Traveling with gummy vitamins - do they melt? TSA rules?
Hey all, heading on a trip next week - mix of flying and some hiking. I usually take my daily gummy vitamins (multivitamin and omega-3 softgels). Worried they'll melt in my luggage or get confiscated. Anyone dealt with this? Are TSA agents gonna think I'm smuggling candy? Also, if I keep them in my carry-on during a 6-hour flight in summer heat - bad idea?
Retired nurse here - seen this come up before. Heat is your main enemy. Gummies can definitely soften or melt above 85°F. On planes, overhead bins get warm. Keep them in your personal item under the seat if possible. For TSA: they're considered supplements, not liquids, so no 3-oz rule. Keep them in original labeled bottles to avoid questions. Pro tip: if hiking in heat, wrap bottle in a small towel in your pack for insulation.
OMG yes! Learned this the hard way on a road trip last summer. Left my kids' vitamin gummies in the car while we ate lunch - came back to a sticky mess that looked like a science experiment gone wrong. Now I always use a small insulated lunch bag with an ice pack for car trips. For flights, I put them in my purse and never had TSA issues (they see these all the time). Sleep-deprived pro tip: portion them into daily pill bags so you don't have to haul whole bottles!
Marathon runner who travels constantly for races here. I've flown with gummy electrolytes and vitamins dozens of times. TSA has never batted an eye - they're clearly supplements in labeled containers. For heat: I use a small thermos-style container in my carry-on during summer flights. Road trip hack: store them in the cooler with your drinks. Hiking: morning dose before you go, leave bottle in car if temps will be high. They're more resilient than people think if kept below 80°F.
Thanks everyone! Super helpful. Gonna get a small insulated pouch and keep them in my backpack under the seat. Good call on original bottles - mine are pretty generic looking so labels should help. LemonLiam32 - the towel trick for hiking is genius, definitely using that. Maybe I'll test one gummy in my car this weekend to see the melt point... for science!