# Could this story be true? (About bringing ice cream onto a plane) **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [July 16, 2024, 1:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/could-this-story-be-true-about-bringing-ice-cream-onto-a-plane/1004295 "2024-07-16T01:18:43Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 17\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![StarvingButStrong](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/starvingbutstrong/32/335_2.png) [@StarvingButStrong](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/StarvingButStrong)\ **Post date:** [July 16, 2024, 1:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/could-this-story-be-true-about-bringing-ice-cream-onto-a-plane/1004295/1 "2024-07-16T01:18:43Z")
This story is at least from a friend of a friend, maybe more steps. It sounds too neat, but could it possibly be done? Supposedly a woman got on a commercial plane leaving NYC for Spain. She had a carryon, a canvas tote, that included a snack she had bought from a food establishment inside the airport. The person who told me said it was something on the level of a Burger King or McD. The food item? A hot fudge sundae! The woman apparently was super nervous of flying, took years to get her courage together, and the tipping point was her decision to bring the sundae along. Supposedly, if she was going to risk death, she insisted that the last thing she’d ever eat must be a hot fudge sundae! So, supposedly she got one at the airport, and had her tote other wise stuffed with full water bottles she’d frozen solid. So a couple of hours later, somewhere over the Atlantic, she pulled out her sundae and chowed down. Apparently the only problem was some young child nearby saw what she was eating and started yelling and crying and demanding she wanted ice cream, too. (Tough, kiddo, it’s bring your own snack day!) But…would someone be allowed to bring aboard multiple bottles of water, even if it was frozen? I don’t think there would be a problem with the ice cream itself, outside of the melting problem? ---
**Author:** ![Joey\_P](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/919ad9/32.png) [@Joey\_P](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Joey_P)\ **Post date:** [July 16, 2024, 1:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/could-this-story-be-true-about-bringing-ice-cream-onto-a-plane/1004295/2 "2024-07-16T01:20:37Z")
> [@StarvingButStrong](#): > > But…would someone be allowed to bring aboard multiple bottles of water, even if it was frozen? Yes. I have a friend that works at an airport and TSA told her that’s loophole people use. Ice isn’t a liquid. Also, another trick (for water, not ice), is to bring _empty_ water bottles and then fill them once you clear security. ETA: cite > **[Ice | Transportation Security Administration](https://www.tsa.gov/travel/security-screening/whatcanibring/items/ice)** > > Frozen liquid items are allowed through the checkpoint as long as they are frozen solid when presented for screening. If frozen liquid items are partially melted, slushy, or have any liquid at the bottom of the container, they must meet 3-1-1 liquids... ---
**Author:** ![Peter\_Morris](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/peter_morris/32/359_2.png) [@Peter\_Morris](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Peter_Morris)\ **Post date:** [July 16, 2024, 1:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/could-this-story-be-true-about-bringing-ice-cream-onto-a-plane/1004295/3 "2024-07-16T01:36:40Z")
But if she packed her ice cream in ice, it wouldn’t be a _HOT_ fudge sundae. ---
**Author:** ![Velocity](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/velocity/32/18006_2.png) [@Velocity](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Velocity)\ **Post date:** [July 16, 2024, 1:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/could-this-story-be-true-about-bringing-ice-cream-onto-a-plane/1004295/4 "2024-07-16T01:43:18Z")
My skepticism of that is that even having bottles full of ice probably wouldn’t keep an ice cream sundae cold enough to avoid melting. As for TSA, yes, ice is allowed but not liquid water (which I think is really dumb, since you could bring frozen toxic substances aboard.) ---
**Author:** ![OldGuy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/3bc359/32.png) [@OldGuy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/OldGuy)\ **Post date:** [July 16, 2024, 1:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/could-this-story-be-true-about-bringing-ice-cream-onto-a-plane/1004295/5 "2024-07-16T01:47:38Z")
The frozen water would keep the ice cream at just about 32 degrees (0 Celsius). A freezer usually is set at about 0 degrees (about -18 C) so the ice cream would be fairly slushy and the hot fudge sauce would not be hot at all. ---
**Author:** ![StarvingButStrong](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/starvingbutstrong/32/335_2.png) [@StarvingButStrong](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/StarvingButStrong)\ **Post date:** [July 16, 2024, 2:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/could-this-story-be-true-about-bringing-ice-cream-onto-a-plane/1004295/6 "2024-07-16T02:18:48Z")
Yes, difficult. How about dry ice? It’s just CO2 and the whole plane is full of people breathing it out constantly. As for the hot fudge. Bring it separately, in a commercially sealed bottle? And ask a stewardess to nuke it for you a while? I know they’ll help heat up baby bottles. ---
**Author:** ![LSLGuy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lslguy/32/5813_2.png) [@LSLGuy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LSLGuy)\ **Post date:** [July 16, 2024, 11:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/could-this-story-be-true-about-bringing-ice-cream-onto-a-plane/1004295/7 "2024-07-16T11:36:18Z")
Sounds like a very much contrived glurge story. The sort of garbage that Snopes lives on. Possible, but so improbable as to be implausible. ---
**Author:** ![snowthx](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/snowthx/32/10660_2.png) [@snowthx](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/snowthx)\ **Post date:** [July 16, 2024, 1:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/could-this-story-be-true-about-bringing-ice-cream-onto-a-plane/1004295/8 "2024-07-16T13:00:55Z")
I am stuck on where one would get frozen water bottles in the terminal. Or is it assumed she brought them thru the security check? Without them melting some? ---
