]At NASA’s Johnson Space Center, we had the incredible opportunity to dive into the fascinating world of space food. We met Vickie Kloeris, who led NASA’s space shuttle food program, and heard insights from astronaut Kjell Lindgren about what it’s really like to eat in space.
From the science behind freeze-drying to shrimp cocktail bartering stories, here’s a closer look at how space food fuels astronauts on their missions beyond Earth.
Images provided by NASA. Thank you!
A Menu That’s Out of This World
Astronauts on the International Space Station (ISS) have two types of meals: a standard menu (about 75% of what they eat) and preference containers (the remaining 25%), which include some of their personal favorites.
One of the most requested menu items is the shrimp cocktail! Astronauts love its spicy kick, which cuts through the dulled sense of taste they experience in space. Fun fact: shrimp cocktail is so popular it’s been used as a bargaining chip for trading chores with fellow crewmates - as Commander Peggy Whitson was rumored to do.
Astronaut Kjell Lindgren shared that after spacewalks, his go-to meal is teriyaki beef. “Food is all about the physical, psychological, and social,” Kjell explained to us at the Johnson Space Center, emphasizing how meals give the crew a reason to come together, boost morale, and even provide a comforting sense of routine.
Dietary Preferences in Space: The Challenge of Accommodating New Diets
While astronauts bring a wide range of experiences and skills to their missions, their food options are less varied. Currently, NASA doesn’t accommodate dietary restrictions like vegan, gluten-free, or vegetarian diets. The primary reason? Logistical challenges. Sending specialized meals into space for individual astronauts would complicate everything from menu planning to emergency protocols.
For example, in a recent unplanned situation, two astronauts were stranded on the ISS for an additional six months. The flexibility of a standard menu ensured they had enough food to sustain them safely. Having multiple diet-specific options in such scenarios would make it harder to ensure everyone’s needs are met, especially in emergencies.
That said, the need for dietary inclusivity isn’t entirely off NASA’s radar. As more international astronauts join missions and as dietary preferences evolve here on Earth, the future of space food might need to adapt to ensure all crewmembers are supported.
The challenge of accommodating dietary preferences highlights a broader issue for long-term space missions, especially those heading to Mars. NASA and other space agencies are actively researching how to create sustainable, inclusive food systems that meet diverse needs without compromising safety or logistics. As space exploration evolves, so might the menu, making space food as inclusive as it is innovative.
The Science Behind Space Food
Feeding astronauts in space is no small feat. Their meals must check several boxes:
- Nutrition: With a daily target of about 3,000 calories (they have to work out a couple hours a day!), astronauts’ diets are designed to combat bone loss, a common issue in microgravity. NASA avoids sodium-heavy foods, as they can make bone loss worse.
- Safety: Space food must be carefully prepared and packaged on Earth and safe to eat for extended periods.
- Weight: Since every pound launched into orbit adds to mission costs, lightweight options like freeze-dried meals are a must. Freeze-drying not only retains flavor, but also preserves nutrients better than other methods.
There are two main types of space food:
- Freeze-Dried Meals: Lightweight and long-lasting, these are rehydrated with water before eating - typically to about 180 degrees F.
- Thermostabilized Meals: Think of these as the space version of MREs.
In the days of the space shuttle, water for rehydration came as a byproduct of the fuel cells, making freeze-dried meals easy to prepare. On the ISS, however, water is precious and carefully rationed, which adds an extra layer of complexity.
How Space Food Gets Picked
Astronauts don’t just get handed a mystery menu for their missions. According to Vickie Kloeris, they go through four food-tasting sessions before liftoff, sampling up to 50 items to create their preference menus. Using a 1-9 hedonic scale, only foods that score 6 or higher make the cut.
Once in space, every meal is tracked meticulously (via barcode scanners, which are tracked back to each crew member to ensure they are getting enough calories and nutrients), including preflight, ascent, during the mission, and descent meals. After the mission, astronauts debrief with NASA’s food specialists, sharing feedback to improve future menus.
Spice Things Up!
Because microgravity dulls taste and smell, astronauts crave bold, spicy flavors. Hot sauce is a staple— and these are off-the-shelf favorites you buy at your local store!
On the other hand, some foods are best avoided entirely— like rice, which Kjell Lindgren described as a “total disaster” in zero gravity!
The Social Side of Space Food
On the ISS, mealtime is about more than just eating; it’s about building bonds. Crewmates from NASA, JAXA, ESA, and other agencies share meals, adding variety with regional dishes. However, the ROSCOSMOS Russian crew operates separately with their own menu, which tends to be saltier. Food swaps and trades between crews are common and keep things interesting!
What’s Next for Space Food?
NASA is already growing vegetables like lettuce, peppers, and tomatoes in space, which is a big step toward making fresh produce a regular part of space diets. As missions to Mars become a reality, innovations like 3D-printed meals and space farming will be crucial for sustaining long-term missions. Right now, we are not able to produce at scale needed to sustain life- but that will be changing soon!
Learn More About the History of Space Food
Space food is as much about innovation as it is about nourishment, and every meal plays a role in keeping astronauts safe, healthy, and happy. Want to learn about how space food has evolved since the early days of space travel? Click here to explore the history of space food.
And if you’re as fascinated by this topic as we are, be sure to check out Vickie Kloeris’s book, Space Bites, for even more behind-the-scenes stories from NASA’s space food program!
