Can I bring food from home on an airplane?

[uk elephant]

Always bring water bottle, which gets filled past security. Use carabiner and attach empty bottle on outside of bag. Never any problem as it is clearly empty and no need to open bag to check suspicious item. Also usually carry lunch: sandwiches, fruit, chocolate. Never any problem. And travelled all over world with aluminum knitting needles...never been questioned or stopped.

[Brandi]

I don't take my inhaler out of my bag and no one has ever questioned it!

[jessmarimba]

I have the unfortunate luck of being stuck in an airport somewhere every single time something crazy happens, which might be why I take fewer chances than most. Underwear bomber? I was sitting in ORD. Plane lands in the Hudson? I was sitting in CLT. Etc. Stuff like that happens, they end up having extra security even once you're already in the terminal (gate screenings, etc). Plus I used to book flights so close to the flight date that I seemed to be permanently on Delta's extra screening list. Lost a lot of "suspicious" stuff that year for no reason. It has eased up since I moved to Denver but I'm still really cautious.

[ny biker]

There were no instructions to take anything out of your bag, or to do anything else, at the security checkpoint. There were no recorded announcements. I f there were instructions on the signs, it was in print that was too small to read. I did what the people in front of me did -- took a bin, put my shoes and jacket in it, put my bag on the belt, waited for someone to tell me to walk through the scanner, picked up my stuff, put my shoes on and headed for the gate.

So, now I have several hours to waste at SLC airport...