Can Your Thanksgiving Dinner Fly With You?

Bringing a dish to pass for Thanksgiving is a tradition. But when you are traveling by plane from another destination, it can get a little tricky. There are Transportation Security Administration​ (TSA) rules about traveling with your Thanksgiving dishes, some of which may surprise you.

If you are looking to haul your turkey on this busiest travel day of the year, you are in luck. You can bring an entire bird, frozen or thawed, through security as a carry-on, according to TSA. It will be screened as you make your way through security, but you will have your turkey in hand as you board the plane. You can actually bring any kind of meat that you are planning to eat or cook in your carry-on bag any day of the year.

Gravy gets a little more challenging when flying. The TSA website states that you can’t bring gravy in its liquid state as a carry-on unless it is 3.4 ounces or less, but you can put it in your checked luggage if need be. If you just can’t live without your homemade gravy recipe this Thanksgiving, try freezing it as a carry-on option, according to Lifehacker. TSA will allow any frozen liquids to travel with you as a carry-on.

The liquid rule also goes for wine and spirits as these items will have to be snugged away in your checked luggage for the voyage unless they are less than 3.4 ounces or 100 ml, according to the TSA website. Any other liquid type of food will have to be checked even if it is a can that is packed with water.

Your baked goodies will do just fine when traveling on your lap this holiday season. TSA allows pies and cakes to make it through security as a carry-on item. Even if you are bringing a fruit pie that has liquids in it, TSA will allow you to board with this delicious goodness. It may take you a little longer to get through security with a home-baked treat, but it will be worth every moment when you sink your teeth into it on Thanksgiving Day.

Keep in mind that whipped crème toppings need to be checked and must be in a container that is 17 fluid ounces or less, according to Lifehacker. For this reason, you may be better off buying or making this topping once you land.

The infamous green bean casserole can also make it aboard the plane as a carry-on. Same goes for stuffing if you decide to bring this dish to pass. Security may scrutinize these items a little harder and swab them for explosive residue, but your casseroles and stuffing will make it through security unscathed just in time to board your plane, Lifehacker reports.

One of the easiest ways to bring what you want aboard the plane is to freeze it. Frozen foods can be brought as a carry-on including soups, mashed potatoes, and cranberry sauces. You need to be able to keep them frozen during your travels, but you can have these special dishes on your Thanksgiving table by preparing them this way, according to TSA.

Some cooking utensils need to be packed in your checked luggage when you travel, including cast iron pans and cutting knives. You can bring other pots and pans in your checked luggage as long as they meet the flight size requirements listed on the TSA website.