13 Best Food Souvenirs To Look For While Traveling (That Won't Trip You Up At TSA)

For someone who travels a lot and is entirely obsessed with food and drinks, there's no better souvenir than a curated collection of local foods and interesting grocery store finds from your trip away. Food souvenirs are such a treat (literally) to unpack in your jet-lagged state. Brewing Moroccan mint tea, smearing Italian nocciolata on your snack toast, or unwrapping a colorful Japanese candy is the best kind of nostalgia — it will transport you back to those magical moments from your travels. 

Indulging in local specialty foods from a place can be an anthropological deep-dive into understanding the culture. And while eating your way through local menu items is undoubtedly glorious, collecting various snacks and spreads is a great way to take a bit of that food culture home with you.

There are a lot of foods you can bring back from faraway places, but there are also a few things to avoid so you don't get called out by TSA on your way home. We have a long list of food souvenirs that are a safe bet. Whether you are just traveling with a carry-on or you're looking to load the better half of your checked roller bag with goodies, these are the best food souvenirs to collect from local markets, farms, specialty shops, and local grocery store chains while traveling.

Truly, what's better than the intoxicating smell of roasted coffee beans? Unpacking a bag of coffee from my suitcase has got to be a personal favorite when it comes to food souvenirs. Whether you're visiting a rural coffee forest in Ethiopia or a specialty cafe in Paris, beans are widely available around the world. Every roastery has its niche, expressive blend, and when you find a good one, it's worth buying a bag or two to take home.

For many of us, brewing a morning cup of coffee is one of the most built-in rituals of our daily lives at home. There is something special about grinding beans you picked up on a trip and having such a vivid sensory experience first thing in the morning. Coffee is also a carefree food souvenir to pack — you can just stuff it in wherever it fits and not stress about leaks, breaks, or temperature fluctuations.

Tea is another great food (or beverage) souvenir. Likely the lightest and most compact beverage possible, this is a particularly good item to search out if you have minimal space, are only traveling with a carry-on, or are bumping up against baggage weight restrictions. A locally grown and blended tisane of rosehip, hibiscus, and orange peel is a fragrant little joy to brew up once you're home. If you're traveling in a region particularly known for tea growing, like Taiwan or Japan, it's an extra special treat to bring back a milky oolong or a tiny tin of matcha.

The process of brewing and drinking tea is often quite therapeutic, and it can be such a lovely way to take the time to reflect on your travels. Teas and tisanes are light, non-breakable, and generally come with numerous bags or loose-leaf servings to give you a handful of cups.

Spices, salts, and spice blends have got to be the tiniest food souvenir that packs the biggest punch. Even if your bag is filled to the brim, you can always fit a little packet of fleur de sel or a couple of dried chiles in your pocket. Spices are also something you can easily find almost anywhere on your travels, and they go a long way in recreating dishes you had abroad. Look for blends that are a staple in the regional cuisine, like za'atar from the Middle East, herbs de Provence from France, dried chiles from Mexico, or garam masala from India.

The aromatic flavors these will bring to your kitchen are such a joy and tell a story of your time away. They're also a food souvenir where a little goes a long way, and your spice blends will make their way into many dishes after you've returned home. You'll likely pick them up in a small jar or bag and can easily pack them in a carry-on without TSA blinking an eye.

Oh the big, wide world of condiments. From a gajillion kinds of hot sauce to mustards of all sorts to a never-ending selection of chili crisps, life is just so much better with condiments. They're also one of those foods that can be very place-based. Depending on what region or country you're traveling to, you'll find condiments that are unique to a particular food culture, like Almogrote from the Canary Islands, an umami-rich Chinese oyster sauce, or a locally made North African harissa to incorporate into your cooking endeavors.

Most condiments are canned and shelf-stable prior to opening, so you can buy them at any point during your travels without worrying about temperature fluctuations. Before you start your foreign condiment shopping spree, you'll need to be sure you're checking a bag on the way home, as nearly all condiments will be considered liquids by TSA. It's always a good idea to Ziploc bag these types of items (possibly twice) before nestling them carefully between your clothes in your luggage.

Honey is a golden elixir that can be found in so many places around the world. It's such a treat that varies wildly in aroma, flavor profile, and hue depending on the type of flower nectar and climate that the bees have access to. Because of this, honey can tell a really intimate story of a particular place, making it a uniquely special food souvenir to haul back home.

For instance, the famous Manuka honey from New Zealand has a high concentration of medicinal properties thanks to the native Manuka tree. It is typically more delicate and sweet with light floral flavors. A buckwheat honey from Eastern Washington, on the other hand, will be much darker and have a rich flavor profile of molasses and caramel. Whichever honey you find along your journey, make sure to wrap it well before packing it in a checked bag to ensure it makes it home. Honey is also surprisingly heavy, so if you are packing multiple jars, double-check that your bag is still within the airline's specified weight limit.

The tinned fish boom has given us many choices, and all the buzz has put some exceptional brands of tinned fish on the shelves of specialty stores everywhere. So, if you're sardine-crazed, anchovy-obsessed, mackerel-curious, or a tuna connoisseur, grabbing a few tins of fish as your food souvenir just got easier. 

