My husband is a genius. OK, sometimes he’s not, but today he is. A few months ago he had my precious Marmite confiscated by security as he boarded his Romania-bound flight in Luton, leaving me Marmite-less for another few months. That was an example of him not being a genius. Yesterday, he arrived triumphant with Marmite carried legally through airport security checks in his carry on hand luggage. Want to know how to carry Marmite on airlines? We have the Marmite (or Vegemite if you’re a weirdo) carrying solution you need.
Everyone knows you can’t take liquids through customs. Is Marmite a liquid?
Well, as a scientist I’d say no, it doesn’t change shape to fill the container it’s in unless it’s very warm, but that doesn’t matter to airport security, if they say it’s a liquid, it’s a liquid.
That goes for toothpaste too, if you were wondering.
I have a lovely post on how to travel carry on only if you’d like more information on how we do that.
Mostly we don’t, we like to have all the things we need, but on short trips to single climates with no gear requirements, sure, it’s fine.
So back to the Marmite.
You are mostly allowed to take liquids onto the plane in your carry-on or hand luggage, if the volume of a single bottle or container is 100 ml or less and if those bottles or containers are all housed in a single clear plastic bag.
Most decent airports give these bags out for free, the budget ones, like Luton, tend to charge you a pound and often run out.
I’ve used supermarket bought zip lock bags and got away with it, but I don’t know if this is foolproof. Our usual solution is to grab a handful when we’re at an airport that supplies the plastic bags for free.
So how to get the thick, gloopy, almost-solid Marmite in 100 ml containers?
Easy Squeezy Marmite!
My genius husband went out and bought a large container of squeezy Marmite and painstakingly filled 4 100ml plastic bottles with our favourite yeasty spread. That’s better than any Valentine’s card.
Check your bottles are suitable for food use and BPA free if you are concerned about these things. I don’t think the ones intended for cosmetics, are
Well done Chef, I now know why I married you 😉
For Marmite smugglers and fans of the best British food, for Pinterest
While Marmite (and Vegemite) are widely available around the world, in most countries, some countries do not have such luxuries. Romania was one such country at that time and Chef’s frequent trips to London would normally keep us supplied with Marmite and Jaffa Cakes in our little farmhouse in Breb, Romania.
Over to you, tell us your confiscation stories or tips and hacks in the comments.
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I had a 150gm jar of vegemite stolen (“confiscated”) by some muppet airport security when I was leaving Melbourne one time. I tried explaining to her the difference between weight and volume, but it was no use, she’d flunked grade 2 and that’s why she was there.
I bought a jar of Vegemite (220 grams) and tried to take it through airport security in the US. The X-ray machines detected it immediately. The security guy pulled the jar out and stared at it. He conferred with a fellow guy and they remained puzzled. They removed the lid and looked at its contents. I tried to make a joke: “It’s Vegemite, not dynamite”. Alas, those fellows have not cultivated a sense of humour. They called over a supervisor who declared that it was a gel and that it would have to be confiscated.
Probably not a word you should use in that part of the airport. Vegemite is a lot more solid than Marmite, and more opaque. It’s less liquid, but still not solid. Bad luck Kenny (ps Vegemite is disgusting, go with the good stuff instead 😉 )
I don’t know if you can still buy the 70g jars from Poundland but I have a jar of that size which I just refill to take on holiday.
A 125g jar of marmite contains less than 100ml of Marmite. It’s a matter of relative density, “liquid” or not. I approached Unilever on this matter suggesting that they put the volume as well as the weight of the contents on the container – as with Heinz tomato ketchup. They wouldn’t confirm the relative density of Marmite, citing “trade secrets”. However if you get an empty 125 jar you can easily measure it’s volume… and it’s well under 100ml.
Who is prepared to stand up to the “jobsworths” at airport security?
That’s an interesting point! As we no longer live in a country devoid of Marmite, we haven’t had to worry about this in a while. But go you!
Brilliant! I’m ordering some 100ml bottles today so I can use this trick..
My marmite supplies are running worryingly low here in Iceland. For a while our newly arrived Costco was selling marmite in big tubs, so I thought my troubles were over, but not surprisingly, they only sold a few tubs, so they have stopped stocking it..
i took 150g vegemite to las vegas but in checked luggage, just for fun end up trading it for a cowboy belt and a holster. wish it was available in 50gram jars, there is a commercial food shop near us that sells it in the breakfast single serve size 4.8grams along with a host of other very Australian items like our bbq sauce.
Our Fiji trip we asked for bbq sauce and they just kept giving us HP Steak Sauce.
I’ve never tried Australian BBQ sauce.
Travelling with 3 young kids for a month means vegimite is a necessity, but today it was confiscated at JFK airport security! I tried the argument that it’s a paste not a liquid but they weren’t budging. Devestated!
Nice try, but you won’t win. Better luck next time!
My English daughter lives in Australia and last time she was over here I bought her probably eight large jars.
She put them all in her suitcase – replacing the space left by gifts she had brought over in the suitcase.
She wasn’t stopped in the UK but at Sydney Airport on her way home! I think she talked them out of confiscating them.
Yep, Australia really hates you bringing any food substance in. My mum got in trouble for tea bags. Everywhere else not a problem in your hold luggage— usually. But they sell Marmite in Australia in most big supermarkets. Just don’t get it confused with the New Zealand Marmite, they also sell that and it’s not the same thing at all, it contains sugar.
What is the maximum size of Marmite jar that I can take through customs from London to USA?
In your hold luggage I would have thought any size is fine. In hand luggage, check with the airline. Possibly 100 ml.
I have put mine in my suitcase for my flight tomorrow. The are NOT confiscating if this time.
You know I’m a big Marmite fan, so I had to comment on this post! Great work Chef for delivering the precious supplies! I might well use that tactic next time 🙂
I love marmite and grew up eating it (my bf thinks it’s disgusting haha)! Great idea, can’t believe I’ve never seen anyone recommend this before 😀
I don’t know why you would want to eat that – never been a fan!
Gran Canaria don’t seem as strict at security. Was trying to get our 3 year old to leave his unfinished water bottle, he was getting upset, I was getting stressed- he got waved through!
I remember Heathrow security make me open and taste rice milk and baby food though, that was 8 years ago travelling solo with a 6 mth old and 2.5yr old to NZ!
You can keep your Marmite or Vegemite no thanks! I like those little containers though xxx
Brilliant!!! Way to go Chef!! Obviously you don’t need much man grooming stuff…….????
This is my favourite post ever! I’ll definitely be doing this. 🙂