What Food can NOT be brought into Hawaii?
Aug 18, 2010, 7:26 pm
#1
A FlyerTalk Posting Legend
Original Poster
Join Date: Dec 2000
Location: Potomac Falls, VA
Programs: AA Plat 2MM, MR Gold, Avis Pref
Posts: 41,109
What Food can NOT be brought into Hawaii?
I presume fruits and veggies but do you get dinged if you have some other food? I pack food for the kids since they won't eat the plane food. However i don't mind packing a little extra if I can just bring it to the hotel. However if I'm going to have to toss everything at HNL then obviously I'll pack a little lighter on the food front.
Aug 18, 2010, 7:31 pm
#2
Join Date: Jan 2009
Location: TUL
Programs: AA EXP 2MM; Marriott Titanium; Hilton Diamond; Hyatt Explorist; Vistana 5* Elite; Nat'l Exec Elite
Posts: 6,177
I presume fruits and veggies but do you get dinged if you have some other food? I pack food for the kids since they won't eat the plane food. However i don't mind packing a little extra if I can just bring it to the hotel. However if I'm going to have to toss everything at HNL then obviously I'll pack a little lighter on the food front.
In general, foods that are cooked, canned, frozen or commercially processed and/or packaged are allowed to be transported to Hawai`i, as long as the product is arriving from within the U.S.
Frozen or chilled meats are also allowed to be transported to Hawai`i as long as the meat originated from within the U.S.
Manufactured food products are not required to be declared or inspected.
Source: http://hawaii.gov/hdoa/Info/doa_impo...and-to-hawaii/
Aug 19, 2010, 7:06 am
#4
FlyerTalk Evangelist, Ambassador: World of Hyatt
Join Date: Jul 2001
Location: NJ
Programs: Hyatt Globalist, Fairmont Lifetime Plat, UA Silver, dirt elsewhere
Posts: 46,919
As well, and this is little known, Pineapples can be brought back to the mainland. They don't have to be the pre-examined ones that cost a small fortune at the airport shops.
You can buy them in Costco for under $5 each, make sure they're clean (and they are), put them in a box and take them home. Don't seal the box in the event Ag. Insp. wants to look at it.
I found this out by going to the Ag station in Kauai and asking what could be taken home. They handed me a sheet of paper that listed just about everything you might want to take home. Unfortunately, I left it behind with the concierge because THEY didn't think pineapples could go to the mainland either
You can buy them in Costco for under $5 each, make sure they're clean (and they are), put them in a box and take them home. Don't seal the box in the event Ag. Insp. wants to look at it.
I found this out by going to the Ag station in Kauai and asking what could be taken home. They handed me a sheet of paper that listed just about everything you might want to take home. Unfortunately, I left it behind with the concierge because THEY didn't think pineapples could go to the mainland either
Aug 19, 2010, 8:43 am
#5
Join Date: Oct 2002
Location: Seattle, WA, USA
Posts: 139
As well, and this is little known, Pineapples can be brought back to the mainland. They don't have to be the pre-examined ones that cost a small fortune at the airport shops.
You can buy them in Costco for under $5 each, make sure they're clean (and they are), put them in a box and take them home. Don't seal the box in the event Ag. Insp. wants to look at it.
I found this out by going to the Ag station in Kauai and asking what could be taken home. They handed me a sheet of paper that listed just about everything you might want to take home. Unfortunately, I left it behind with the concierge because THEY didn't think pineapples could go to the mainland either
You can buy them in Costco for under $5 each, make sure they're clean (and they are), put them in a box and take them home. Don't seal the box in the event Ag. Insp. wants to look at it.
I found this out by going to the Ag station in Kauai and asking what could be taken home. They handed me a sheet of paper that listed just about everything you might want to take home. Unfortunately, I left it behind with the concierge because THEY didn't think pineapples could go to the mainland either
Permitted Items from Hawaii into the U.S. Mainland and Guam (after passing inspection):
Beach sand
Coconuts
Cooked foods
Dried seeds
Dried decorative arrangements
Fresh flowers (except gardenia, jade vine, and Mauna Loa)
Hinahina (Spanish moss)
“Irish” or white potatoes
Pineapples
Rocks or stones
Seashells (except land snail shells)
Wood (including drift wood and sticks)
Aug 19, 2010, 9:32 am
#6
Join Date: Jun 2001
Location: West Michigan
Programs: DL, UA, AA, B6, BA (airline status-free leisure traveler), Hilton Diamond
Posts: 1,963
Lava Rock okay?
So, based on the last post it looks like it is okay to bring back lava rock. The last time that I went to Hawaii I considered bringing back some black sand from the Big Island, but I chickened out.
Aug 19, 2010, 9:37 am
#7
Moderator Hilton Honors, Travel News, West, The Suggestion Box, Smoking Lounge & DiningBuzz
Join Date: Jun 2000
Programs: Honors Diamond, Hertz Presidents Circle, National Exec Elite
Posts: 36,027
Don't do it (Besides, you'll find plenty of sand in your dirty clothes that you bring back 
)
Btw, coconuts have to have the outer shell removed.
(Besides, you'll find plenty of sand in your dirty clothes that you bring back )Btw, coconuts have to have the outer shell removed.
Aug 19, 2010, 10:26 am
#8
A FlyerTalk Posting Legend
Join Date: Sep 2002
Location: LAX/TPE
Programs: United 1K, JAL Sapphire, SPG Lifetime Platinum, National Executive Elite, Hertz PC, Avis PC
Posts: 42,211
I still don't understand why store-bought fleshy fruits (mango, papaya, guava, passionfruit, etc.) cannot be taken back to the mainland - or why they won't let the AG inspector look at the fleshy fruit and clear it on the spot.
I thought a bypass was to ship the fruit home via USPS or Fedex/UPS, but apparently these packages are x-rayed by DOA before departure as well.
I've hand-carried carried pineapples from Costco (1/4 the price of the tourist shops) home in big boxes and never had a problem.
Aug 19, 2010, 10:35 am
#9
FlyerTalk Evangelist, Ambassador: World of Hyatt
Join Date: Jul 2001
Location: NJ
Programs: Hyatt Globalist, Fairmont Lifetime Plat, UA Silver, dirt elsewhere
Posts: 46,919
I was told they don't let fleshy fruit to the mainland because they are protected crops from any insects they may contain. This is mostly for CA.
What I don't get is that if I'm on a non-stop to EWR in the dead of winter, and my fruit is in the hold, it's not likely anything will survive the trip. Even if it does, it's certainly not going to survive outdoors in NJ.
What I don't get is that if I'm on a non-stop to EWR in the dead of winter, and my fruit is in the hold, it's not likely anything will survive the trip. Even if it does, it's certainly not going to survive outdoors in NJ.