Last Updated on September 4, 2022
Oatmeal makes a fantastic meal that keeps you feeling full for many hours.
It’s the perfect meal to eat if you are going on a long flight, especially if you want to avoid airline food.
But can you bring oatmeal on a plane?
Let’s see what the rules are.
TSA Oatmeal Rules
The Transportation Security Administration doesn’t specifically mention oatmeal on their website.
I did some research and found that Robyn had already asked the TSA on Twitter if should could bring overnight oats through security on to the plane:
Prepared oatmeal is covered by the TSA Liquids Rule meaning that containers must be 3.4 oz or less in hand luggage.
So you can bring overnight oats on a plane in carry-on luggage but only in small containers under 3.4 ounces.
These containers must be packed inside your quart size bag.
You can’t fit that many bottles in a quart size bag but if you are willing to travel without toothpaste, deodorant, or other toiletries you could fill your toiletries bag entirely with small 3.4 containers of prepared oatmeal.
One way to make space could be to switch liquid toiletries for solid versions. For example, switch solid stick deodorant instead of aerosol. Or pack a bar of soap instead of shower gel. You can even buy solid toothpaste!
A normal serving size of cooked porridge oats is 1 cup or 8 ounces. So you’d need 2 or 3 containers of oatmeal packed in your toiletries bag to make a decent breakfast.
These little 3.2 oz tubs would be perfect!
One thing to note is that you can bring whole fruit in carry-on luggage without restriction. A mashed banana is subject to the liquids rule but a whole banana is treated as a solid.
So if you like to have banana or other fruit in your oatmeal add it after you have gone through airport security!
Yogurt is considered to be a liquid by the TSA.
If you want to get really complicated, frozen prepared oatmeal will be permitted through security. If your oatmeal is frozen solid at the moment you are going through the checkpoint the TSA officers won’t have a problem with it.
You could use ice to make sure it’s frozen when you reach security but you’d need to discard the melted or slushy ice.
Alternatively, you could just switch to solid oats bars.
These solid porridge oats bars by Stoats are the perfect traveling food. They can be packed in carry-on luggage without worrying about the liquids rule so they are a great low hassle way for oatmeal lovers to get their fix while in the air.
If you are flying with large quantities of uncooked porridge oats you can bring them on the plane in your carry-on bag but the powder rule might apply.
You can pack oatmeal in checked luggage without restriction. If you don’t need the oats during your flight and you don’t mind paying for checked luggage then that might be an option for you.
Bringing Oatmeal On A Plane For Infants
If you are bringing oatmeal for an infant or toddler you can exceed the 3.4 ounces limit.
You can pack as much prepared oatmeal as your child needs.
You just need to remove the oatmeal from your carry-on baggage and place it in a separate bin for security screening.
Once a child is old enough to walk through airport security unassisted they no longer qualify as an infant in the eyes of the TSA and the exemption no longer applies.
The Bottom Line
You can take oatmeal in carry-on luggage but only in small containers 3.4 oz or less.
If you can make space in your plastic transparent toiletries bag there is nothing to stop you packing some oatmeal in there.
Solid fruit is not restricted by the TSA so it’s best not to mash up or slice any fruit until after the security checkpoint.
With a little bit of planning you can bring oatmeal on a plane…
Or you could just eat a big bowl of oatmeal before you go through airport security and you’ll probably still be feeling full when you land at your destination!