Bringing food into the US

[taylor3297]

one of the reasons we take the beef flavour.nice washed down with a ice cold bud-light(know we can get them over there)
Paul

Try a Yuengling when you get a chance. From what I have been told it is much better than a Bud Light. I don't drink beer but many of my friends do and they seem to drink lots of Yuengling.

 

[queendisney]

Our grocery store carries PG Tips and Twinings.

Just nothing like as good as Yorkshire tea IMO..

 

[loobzuk]

I always take tea bags with me (Tetley) as I just couldn't go two days let alone two weeks without a decent cuppa - we got though just under 160 tea bags on our 3 week holiday last year . The only other stuff we've brought in have been biscuits (cookies) and crisps to keep the children going as the wait at the airport can be very long when you're only little. On our first visit we had a box of Mr Kipling chocolate chip cake bars that kept my two children and another two families children going whilst in the queue for car hire!

 

[starrysky]

I was planning to take some snacks for on the flight as the cost of buying them onboard is insane. Otherwise there is nothing I can't live without once I am there. Though I do miss an ice cold Irn Bru when its hot.

Only problem is I am not sure as we clear immigration and customs in Dublin if we can do this. Will check once I get to the airport I guess.

 

[paulh]

So do I. I don't use Oxo cubes so you won't find me bringing those thru customs. Besides, I don't think Disney would take kindly to me cooking in our room

dvc encourage it
Paul

 

[snookhams]

I really must agree with others - teabags travel with me everywhere, the only tea that I have had in the USA that was perfect was served at the Grand Floridian afternoon tea, so already have my box of teabags ready for next month.
I also take a few items for DS who has some issues with food - but I always declare and only once have we been questioned about items all was fine as we had declared and explained. DH works in security at a London airport so he is always hot on what we can / can't take and correctly filling in forms - you would be surprised what he has confiscated but let me say mostly from aircrews who should know better

 

[Elise79]

Last time we went through and declared tea bags the immigration guy made a joke about Brits and our tea!

Have to say I only take stuff as gifts since DD got past needing her baby breakfast stuff plus any leftover plane snacks (take extra now since virgin decided to only serve cheese & onion sandwiches!)

 

[Chilly]

I love my tea at home but I never miss it on holiday for some reason.

 

[EllieJ]

Hi everyone

If you declare items such as tea & coffee are you asked to open your case ?

Thank you


Sam

 

[chmurf]

Hi everyone
If you declare items such as tea & coffee are you asked to open your case ?
Thank you
Sam

It's hit or miss.

you'll find the list of admissible food products here : https://help.cbp.gov/app/answers/de...-bringing-food-into-the-u.s.-for-personal-use

if I say that it's hit and miss, it's that when the customs officer picks up your form, he may just ask what you got and be satisfied with your "tea & coffee" answer and wave you through

you may also be greeted by a zealous officer who will want to search your bags. You never know in advance

It all depends on the officer at the checkpoint.

The only thing that's for sure is that IF you don't declare, and IF you get "selected" for a random search, even if you have authorized items you're in for a lecture about US regulations (and will possibly loose quite a great amount of time in the process) and you may even end up with a fine
Not worth taking that risk

 

[EllieJ]

Ok , thanks for that

 

[Elise79]

Most times you do not have to open your cases they just scan them. I have only seen them open ones with prohibited items in.

 

[steve76]

If you have a lot of food, then it's a good idea to make sure that it's all together in one place (i.e. in the same suitcase and easily accessible) so that if you are asked to show it to them, it's easy to find it. There's nothing worse than having to unpack ALL of your luggage trying to find something, and then having to hastily repack it all when your tired and trying to avoid creasing your shirts....

If you're bringing loads of food, I would recommend writing out a list of exactly what food you have before you leave. This saves trying to remember it all when questioned by customs officers.

When I last passed through MCO, we were headed to WDW and then visiting relatives, so we had brought them all sorts of British food (mostly crisps and chocolate). We made a full list of all the items and quantities, which we just showed the customs officers. I'm pretty sure it helped, and it made the process much smoother and easier. We had almost an entire suitcase of food and were not asked to open our cases. Declaring food doesn't automatically mean they will search your cases.

As others have said, always declare everything. It's a very good idea to research what's allowed and not allowed in advance. However, the system works on the principle that it doesn't matter whether you think it's allowed or not - that's for customs officers to decide, and that's why they ask you to declare food. If you declare, then the worst that can happen is they take the food off you, and tell you to have a nice day. If you don't declare it, then you have lied on a legal document, and therefore are deemed to have intentionally deceived customs officers, and they may take action regardless of whether or not your food is OK to bring into the country.

I've seen enough fly-on-the wall customs programmes on TV (the more obscure sky channels) to know that it's always better to declare. The rule that the Aussies use in those programmes is that if it goes in your mouth, it's food. I'm not sure that's always true(!) but I think that's a good guideline.

 

[2Tiggies]

However, the system works on the principle that it doesn't matter whether you think it's allowed or not - that's for customs officers to decide, and that's why they ask you to declare food. I'm not sure that's always true(!) but I think that's a good guideline.

That sentence sums up the explanation perfectly

I'm not sure that's always true(!) but I think that's a good guideline.

I hear ya!