Taking food into US

[novocastrian]

Originally Posted by Mr Tom Morrow

OP. There are no issues at all with taking stuff with you. We do it regularly. The usual cautionary note though about banned foods such as fruit, meat, dairy etc.

Spices etc are fine and as stated earlier a lot of Villa owners take stuff for themselves and their friends.

To put things in perspective about the Customs search. If you are directed to that area they dont open your bags but just X Ray them. Now they might open them afterwards if the X ray isn't clear enough for them to see what you have declared is fine.
Our cases go through this process 3 times a year, takes minutes.

The moral is, tick the form you have food. Be honest and open about what you have and expect to be delayed for a few short minutes.

We are taking quite a bit of stuff this trip as our Granddaughter who is 6 likes specific items they don't sell out there or if they do it is a different brand. Fine by me.

Edit. The 'pot bellied pig' that works the Immigration queue and masquarades as a Beagle is a fruit detection dog. Lovely animal but overfed!

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this ^^

its upto $10k fine for not declaring

coffee & tea bags for us never had an issue, they arnt in the least bit bothered if you bring in yorkshire tea...

[Melvin Pearce]

Originally Posted by Mr Tom Morrow

OP. There are no issues at all with taking stuff with you. We do it regularly. The usual cautionary note though about banned foods such as fruit, meat, dairy etc.

Spices etc are fine and as stated earlier a lot of Villa owners take stuff for themselves and their friends.

To put things in perspective about the Customs search. If you are directed to that area they dont open your bags but just X Ray them. Now they might open them afterwards if the X ray isn't clear enough for them to see what you have declared is fine.
Our cases go through this process 3 times a year, takes minutes.

The moral is, tick the form you have food. Be honest and open about what you have and expect to be delayed for a few short minutes.

We are taking quite a bit of stuff this trip as our Granddaughter who is 6 likes specific items they don't sell out there or if they do it is a different brand. Fine by me.

Edit. The 'pot bellied pig' that works the Immigration queue and masquarades as a Beagle is a fruit detection dog. Lovely animal but overfed!

See more...

Tom, Have you ever taken cheese with you. We were thinking of taking a good strong chedder as can never find a decent tasting chedder in Florida. Some people have send you can as long as it is sealed.
Have you or anyone else taken cheese.

Melvin and Lesley

[Guest]

If you avoid soft cheese, unprocessed nuts and seeds, fresh fruit and anything that has a meat derivative in it. Bovril would not be allowed as it is beef extract whereas Marmite is Ok because it is derived from yeast. Any food you had on the plane - leave it there.

Cereals, tea, coffee, biscuits, chocolate etc are all fine. Yes, you might get a smart remark of the Customs Officer like "We have shops here you know" but just let it go.

Full info is here:

help.cbp.gov/app/answers/det...r-personal-use

And be sure to tick "Yes" to Question 11 if you have to fill out a customs form:

[Mr Tom Morrow]

Originally Posted by Melvin Pearce

Tom, Have you ever taken cheese with you. We were thinking of taking a good strong chedder as can never find a decent tasting chedder in Florida. Some people have send you can as long as it is sealed.
Have you or anyone else taken cheese.

Melvin and Lesley

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Hi. No never taken cheese sorry but Geoff has clarified above.
My concern would be with it 'sweating' albeit maybe a vacuum sealed pack would be ok.

I know what you mean about strong cheddar - or not!

It took me years of trying different stuff from Publix to get anything remotely like a good English Cheddar. Pre packed the 'Cabot' Extra Sharp isn't bad. However their Canadian Extra Mature from the deli counter is pretty good. Maybe 80% of the strength I like but quite nice.

If you want something different try Humboldt Fog.
It's a goat cheese but with the flavour of Stilton but an extra tang to it. Awesome.

[Guest]

Keeping cheese cool is going to be a problem as they wouldn't allow ice gel packs in hand luggage.

[childwall]

Maybe this is a daft question but do you need to declare tea bags? Or do they sell decent tea bags in Walmart?

[Roosterroo]

I looked last year about cheese on the officials customs site and hard cheese like chedder was ok, I also took dairy free spread for toast, there is a really comprehensive list on there of whats allowed and whats not. I still declare everything I have I write it on piece of paper that I keep with my passport

[Guest]

Originally Posted by Thorpy

We've not taken the same stuff you've mentioned, but we've taken cereal, and not had any issues. I wouldn't expect you to have any.
You might get somebody advise you in a condescending manner that you're bringing stuff they sell over there, but laugh it off.

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we did the 'buy it all there' option last time we went and ended spending countless hours in Walmart and not always finding what we want. Now trying to take some stuff (only spices as being Indian we need some home cooked food to keep us going lol). Thanks we will certainly be taking and not worrying. It is what it is. As long as we declare we good.

[mick]

Originally Posted by childwall

Maybe this is a daft question but do you need to declare tea bags? Or do they sell decent tea bags in Walmart?

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Yes you need to declare - have a look at the link posted by Geoffa in #13.

We don't drink tea though so never look in that aisle in the supermarket.

Mick

[Guest]

Originally Posted by Megandllsmum

Annoys me when I see those sort of replies , not everyone drives in Florida , needs to take a few essentials for fussy eaters etc etc.

OP I think herbs and spices are fine but I'm sure I read something about bovril ? Which i doubt you are taking but I've seen posts where people take certain herbs, spices and gravies for expats out there.
We usually just take the essentials like cereal and chocolate and squeeze juice concentrate

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agree. We don't like bovril so not an issue lol