Taking food in to US (transitting)

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We're flying to South America via the US.
Have a long onward journey so wanting to bring food to save immediate hassle.
Anyone had problems with this at US customs?
Seems it's allowed for personal use but to declare at customs.
We've got a short connection time so don't want to cause delays.
Thanks!

As a dual US-UK citizen, I travel frequently to the US. I have brought food from the UK and also food given to me on the plane into the US in my carry-on bag without any problem. Usually these are packets/containers (e.g. crisps, biscuits, sweets) but sometimes fruit (e.g. apples, bananas). I have never declared any food. No one ever even asks ...
Are you planning to bring an enormous, obvious amount?

@tarheelbaby thanks. I'm just questioning myself after too much googling and worrying about the short connection.
Just enough snacks to stop moaning for a day, not suitcases full!

Pre packaged is fine. I was once mortified when my DH left a banana in the hand luggage and we were stopped by a sniffer dog. So probably avoid fruit?

Just how short is the connection time?
We had to go through the entire immigration process when transiting to Mexico. It took over 2 hours & we nearly missed the connection. We then had to go through the entire process coming back.
We will never visit USA again.

I went to the US last year and took a load of cereal bars and trail mix and no one asked about it nor was I prompted to declare it

I used to travel to the US regularly (business and personal) and have been asked quite frequently if I have food when going through Immigration. Most times I've had chocolate (I give it out to various my US team members) and other random treats so told them that and I just get waived through. Better to declare it and it be unnecessary than risk a huge fine for not declaring.

I transit through Miami to South America at least twice a year, you have to do immigration and security but you will be ok as long as what you are bringing meets the customs regulations and the security regulations.

Short connection isn't good. Unless you have Global Entry, anything under a 3 hour connection in the US can be a bit risky as a non-US citizen. Depending on the airport. It took me 2 hours just to get through Immigration in Philadelphia once. That was miserable. Miami is also notorious for being slow so needing more time to connect.

Hopefully your flights are all booked on one ticket?(so if you miss the connection the airline will book you on the next available flight free of charge).

The customs form asks if you are carrying various things including "food". I always declare it and they are not bothered by packaged snacks like cereal bars and wave me through. I wouldn't try fruit, meat or dairy though.

@HundredMilesAnHour
I'm nervous but we are on one ticket.
Kids have been warned no toilet stops or anything.
Better times on the way home.

Ok so sounds like crisps, biscuits, cereal bars are fine.

Don't take fruit! Learnt that valuable lesson at Miami airport....

Also a dual citizen who travels back and forth a few times a year. They don’t even ask anymore. The blue customs declaration form was scrapped some time ago. But how fresh will fruit be after 12+ hours of travel in luggage? Is it worth it?

They haven’t used the forms for a few years now.

Snacks are fine but no fresh fruit/veg/meat/dairy. Even if there's the option to declare, it has the possibility to delay you massively and US airports are the pits for transit at the best of times without adding another step to the process.

Yes, that is all fine. Last summer at JFK (from Heathrow) they asked me if I was bringing food in, I showed them what it was and they waved me through. This summer they just asked if I was bringing alcohol or tobacco. Didn’t mention food at all.

Traveled from Dublin last year and asked re food - avoid fresh fruit meat dairy etc.

as for transit if you’re one one through ticket it’s the airlines problem to get you their if you miss your connection. Though if a short connection and checked through baggage don’t expect to see it. Most airport have longer minimum connections for cases then people.

Good to know they have scrapped the customs forms. They were so badly laid out and pretty pointless! I had heard they were talking about doing away with them but had not heard they had gone.

I have inly once had a connecting flight in the US and got on the intended booked flight on the other side. That's internal and international. All the other times immigration and security took so long that I missed it. I'm not a faffer UK passport, just me and my luggage. As PP says this sometimes means you and your luggage aren't on the same plane.

I'm telling you this so that you're not panicked if it happens. Consider your fallback at the other end. You're on 1 ticket which is good.
Take a packed lunch and eat it in the queue?

Commercially produced pre packaged foodstuff is fine eg biscuits, chocolate. No fruit, meat products or dairy though.

I’d be concerned about your short connection time. Just how short is it and which US airport are you flying into?. If it’s Miami for instance you’ve every chance of missing the connection. 90 minutes is way too short a connection time. The clock will start ticking on you as soon as your initial flight lands.

Customs form is indeed no longer handed out for completion.

Does this inc food in the suitcase or just hand luggage?
I go to California soon and was planning on taking granola bars/breakfast biscuit bars in the suitcase and no doubt will have leftover crisps/sweets in my hand luggage.

It includes all bags plus pockets etc. Doesn't matter if it's in your suitcase or in your hand, you're still bringing it into the country.

Where do you declare it?

Thanks all.

We've got a 2 hour connection in Houston - booked through with Lufthansa/United.

Arrive at final destination at 8pm and hoping to get onward bus at 12noon after overnight stay. If the bags don't make it we'll just have to stay an extra night. Luckily we have 3 weeks although I'd rather not waste a day. I'm packing tooth brushes and clean undies in day bags.

We were separated from bags flying from UK to Borneo via KL. We made the connection to KK, bags stayed in KL. We had another onward air Asia flight 4 hours later (not checked through), and were staying another hour from the airport. Malaysian Airlines were amazing - the bags were flown and taxied through, arriving about 2 hours after us.
We'd be lucky to have such service twice!

I think you will have to collect your bags in Houston and then recheck them.