creamcheese is perfect to carry on.
now that you've brought it up, next time it'll probably be taken away from me
I put it in my carry on and have never had an issue.
Maybe if not cream cheese, swiss or something less liquid-like?

[jessmarimba]

I'll also say - I can't remember if Dulles has Starbucks or not, but their oatmeal is actually pretty good.

[GLC1968]

I would think that if you spread it on the bagel ahead of time and just leave it in your bag, no one will even bat an eyelash. I've carried those little crackers w/ cheese sandwich thingys on with no problems.

Most airport restaurants actually serve 'carry on' food options now because they know that none of the airlines serve food anymore. Is there no Starbucks at Dulles? You could get a bagel with cream cheese there, I assume. My regular Starbucks carries them...

[Biciclista]

I always carry food when I fly. But buy your drinks after you pass security

[Crankin]

Buy your food after you pass through security. You probably won't get your whole grain waffles, but you'll get something. If you try to bring it through security, you risk it getting tossed.

[ny biker]

Buy your food after you pass through security. You probably won't get your whole grain waffles, but you'll get something. If you try to bring it through security, you risk it getting tossed.

The problem is that I can't rely on "something." My stomach can't stand very much early in the morning -- I can't even eat oatmeal. And if I eat junk I'll just be hungry again in an hour, which I could accomplish for free by bringing pop-tarts from home.

I think I will bring the bagel with me and hope for the best.

Thanks!!

[Veronica]

I took a bagel and cream cheese through security when we came back from Hawaii. It did not get taken away. Of course that doesn't mean yours won't.


The map says there is a Dunkin Doughnuts at concourse B - they'll have bagels maybe.

And two Starbucks at concourse C.

Concourse A has a coffee shop.

Hope your bagel makes it through and if not, that you can find something.

Veronica

PS I DO miss Dunkin Doughnuts.

[jobob]

PS I DO miss Dunkin Doughnuts.

Oh, me too!

[Irulan]

I always pack a sandwich and some fruit. I would be the person sitting next to you with a tuna sandwich.

I don't buy drinks at the airport. I take an empty water bottle, and then ask the bartender to fill it for me.

[bmccasland]

Take an empty water bottle and fill it after security at a water fountain. Take bagel or waffles sans spreads. Look for a packet of cream cheese before you go and take that (small size, commercially packaged and labeled) - the deli part of your local grocery or a quick-mart.

I'll get to try this trick next week when I have to fly out on a business trip.

[shootingstar]

Everyone is so...practical and so conscientous.

I often buy a snack, yes a baked good that I cannot get at home in terms of good quality/uniqueness nor cannot be bought at an airport.

An airflight to me, costs enough money, therefore prior/during the flight I take something to eat, that is not typical/ordinary. To me, the food is memory of the place I visited, enjoyed and remembered.

I rarely do business travel flying...so that might account for my attitude.

Life is short.

[jessmarimba]

My company has an unlimited supply of the mini cream cheese packets...I'd mail you one if I thought it would help!

It truly depends on the TSA guy. I've seen them make people throw away food that they were eating despite the fact that whatever food was legally allowed through (like an apple) and seen them ignore people who obviously don't understand the 3-1-1 rule and do not remove liquids from carryons. I've had my bag screened THREE TIMES for a pewter hairclip, and almost had a work folder taken away b/c it had those metal bendy things to secure papers inside it (apparently, they resemble 8-inch tweezers). I switched to bamboo knitting needles despite the fact that they spell out that aluminum ones are allowed, b/c they will sometimes confiscate those.

*sigh*

And I miss dunkin donuts too. I'll trade you a donut for the mini cream cheese packet.

[channlluv]

I've seen people bring whole lunch boxes on board and unpack, um, aromatic ethnic dishes, big lunch plates of salads with dressing, and sandwiches. I don't think you'd have any problem with a bagel and cream cheese.

Roxy