You can still find pristinely-packed Italian anchovies and classic tins of sardines, but now there are also many interesting renditions of tinned fish out there — consider spiced mackerel paté from Portugal, a dollop of herby pesto tucked in with tuna from Canada, and smoked salmon from Norway with chili crisp. And while you kind of have to be a fish person to get into tinned fish, if you're teetering on the edge, the beautiful array of artistic packaging might just convert you. It's a top food souvenir that deserves some room in that roller bag of yours.

It's a rare thing to come across someone who doesn't like chocolate, though that person does exist. For most of us, chocolate is at minimum an occasional craving and at maximum a pantry staple. While cocoa isn't grown worldwide, chocolate is made in a vast number of regions around the world, with each chocolatier and brand attempting their own twist on the treat.

Finding a local block adorned with edible flowers or a perfect square infused with orange essence is swoon-worthy. Or, you may simply delight in loading up on Ritter Sport iterations you can only find in Germany. Either way, chocolate is such a lovely food souvenir to get for yourself, or as a gift for those you want to share a piece of your travels with. It's the least of TSA's worries and can easily slide into a small carry-on bag. Just be sure not to buy chocolate in advance of your departure if you are traveling in a warm climate, or if your bag will be in and out of hot conditions.

So many dishes benefit from a little pickled this or that, and many cultures have at least one item that falls into this category. Maybe you pick up some preserved lemons in Morocco, marinated olives in the south of Spain, or a little jar of pickled ginger from Japan. Or perhaps you're up north and opt to bring back a jar of Sweden's infamous pickled herring. Whatever they are, pickled and fermented foods pack a huge flavor punch and can be a fun food souvenir to bring home, especially if you are looking to recreate any dishes you had during your travels.

These food souvenirs are a checked luggage must, and often come in canning jars. In this case, be sure to pack the food items quite carefully to avoid any breaks. When possible, it can be a good option to buy these products in a vacuum-sealed bag and just double-wrap them when it comes time for packing.

While many grocery stores in the United States have at least one brand of pasta imported from Italy, there is nothing quite like bringing home a shape you've never seen before but found while wandering the streets of Napoli. Or maybe you find some heirloom corn while traveling through South America, or beautifully polished sushi rice from Japan. Packaging can go a long way here, too, reminding you of your travels through its language and imagery. It is kind of the selling point, after all.

Pantry staples like pasta and other grains are relatively light in small quantities, making them pretty easy to travel with. For TSA purposes, it's best to stick to more formally packaged products — avoid anything unlabeled from a bulk bin that could be confused as a seed for agricultural purposes rather than culinary creations. You'll likely only buy enough to make a meal or two for a few people, so reserve it for making an extra-special dinner once home.

Nearly everywhere has some sort of candy, truffle, caramel, brittle, licorice, or cookie that is synonymous with the place. While it could be a regional thing, a sweet from a specific town, or something that is only found at a very particular shop, a little box or packet of sweets is a great food souvenir that is easy to travel with.

Sweets are also a great gift option if you're looking to bring back a few food souvenirs for the person who watered your plants and collected your mail while you were away. Things like wrapped hard candies, licorice, and bakery-packaged cookies are easy to transport and don't require a checked bag. Other sweets that are a bit more delicate and sensitive to temperature changes could be purchased just before departing and babied along in your carry-on. It's so nice to have a little treat that you can only get from a specific place — it makes you savor it that much more.

Specialty food shops and open-air markets are undeniably amazing, infused with aromas and flavors that tell the inherent story of a place through food. Do shop at these places — but also take time to explore the standard chain grocery store in the place you are. This is equally important to understanding the food culture, but perhaps from a more modern and commercialized perspective. 

The mainstream Lu biscuits in the Carrefour, or Dozo rice crackers in Thailand are what end up in a lot of the residents' shopping carts. Buy them, eat them, buy more, and bring them home. You'll find a huge variety of snacks in the aisles, no matter the country. Hunting down snacks is a very fun way to explore and buy some curious things, particularly if you can't really work out exactly what the snack is with the language barrier. Have fun with it and see what you end up with!

Spreads are the next best thing to butter for all your toast needs. From all kinds of local fruit preserves to Italian nocciolata, chutneys, and even Australia's polarizing Vegemite, you'll come across a plethora of spreads wherever your travels take you, and all can level up your toast game in a big way. Plan on TSA treating almost all of them as a liquid (I know, I know) and pack them safely in your checked bag. That way, you won't have to plead to keep your beloved jar of chocolate hazelnut spread. 

When it comes to packing, it's always a good idea with these types of foods to give them extra padding as they are often in breakable glass jars. Double Ziploc bag them prior to wrapping them in your clothes and stashing them away for the journey home. It's well worth the effort once you're back and slathering your morning toast with whatever tasty treat you picked up while away.

Food-adjacent souvenirs are great if you're a big home cook or host. You can find specialty cooking utensils needed to recreate a specific dish, handwoven table linens, beautiful serving utensils, exquisitely forged knives, carved serving boards and cutting boards, hand-thrown ceramic salt cellars, cookbooks, and so much more. All these little bits are incredible keepsakes to have in your kitchen and at your table to remind you of your trip for years to come.

If you're a frequent traveler, it's nice to start building a collection of things like this that can really personalize your kitchen space, filling it with memories from all your trips over the years. Look for things in boutique shops, craft markets, flea markets, and hardware stores. You'll be surprised what you find in these places. Other than sharp kitchen utensils, like knives, you can pack most souvenirs like this in a carry-on.