Can you bring your Thanksgiving dish on a plane? Here’s what to know

BATON ROUGE, La. (BRPROUD) — Can a dish you made for Thanksgiving go with you on the plane?

“It needs to be a solid food. If you can spill it, spread it, spray it, pump it or pour it, and it’s larger than 3.4 ounces, then it should go in a checked bag,” said Jim Caldwell, the marketing, public relations and air service development manager at Baton Rouge Metro Airport.

The Transportation Security Administration said ice packs are allowed if a dish needs to be kept cold but frozen solid when going through security checkpoints.

“Sometimes travelers don’t know or forget about the 3.4 ounces limitations for liquids, gels, aerosols, etc. in carry-on bags, and they have ones that exceed that in their bags,” Caldwell said. “If they do not have time to take them back to their car, the items must be left behind. It is also good to start with an empty bag when packing to ensure nothing restricted may still be in the bag when used for something else.”

Thanksgiving foods that can be carried through security, according to TSA

Baked goods such as homemade or store-bought pies, cakes, cookies, brownies and other sweet treats
Frozen, cooked or uncooked meats such as turkey, chicken, ham and steak
Cooked, uncooked, in a box or in-a-bag stuffing
Casseroles, such as traditional green beans and onion straws
Mac ‘n Cheese cooked in a pan or the ingredients to cook it
Potatoes, yams, broccoli, green beans, Brussels sprouts, cauliflower, beets, radishes, carrots, squash and greens
Apples, pears, pineapple, lemons, limes, cranberries, blueberries, strawberries, bananas and kiwi
Candy
Spices

Thanksgiving foods that have to be packed with your checked bags, according to TSA

Cranberry sauce
Homemade or in a jar/can gravy
Wine, champagne and sparking apple cider
Canned fruit or vegetables
Preserves, jams and jellies
Maple syrup

Getting to the airport three hours earlier than your flight may seem crazy to some people but could be a good idea if you are planning to fly out for the holidays.

Caldwell said a key mistake travelers make during the holidays is getting to the airport too late.

“We recommend at least 90 minutes before the flight at BTR. Since we have terminal-front parking, no van or bus to catch from remote lots like larger airports, and shorter lines, you don’t have to arrive quite as early at BTR,” Caldwell said.

Caldwell said if travelers have not booked flights yet, seats are still available on many flights.