**Author:** ![thorny\_locust](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/thorny_locust/32/431_2.png) [@thorny\_locust](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/thorny_locust)\ **Post date:** [July 16, 2024, 1:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/could-this-story-be-true-about-bringing-ice-cream-onto-a-plane/1004295/9 "2024-07-16T13:07:36Z")
> [@Joey\_P](#): > > Also, another trick (for water, not ice), is to bring _empty_ water bottles and then fill them once you clear security. Unfortunately, that also gets you crappy water; though at least it’s crappy water you didn’t have to pay extra for. If I ever fly again, I might try the ice technique – though by the time I spent an hour or two getting to the airport and then the currently required couple of hours hanging around the airport, even if I bring a cooler bag how much of it will still be ice? Will they let me just pour off any excess thawed bit? ---
**Author:** ![Spiderman](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/spiderman/32/230_2.png) [@Spiderman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Spiderman)\ **Post date:** [July 16, 2024, 1:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/could-this-story-be-true-about-bringing-ice-cream-onto-a-plane/1004295/10 "2024-07-16T13:27:17Z")
How recently was it supposed to have occurred? What you could bring on used to be different & more bountiful. Many years ago I was on a flight, in coach, & the woman next to me reached into her bag & pulled out a box of crackers, then reached in again & pulled out a deli container from a locally famous cheese shop with their own version of Boursin & a plastic/disposable butter knife like you’d get with take out to have some wonderful cheese & crackers (she shared) & probably out eat those in the front rows. I’ve thought about doing such from time to time but don’t believe either the soft cheese nor the plastic butter knife is allowed thru security anymore. ---
**Author:** ![Jackmannii](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jackmannii/32/311_2.png) [@Jackmannii](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jackmannii)\ **Post date:** [July 16, 2024, 1:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/could-this-story-be-true-about-bringing-ice-cream-onto-a-plane/1004295/11 "2024-07-16T13:30:28Z")
> [@LSLGuy](#): > > Sounds like a very much contrived glurge story. “Could this story be true?” [Betteridge’s Law of Headlines](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Betteridge%27s_law_of_headlines#:~:text=Betteridge's%20law%20of%20headlines%20is,the%20principle%20is%20much%20older) says no. ---
**Author:** ![Just\_Asking\_Questions](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/ba9def/32.png) [@Just\_Asking\_Questions](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Just_Asking_Questions)\ **Post date:** [July 16, 2024, 2:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/could-this-story-be-true-about-bringing-ice-cream-onto-a-plane/1004295/12 "2024-07-16T14:52:07Z")
I tell you whut… On my last trip, from the hotel lobby I bought a little ice cream, to have later in the day. I kept it in the ice chest all day. When I got to the next stop, I had a nice little container of milk. ---
**Author:** ![StarvingButStrong](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/starvingbutstrong/32/335_2.png) [@StarvingButStrong](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/StarvingButStrong)\ **Post date:** [July 16, 2024, 6:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/could-this-story-be-true-about-bringing-ice-cream-onto-a-plane/1004295/13 "2024-07-16T18:58:57Z")
Damn. I was suspicious to begin with, but I’d like to imagine doing it myself. Ha! I might be here in the cattle car, but I gots ice cream! ---
**Author:** ![DPRK](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/4491bb/32.png) [@DPRK](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DPRK)\ **Post date:** [July 16, 2024, 7:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/could-this-story-be-true-about-bringing-ice-cream-onto-a-plane/1004295/14 "2024-07-16T19:00:18Z")
> [@Joey\_P](#): > > > [@StarvingButStrong](#): > > > > But…would someone be allowed to bring aboard multiple bottles of water, even if it was frozen? > > Yes. I have a friend that works at an airport and TSA told her that’s loophole people use. Ice isn’t a liquid. Nor is nitroglycerin, if you cool it a little bit. ---
**Author:** ![Joey\_P](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/919ad9/32.png) [@Joey\_P](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Joey_P)\ **Post date:** [July 16, 2024, 7:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/could-this-story-be-true-about-bringing-ice-cream-onto-a-plane/1004295/15 "2024-07-16T19:41:54Z")
> [@thorny\_locust](#): > > Will they let me just pour off any excess thawed bit? When you’re getting close to security, duck into a bathroom or find a water fountain and pour any liquid out. > [@DPRK](#): > > Nor is nitroglycerin, if you cool it a little bit. um, ok ---
**Author:** ![DrDeth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b487fb/32.png) [@DrDeth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DrDeth)\ **Post date:** [July 16, 2024, 8:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/could-this-story-be-true-about-bringing-ice-cream-onto-a-plane/1004295/16 "2024-07-16T20:02:27Z")
> [@Velocity](#): > > As for TSA, yes, ice is allowed but not liquid water (which I think is really dumb, since you could bring frozen toxic substances aboard.) It is to ban liquid explosives. ---
**Author:** ![DPRK](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/4491bb/32.png) [@DPRK](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DPRK)\ **Post date:** [July 16, 2024, 8:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/could-this-story-be-true-about-bringing-ice-cream-onto-a-plane/1004295/17 "2024-07-16T20:14:03Z")
My gist was, if you do not trust that a bottle of water is not really a fake bottle of water, why would you believe that what looks like ice is real ice?