Food for a long flight with allergies

Allergy & Anaphylaxis Australia (A&AA) always recommend that people with food allergy take their own food on a plane. 

Customs and security 

Make sure you have your ASCIA Travel Plan completed and signed by your doctor. This document explains that you need to carry adrenaline (epinephrine) devices and safe food for the flight. 

For international flights you cannot take food with liquid content that is more than 100mls, such as sauces, soups, stewed fruit, yoghurt. The size of the container that has the liquid in it must not be more than 100ml, no matter what fluid it has in it. Containers larger than 100mls or 100g, even if they contain less than 100mls of liquid, will not be allowed through security. 

If you are changing flights, you may not be able to take fresh food on the next flight. This depends on the customs laws in the country where you are changing flights. Your airline or customs/immigration at your stopover airport may be able to help with this information. Each airport usually has customs information, including rules or laws, on its website. Sometimes it is hard to work out if these laws apply to stopovers.  

Australia has strict laws about what food that can be brought into the country. Fresh food, such as meat, vegetables and fruit, must be thrown away before getting to the customs and baggage collection areas. 

Carry extra non-perishable food in case of delays or if fresh (perishable) food is taken off you by customs staff. That way you will not be tempted to eat food that may be unsafe. 

For more information on what you can bring through customs into Australia, please see Can you bring it in? 

Here are some food ideas that you might find helpful when taking food on a long flight. You can change items to suit your food allergies. Note that any food that is in a sauce, such as curry or pasta sauce, will be considered a liquid by security/customs. Therefore, they must be in a container that holds 100ml or less. 

Perishable items (foods that will “go off” quickly)	Non-perishable items (foods that will last longer)
Cold fried rice, pasta, noodle, couscous, chickpea or lentil salads	2 minute noodle cups (ask for hot water to add to them)
Sandwiches or wraps	Dried fruit
Cold frittata, quiche or pizza	Crispbreads, crackers
Cold chicken legs, lamb chops, sausages or rissoles	Muesli bars
Avocado or dips to have with crackers	Prepackaged tuna meals
Yoghurt pouches	Popcorn
Fresh fruit and vegetable sticks (carrot, celery, cucumber)	Crisps or chips
Cheese	Dried chickpeas or fava beans
Infant custard pouches	Single-serve cereal packets
Muffins, pikelets or pancakes	Snack cans of beans, corn, lentils
	Biscuits or protein balls

Eat perishable food first: 

• Eat food that needs to be kept cold on the first part of the flight. You can also freeze foods, such as frittata, chicken legs, sandwiches and muffins, at home and let them defrost during the flight. This will help to keep them fresh and reduce the need for ice packs for your other foods that need to be kept cold. 

Keeping food cool: 

• You are not allowed to take fluids greater than 100mls on overseas flights. This includes ice bricks. Try to find small ice bricks which you can use on the flight. 

• Some people with food allergies have taken food in special cooler bags, such as Packit2go Australia These bags have a substance in the lining and are designed to go into the freezer before use. Although people have been able to use them on flights, please be aware that there is a risk that these bags may be taken by security at the airport.  

Heating food on the plane: 

• Most airlines will not heat your food for you.  

Cutlery: 

• You may not be able to take cutlery from home in your hand luggage due to security concerns. You should be able to request clean cutlery during the flight. 

Dehydrated food: 

Dehydrated food can be a safe option for travel. You can prepare a meal at home and dehydrate it. During the flight   you just need to tip your dehydrated meal into a bowl or thermos and ask air crew to add boiling water. Note that any dehydrated meals that you plan to take into your destination country will have to comply with their laws. (For example, if meat is not allowed in the country, then a dehydrated meat meal will not be allowed. 

Further information can be found at: Dehydrated food for food allergies – Allergy & Anaphylaxis Australia 

Only eat labelled food: 

• If you do choose to eat food given to you by the airline, only eat food with an ingredient label. It is important to note that just because you ordered a certain meal, it does not mean you will be served what you ordered. A&AA strongly advise you to always take your own food if you have food allergy. 

Wipe surfaces and clean hands: 

Take disposable wipes to wipe down surfaces such as the tray table, arm rests, screens and remote controls when you board the plane. Use wipes to clean your hands before you eat if you are not able to wash your hands.  If family or friends with you are eating the food you are allergic to on the flight, they can use the wipes to clean their hands after they eat. Eat perishable food first:

• Eat food that needs to be kept cold on the first part of the flight. You can also try freezing foods (such as frittata, chicken legs, sandwiches and muffins) at home and letting them defrost over the flight. This will help to keep them fresh rather than taking ice and can also be the ice packs for your other foods that need to be kept cold.

Keeping food cool:

• You are not allowed to take fluids greater than 100mls on overseas flights, this includes ice bricks. Try to find small ice bricks which you can use on the flight.
• Some people with food allergies have taken food in special cooler bags which act as coolers themselves. These bags have a substance in the lining and are designed to go into the freezer before use. Although people have been able to use them on flights, please be aware that there is a risk that these bags may be taken by security at the airport.
• If you need to take an ice brick or gel greater than 100ml on the plane, you will need a letter from your doctor saying you need to take ice on board the plane to keep food for the flight cold. This does not guarantee that you will be allowed to take it on board and it may still be taken off you.
• The MedActiv icool Medicube is useful for keeping foods cool on a flight. It keeps food between 2 and 8 degrees Celsius for 36 hours.

Heating food on the plane:

• Most airlines will not heat your food for you. If the airline will heat your food for you, make sure that you have foil containers with lids for heating the food in. Some people take the food in plastic containers with tight fitting lids that won’t leak. Food in these containers can be put in the foil containers with lids for heating on the plane.
• Make sure the food is heated until steaming to avoid food poisoning.

Cutlery:

• Always take your own cutlery in case you don’t get cutlery on the plane. With some airlines you can order a fruit platter which comes with cutlery and use that to eat your food from home.

Only eat labelled food:

• If you do eat food given to you by the airline, remember not to eat food that is not labelled. It is important to note that just because you ordered a certain meal, it does not mean you will be served what you ordered. A&AA strongly advise you to always take your own food if you have food allergy.

Wipe surfaces and clean hands:

• Take disposable wipes to wipe down surfaces such as the tray table, arm rests, screens and remote controls when you board the plane. Use these wipes to clean your hands before you eat too.  If family or friends with you are eating the food you are allergic to on the flight, they can use the wipes to clean their hands after they eat.