We are visiting friends in the US at Christmas and would like to take some traditional fare, such as Christmas pudding and mince pies, as gifts. But we don’t know the rules about taking food into the country. — David Martin, Guildford, Surrey

In line with many other countries, the US has strict rules about the kind of food tourists can bring in. Breads, cakes, biscuits and other bakery goods are approved, but many cheeses are off limits and alcohol is restricted. So your Christmas puddings and mince pies should be OK, but you might run into problems if your luggage contains port and stilton or chocolate liqueurs.

Rules on meat products vary according to the product’s country of origin. Consult the websites of the US Embassy (www.usembassy.org.uk, look at the FAQs in the US Custom & Border Protection section) and the US Customs Service (www.cbp.gov, questions section).

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