I flew from Dallas to Miami and back again just two weeks ago. You can bring liquids and gels that are in containers not larger than 3 ounces as long as all of the containers fit into a quart-sized baggie. Lip gloss, mascara, creme-based concealor, hair gel, hair creme, and the like all fit into this category. If they are larger than 3 ounces, they must be checked, or they will be confiscated.
You may bring solid food (i.e., chicken, veggies, etc.) but pudding, jell-o, and any liquids are not allowed to brought through security. Once you go through security, you can purchase water and other "liquid" items and take these onto the plane.
Dallas went through my stuff with a fine-tooth comb, though they did miss one of the pockets in my purse where I had stashed a thing of nail polish earlier in the day and forgotten about it. Miami Airport, though, was useless. They didn't check a thing and had some pretty incompetent security working there. They didn't even realize one of their X-ray machines had been shut off, and they were still lining people up in that line.
If you still need clarification, try calling the airlines and they can answer any of your questions.
