Originally Posted by
seawolf
Wanted to clarify if officer takes your receipt and just waved you thru to exit (without asking anything along the lines of you have anything to declare), you would stop and say I have cash/liquor/food to declare? Just stating that I would exit as directed.
If he asks you must answer truthfully. When the question is "do you have any food" I list every last cracker, cookie, whatever that I have taken from the plane and airport lounges. If they say we don't care about that it is their problem not mine.
If he doesn't ask then you are only required to declare what is required by regulations. Per CBP website:
All travelers entering the United States are REQUIRED to DECLARE meats, fruits, vegetables, plants, seeds, soil, animals, as well as plant and animal products
If you don't have anything in that category then there is no need to pro-actively declare it. Note "Food" is NOT included on the list (that was a question that appeared on GE terminals).
Of course there are other requirements like declaring purchases that exceed $800pp, alcohol that exceeds limits, etc.