Whether you’re traveling to the United States temporarily, or returning from a trip to another country, you’ll need to be careful about bringing food items with you. Some items are prohibited, meaning you cannot bring them into the country no matter what. Others are restricted, meaning the rules might depend on your situation or require additional paperwork. Most food items are either permitted or restricted, rather than outright prohibited.
This page is specifically about items brought in for personal use. If you plan to bring items for resale, or large quantities (eg, over 50 pounds of meat), check the requirements for commercial imports.
For information about restrictions non-food items, visit our main prohibited items page.
Tips for bringing food into the U.S.
- Declare everything!
- You can be fined thousands of dollars for not declaring prohibited food items you have with you. If you make a simple mistake, it’s more likely the border patrol officers will simply confiscate any prohibited items, but it’s better to play it safe. As long as you declare everything, you won’t face any fines. You can fill out this form ahead of time to be ready for the customs agents.
- Keep original packaging.
- This can help border agents confirm the country of origin of the item.
Foods you can bring into the U.S.
Generally speaking, processed items are less of a problem than raw foods. However, you should still declare everything. If you want to check a food item more specifically, you can take a look at the Don’t Pack a Pest website, or the U.S. Customs and Border Patrol site (although this site is very technical and can be tough to read). The following items are usually allowed, as long as they’re for personal use.
- Baked goods: Bread, crackers, etc. Dry baking mixes are usually accepted if they’re in their original commercial packaging.
- Butter
- Candy: Chocolate and other solid desserts are typically allowed.
- Cheese: As long as it’s solid and doesn’t contain meat products.
- Condiments: Foods like ketchup, mustard, Vegemite, etc. – as long as they do not contain meat products.
- Flour
- Juice: As long as it’s commercially packaged. (Tip: keep juice in the original packaging so CBP agents can confirm the origins.)
- Fresh squeezed or homemade juice is more likely to be judged like fresh fruit (see below for information about fresh fruit).
- Milk products for infants: Liquid milk and milk products are typically restricted (see below), but are permitted for the purpose of feeding infants and very young children.
- However, the CBP specifies that it needs to be a “reasonable amount” for use over a few days, which usually means it’s up to the discretion of the border patrol agent to decide if the amount you have is “reasonable.” It’s a good idea to bring only as much as you need so there isn’t a question of whether or not it’s for personal use for your young child.
- Mushrooms: As long as there’s no soil on them.
- Noodles and ramen: As long as there are no animal products.
- Nuts: These are allowed as long as they’re prepared in some way, like roasting or boiling. Nuts that are raw or have undergone less preparation (eg, blanching) are governed by more specific rules, and you may need to contact the USDA to ask directly. Check this link (and click on “nuts”) for more information.
- Oil: Olive and other vegetable oils.
- Spices: Most dried spices are allowed, except for leaves and seeds of citrus fruits and seeds of many fruits and vegetables. Lemongrass should only be brought if it’s part of a commercially packaged product.
- Tea: If it’s commercially packaged and ready for personal use, it will likely be allowed.
- Loose leaf herbal tea products may be subject to inspection, and may depend on their place of origin. Check this link (and click on the “herbal teas & herbal infusions” box) to find more information.
Foods you can’t bring into the U.S.
The following foods are restricted. This means that you need to check the rules, because there are some cases where you’ll be allowed to bring them across the border, and some where you won’t. Remember to declare everything.
Fruits and Vegetables
Fruits and vegetables are strictly regulated and carefully checked by border officials because of concerns about bugs and diseases they can bring into the United States.
- Banned
- Fresh
- Frozen
- Canned – if they’re canned non-commercially (eg, at home).
- Dried – there are some exceptions that you can check here, but for the most part, dried fruits and vegetables will not make it through.
- Allowed
- Canned – if they’re canned commercially. Tip: keep food in the original packaging so CBP agents can confirm the origins.
Animal Products
Like fruits and vegetables, animal byproducts are heavily regulated, and you will need to check the rules carefully before bringing them across the border.
- Milk & Dairy Products
- Several dairy products are always allowed, including butter, powdered milk in baking mixes, milk products to feed infants, etc. See the section above (“Foods you can bring into the U.S.”) for more information.
- The main issue for milk and dairy products is where they come from. The U.S. is concerned about products from countries with FMD (foot-and-mouth disease).
- Keep the original packaging to prove where the item came from.
- Check this page for a list of countries that do not have FMD and are therefore safe to bring milk & dairy products from.
- Poultry, Eggs & Egg Products
- The main issue for eggs and poultry meat is where it comes from. The U.S. is concerned about products from countries with Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza and Virulent Newcastle Disease.
- If an egg or poultry meat product is not from a country affected by the diseases above, it can be brought into the country, as long as you can prove where the item came from. Keep the original packaging to prove where the item came from.
- Check this page for a list of countries that do have HPAI (so you cannot bring their poultry / egg products), and a list of those that do not have VND (so you can bring their poultry / egg products).
- If egg or poultry items are commercially packaged, cooked, shelf-stable, or “thoroughly cooked throughout,” they may be allowed through no matter what country they come from. Remember that it is up to the agents at the border to make decisions like whether something looks “thoroughly cooked.”
- 50 pounds is the maximum weight for poultry meat brought in for personal use. If you’re bringing more than that, it counts as commercial use. Check here for more information.
- Decorative egg shells can be brought in, as long as they’re clean and dry. There’s a limit of 12 per person.
- The main issue for eggs and poultry meat is where it comes from. The U.S. is concerned about products from countries with Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza and Virulent Newcastle Disease.
- Seafood
- Seafood products can usually be brought across the border without trouble.
- If you bring a breaded seafood product, it may be subject to concern because of the milk or eggs that can be used in breading. Check this page (and click the “seafood” box) to find out how to contact a government official if you have questions.
- Meat (non-poultry)
- This section is about meat from cattle, swine, sheep, goats, etc.
- The main issue for meat is where it comes from. The U.S. is concerned about products from countries with the diseases listed below. Check this page for information about countries that are affected by these diseases.
- Foot-and-mouth disease (FMD)
- Bovine spongiform encephalopathy (BSE)
- Swine vesicular disease
- Classical swine fever
- African swine fever
- If a meat product is not from a country affected by the diseases above, it can be brought into the country, as long as you can prove where the item came from.
- 50 pounds is the maximum weight for meat brought in for personal use. If you’re bringing more than that, it counts as commercial use. Check here for more information.
- If meat items are commercially packaged, cooked, shelf-stable, or “thoroughly cooked throughout,” they may be allowed through no matter what country they come from. Remember that it is up to the agents at the border to make decisions like whether something looks “thoroughly cooked” enough.
- Notable exceptions
- Sheep and goat meat from countries with BSE can’t be brought in, even if it’s commercially packaged or cooked through.
- Specialty meats (eg, cured hams and salami) from some areas in Europe have special restrictions. Research the specific item you wish to bring, as it may require additional certification and documentation.