Even Dr. Meredith Grey has to worry about TSA.
When going through security for a flight back in March, “Grey’s Anatomy” star Ellen Pompeo set off the alarms for a seemingly innocent snack — sunflower seeds.
“I had a bag of sunflower seeds, like organic sunflower seeds from [upscale grocery] Erewhon, so they were probably the most expensive sunflower seeds money can buy,” the 55-year-old actress told Travel + Leisure.
“They literally held me for an hour, and they brought the bomb squad in,” Pompeo shared. “And I was, like, ‘What is happening? Is this a joke?’ “
She explained that the Transportation Security Administration told her the issue was “most likely” a chemical in the packaging of the unopened bag of “super expensive, fancy, organic, clean sunflower seeds” from the store.
When she asked if she could just toss the seeds, they informed her that they needed her to stay and wait for the bomb squad to examine the seeds.
“I almost missed the flight. It was really, like, no one would ever believe this! I was texting my publicist, saying, ‘I might not get on this plane, and you’re never gonna guess why,’” Pompeo said.
On the surface, sunflower seeds seem like a harmless snack to take on a flight, so the incident begs the question: What foods are allowed in your carry-on luggage?
While most foods are allowed to be brought on a plane, there are a few rules that travelers should be aware of.
According to TSA guidelines, solid food items are allowed onto a plane in either carry-on or checked baggage. However, liquid and gel snacks are only allowed in a carry-on if they abide by the 3-1-1 rule, which allows one quart-sized bag or travel-sized containers that are a maximum of 3.4 ounces in volume.
Creamy snack items, such as dips, spreads, cheeses, peanut butter and yogurt, are tricky when abiding by the 3.4-ounce rule, so it’s better to avoid bringing them. Many of those options are available in an airport’s post-security area.
Everything else is fair game, including bread, candy, cereal, cheese, chocolate, coffee grounds, cookies, crackers, dried fruits, fresh eggs and meat — even a rotisserie chicken, seafood, vegetables, nuts, pizza, sandwiches, dry snacks, and the list goes on.
Some airlines also allow live lobsters in a carry-on if they’re in a special, clear, sealed, spill-proof container.
Travelers are urged to consider organizing their carry-on bags so snacks are separate from other items, which can make the screening process easier and keep lines moving if, for some reason, a special inspection is needed.
Officers may ask the traveler to separate items from their carry-on, such as food, powders or anything that may create clutter in the bag and obstruct images on the X-ray machine.
