What food items can I bring back to Canada?


We will be driving home to Canada from California soon. We love the food down here including the fresh fruits and vegetables. Can you please let us know what we are allowed to bring back to Canada in terms of food?  


Generally speaking, you can bring limited quantities of fresh fruits, vegetables, meat products and some other food items across the border from the United States to Canada.

However, it’s important to keep in mind that the rules vary from product to product and can change at any time due to potential threats. There may also be restrictions depending on where the product was produced and which province you are returning to.

It’s also essential to know that Canadian law requires travellers to declare all food, plants, animals and related products when entering Canada.

To be safe, you should always declare all food items you are bringing in to Canada. In some cases, these items may be confiscated if they are restricted or prohibited

If you have a Nexus card and you fail to declare food you are bringing with you, you could lose your card, even if the item is allowed into Canada!

Some common food items you need to declare that may be restricted or prohibited include:

  • meat and meat products
  • cream, milk, cheese and other dairy products
  • fruits and vegetables
  • seeds and nuts

For more details about bringing food into Canada from the U.S., visit the Canadian Food Inspection Agency website.

You can also find an overview of what you can bring back to Canada here.
