Restrictions on food when entering Canada via Klondike highway

We are driving the Klondike Hwy into Canada from Skagway. With diabetics in our group, having food available on a moment's notice is important. I was hoping to stop at a grocery, deli or convenience store in Skagway to pick up a few things for snacking and lunch (don't know how readily available any type of food will be on that highway) before heading out of town. Would that be a problem crossing the border into Canada?

Yea and no - it depends 100% on what TYPE(s) of food you bring over the border!

Quick & dirty rule of thumb - if it's professionally packaged snack foods, you'll be fine (just declare it). Even fresh, but prepared, food (like sandwiches or even sliced fruits & veggies in plastic clamshells) are generally allowed. The quantities you'd need to bring in for a day trip aren't going to flag any of the importation limits (e.g. 250kg for most legal fruits & veggies).

As a diabetic myself, but not on insulin, I cross the US-Canada border in both directions many times a year with protein bars, jerky, roasted nuts and similar low-carb snacks to keep my sugar levels stable in case of travel delays. If you're on insulin/other drugs that might risk low blood sugar, then dextrose tablets would be your safest bet in addition - last a long time, very stable, keep them for future travels if you don't need them. I know a lot of folks like to have a piece of fruit to bump their levels up, but with some very tight restrictions on fruit at the border it's safest to avoid ANY whole fruit completely.

The only definite listing for Yea or Nay to a particular foodstuff is found on AIRS - it's actually quite easy to use, give it a go if you really can't live without your favourite thing for the day.

Thank you....how does the process work at the border? Declaration forms? How long does it all take? Long lines and waits? Similar to airport customs?

When I lived in Skagway I used to do my major grocery shopping in Whitehorse. I never had a problem either going or coming with food in the car. There is a lot of traffic on big cruise ship days through the border, and I don't remember being asked a lot of questions, they just take your passport and go scan it. There are also places to eat and get snacks at Carcross.

Thank you....how does the process work at the border? Declaration forms? How long does it all take? Long lines and waits? Similar to airport customs?

Usually easier than airport - a verbal declaration is the norm for both US and Canadian sides, no forms, so interaction with CBP/CBSA is usually very quick. Usually it's an open-ended "Are you bringing anything into Canada/US?" question - that's when it's best to declare you have food, and if you don't specify what kind of food I've always been asked about fruit so I always pre-empt it with a simple category of food types and no fruit (e.g. "I've got a few protein bars & nuts, but no fruit.")

I'll certainly bow to Wolfie's experience at that particular border as an ex-resident, undoubtedly many, many more times crossing than I have - and given the relatively low risk of cruisers who've already been through port security/immigration checks etc. it doesn't surprise me that it's generally a pretty laidback checkpoint - but sh*t happens, there's always someone pulled for secondary inspection now & again, some idiot who forgets they have a rifle on their truck gunrack or whatever that triggers an enhanced level of security. Just last weekend at the Peace Arch CBSA just completely closed all gates for about 20mins for no apparent reason while we were waiting to cross, then reopened with no fanfare at all!

Yes be prepared, but also, I would suggest, having several "hits" of glucose jel/liquids 15 gms sealed, that are cheaply sold at Walmart, etc. Carbs are the choice, not "protein" bars. :) If a crisis. ( like the urgency of the post being conveyed?)

Yes be prepared, but also, I would suggest, having several "hits" of glucose jel/liquids 15 gms sealed, that are cheaply sold at Walmart, etc. Carbs are the choice, not "protein" bars. :) If a crisis. ( like the urgency of the post being conveyed?)

That's exactly why I suggested dextrose tablets for OP... far better for travel than the liquid pouches as they are easier to pack & transport, last longer, contain exactly the same functional ingredient (pure glucose), and because the dose is broken into multiple (usually 5g each) tablets it's trivial to fine-tune if you respond better to 10g or 20g than 15g unlike liquid pouches.

Protein bars are also VERY useful as diabetic snacks - it's easy to find bars that contain under 20g carbs, enable one to readily maintain ones blood sugar levels and thus fend off a potential low before it happens. Plus there are many diabetics who find a high protein/low carb diet works well for them - protein bars work for these folks as well as those of us who are on a relatively normal diet with carb-counting.

Thank you for all the information. I've been reading your responses for several days but have not been able to respond. For whatever reason, the entire CC website is messed up when I log in from my desktop...I can 'barely' read anything, and canNOT post at all... Gave up trying to figure out what was wrong several weeks ago. :( Anyway....

I'll pick up the glucose tablets, bring along a few pre-packaged things and research on the website what I can and cannot purchase for lunch.... With this info, I can make a 'plan'. :)

...returning to this thread for a 'follow up' question....

We like trail mix for long days....noting above that nuts are fine to bring. What about dried fruit as an ingredient in this?? (cranberries, dried apples or bananas, etc...)

...and if this is 'ok', does it need to be the pre-packaged ones, or could I bring some that I've made from home (actually like those better, but will do the packaged ones if necessary. :)

Homemade anything is more likely to lead to additional questions, while prepackaged has an ingredient list and an unbroken seal to verify contents, but since processed fruit and nuts are very low risk items I'd say this is a fairly minimal additional risk to take except for one factor - you're coming on a cruise, which means regardless of the specifics of the laws you may be forbidden to remove ANY food from the ship unless it's clearly a packaged 'safe' item. Buy stuff in port like your original plan.

Last spring we bought a car in Washington, loaded it up at COSTCO, crossed over to Vancouver IS for a cruise out of Campbell River and upon returning to the states the US customs officer noted we had 2 -35 lb boxes of cat litter and spent an hour trying to find a cat in my car. Shipping is expensive to AK so you buy bulk when you can. I'm sure we'd still be waiting if he'd found that pound of pot.