Can I take food in my suitcase from UK to turkey and Spain?

Can you take food on a plane in your suitcase?

We’re travelling more and more these days, and with long-distance flying not coming cheap, it’s not surprising that many people from the UK contemplate bringing their own food with them when they travel. Many ask themselves whether you can take food in your suitcase to save a bit of money on food when they land at their destination. Aside from the cost implications, this also allows them to bring a little bit of home with them when they go abroad.


With restrictions being placed on certain goods and the rules being different depending on your final destination, bringing food on planes can be a minefield. Mistakes can be costly, with foreign customs agencies sometimes dishing out fines in the hundreds of pounds for breaking import rules. This short guide should give you a better idea of the right and wrong times to bring food with you when you travel.


Food in your hold luggage – Can you take food in your hold luggage?

Putting food in your hold luggage is the most logical choice considering the increasing restrictions on hand luggage in terms of size and weight. But what’s allowed and what’s not? This depends on your destination, let’s take a look:

• Travel within the EU – You can travel with pretty much any food you want in your hold luggage if your flight is travelling within the EU. However, there may be some temporary restrictions put in place in the case of a health crisis (as was the case with beef during the Foot & Mouth outbreak). We have to put in the usual Brexit caveat here – this may no longer be the case after the UK has exited the EU, so take this advice with some caution if you’re travelling to an EU country post-Brexit (particularly if the UK is no longer part of the EU customs union).
  
  
  
• Travel outside the EU – The situation changes when it comes to travelling to destinations outside the EU, where each country is likely to enforce customs checks when you enter their country. Generally speaking, you have to declare all food brought with you, so that customs officers can dispose of any banned foods when you enter. Certain countries, such as the USA and Australia, are notoriously strict when it comes to importing foodstuffs that aren’t native to their country, so it’s best to leave any meat or veg at home when traveling to these destinations. It’s impossible to speak in general for non-EU countries, so make sure to inform yourself before carrying food in your hold luggage. Failing to do so could land you with a hefty fine upon arrival.