Bread and Sandwiches in Hand Luggage

 

Are you allowed to carry bread in your hand luggage?

Yes, bread can easily be carried in hand luggage. There are no special requirements for transporting bread in hand luggage and no special quantity limits.

 

Be careful with bread spreads and toppings

As we have just seen, bread is not a problem in hand luggage. But there are problems with carrying various foods, which are often consumed together with (or on) the bread.

Many of these foods are classified as liquids at the security check and may therefore only be transported in small quantities in hand luggage, i.e. within the framework of the liquid rule in hand luggage. In this context, those foods would be:

• any jams, marmalades, jellies
• (bread) spreads such as Nutella, sausage spread, soft cheese, cheese spread, honey, nut nougat cream, hummus
• basically any other non-solid food

 

Carrying these products separately, such as a jar of honey or a jar of jam, is therefore prohibited.

However, if you only want to bring some sandwiches with some of these “liquid ingredients” (such as honey, spread cheese, and so on) for consumption at the airport or even on the plane, then you can do so without further ado.

Make sure to read the next section to get some more info about this!

 

Are sandwiches allowed in your hand luggage?

One question that is frequently asked on the Internet is whether sandwiches may be carried in hand luggage. In principle, this should be prohibited – at least for sandwiches containing liquid foods such as honey, cheese spread, sausage spread – due to the rule for liquids in hand luggage.

In practice, however, sandwiches that have either been made at home or briefly bought at the airport are tolerated and do not cause any problems during security checks, even if they contain liquids.

This was confirmed to me by the Federal Police at Frankfurt Airport and also by the personnel of London Heathrow Airport. The federal police even told me that sandwiches with quince jam or tongue sausage would be fine. However, out of consideration for the other passengers, one should not necessarily consume smelly sandwiches that contain “smelly ingredients”.

Please also note that these sandwiches should be intended for consumption at the airport or in the plane. Or you should at least make sure that the sandwiches will not leave the EU. 

Because the import/export of food (customs!) is subject to substantial restrictions and is even forbidden in many cases. Especially if the food is meat or dairy products. These rules also apply if these products are part of your daily sandwich.

In general, products made from animal products, such as sausage or cheese (spread cheese, hard cheese or soft cheese) may neither be imported into the EU nor exported from the EU.

 

Chocolate (on a sandwich) in hand luggage

How about chocolate, anyway?

Chocolate bars on a sandwich or just chocolate for in between are also allowed in hand luggage.

Only if it is liquid chocolate, caution applies. You can find out more here: Chocolate in carry-on baggage: Those are The Rules to Follow.

Small tip: Other sweets such as cakes or biscuits are also safe in hand luggage, as long as they are sweets in solid form. So you are welcome to take your Christmas biscuits with you in your hand luggage!

 

You got more questions about sandwiches in hand luggage?

Then please feel free to drop a message in our hand luggage forum. I will be glad to answer questions there and so are other hand luggage experts.