I remember traveling to France with some friends when I was 16, buying some yummy chocolate which at the time was not easily obtained at home... and opening it on the plane.

needless to say this was at least a pound of chocolate, maybe more, and once I got the customs form we realized we had to eat the whole dang thing or throw it out. we made a lot of friends on the plane! (anyone ever see that I Love Lucy episode, similar to that?)

Every time we return from Europe we bring back pounds of candy, cookies, bread, olive oil, honey, jam, etc. and have never had a problem, nor have we ever thought we needed to hide them from customs.

Why would chocolate be confiscated?

I have no idea, either, tpl. My husband came home from England this past Saturday loaded down with Cadbury chocolate and other goodies. He declared what he bought, as he always does, and had no problem. Nor has he ever, and he's been travelling back and forth to Europe for decades.

I've brought back the same things from Italy as you're wanting to, Melissa1, and went through customs with flying colors. The olive oil was especially appreciated! Though I will say that I was a dummy, buying Tuscan salami at the duty free in the Rome airport, and that went the way of the wind. I learned the hard way that just because it's on sale at the airport, it doesn't mean that it's allowable. I should have familiarized myself with the laws before plunking down my euros!

I always check yes and then write chocolates/coffee/whatever next to it in parentheses.

This approach has worked well for me so far.

because we were 16 and afraid of getting in trouble! (talk about an imagination - opened food and all that) believe me, now I bring home everything but the kitchen sink.

My Italian teacher told the story about a cousin who came to visit with a big role of Italian salami. When the customs agent tried to take it away she sat on the floor and proceeded to eat the entire thing. :-)

Alexandra's chocolate was confiscated because she is NOT an American citizen. The Customs officers obviously wanted to harass her. They also insinuated that she married an American so she could stay in the US. You also have to understand that she was an Ecuadoran coming from Brazil. The officers were suspicious, by their prejudice against a Latino woman travelling alone, that she was transporting drugs.

Interesting topic..I will be travelling to Germany this summer and would like to take some sausage back through customs. Does anyone have any hints or suggestions that they found worked? Please let me know, sounds like it could be interesting.

I would never advise someone to lie on their customs form, as suggested by one poster above.

Chocolates and candies are okay. Baked goods are okay. Foie gras must be fully cooked in order to be brought into the USA (many types of foie gras are partially cooked or raw).

There's a distinction between things that you simply cannot import and things upon which you must pay duty. That's why you must declare all that you bring in (in theory).

Just back from Germany on Feb 11th and at Newark the dogs actually stopped several people for food. One lady (first time I've seen this) had an apple and threw it in the trash, the dog sniffed her bag and when she was questioned, they made her dig the apple out of the trash and present it to the customs desk. She actually had to pay a fine!

My point above is that it just isn't worth the hassle to me! Maybe I go to Europe too much (not possible!)

In which airports are all of these searches and confiscations happening? And are you all sure that the customs forms ask if you are carrying ANY food products or is the form more specific than that?

I got busted for an apple once. It was a diversion from the 10 kilos of cocaine in my carry on. And it worked!

I hope that everyone will take the time to read and maybe re-read the posting by Iregeo which sets forth the REASON why importation of certain food products are banned.

Then ask yourself if it isn't selfish, self centered, and down right dumb to risk causing terrible damage so that you can have some cheese or salami.
Bring home cookies as Melissa1 is doing or other items that can legally be imported. Forget the unpasteurized cheese and meat products!

Breaking the rules isn't clever, its criminal.

Before anyone misunderstands. . . I was just kidding about the cocaine. And the getting busted for an apple was because I packed it to eat on the plane and then slept the entire way, never getting the chance to eat it. I was so zonked when I de-planed that I didn't even think of it.

In all seriousness, I need to ask if Nab crackers (baked cheese crackers with peanut butter) will be allowed into the UK. I always line my checked luggage with a dozen packs of these for hiking and to serve as easy "lunches" wherever I go. Never even gave it a thought until now. Does this count as the "forbidden cheese?"

That "cheese" baked into crackers is so far removed from its source that it would never register as a dairy product. Crackers are baked goods, after all. However, the discussion here has been about bringing things into the US not the UK -- you'll have to look elsewhere for that info.

As of last week, the US customs form asked if you were carrying any food item. I checked the "yes" box, and wrote "chocolates, baked goods" on the detail line. When I handed in the form, the officer asked what food items I had, and I replied chocolates and cookies. He waved me along.
You should not have trouble even if you guess wrong and bring in a forbidden item, as long a you fill out the form accurately, and look sheepish as you hand over the contraband.

The eternal "foie gras question" pops up again...I can still find no definitive answer. Some people say tinned foie gras is OK but foie in glass jars is not. Some say it isn't really a "meat or meat product." But it's the individual customs officer that makes that call.
I just heard from a friend that her canned foie gras was confiscated at SFO; the customs agent told her it was because of Avian Flu restrictions. Any other recent foie gras reports?

I had $100.00 worth of canned foie gras confiscated at JFK this Saturday.And yes, they cited Avian Flu as the reason for the change, since canned was permitted in the past.