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Space Food Preparation

Space food is not so far-out. It is ordinary food that most people eat, but it's packaged and prepared differently for logistical and other considerations, like zero gravity. Nutritive requirements are different in space than on earth. Less iron is needed, and bone loss tends to occur. Before a mission, astronauts choose from an array of meals, snacks and beverages they want to eat. Once in space, they can often prepare those meals in less than 30 minutes.

Instructions

- 1
  Rehydrate the rehydratable space food items such as cream of mushroom soup or casseroles, shrimp cocktail, scrambled eggs or breakfast cereal. These foods come in a flexible bowl with a lid and need to be reconstituted with water prior to consuming. Breakfast cereal will contain nonfat dry milk packaged together with the cereal. Add water supplied by the on-board galley through the septum adaptor on the lid of the bowl. Attach it to a tray with Velcro on the bottom of the package to prevent the bowl from floating away.
- 2
  Eat certain space foods such as thermostabilized foods, without further preparation (other than warming). These are foods that have been heat-treated to kill harmful bacteria. Several types of thermostabilized foods are available aboard the Space Shuttle: tuna or fruit in aluminum or bimetallic cans that can be opened by pulling a tab; puddings in plastic cups; and entrees in flexible packages, such as tomatoes and eggplant or beef goulash or tuna Creole. Heat packages and snip with scissors, and eat directly from the pouch.
- 3
  Consume natural form foods directly, such as granola bars or cookies. These products do not need to be heated or prepared, simply opened from their clear flexible packaging and eaten as is. Also, eat fresh fruit directly and immediately, otherwise it will spoil due to lack of refrigeration.
- 4
  Use polyethylene dropper bottles to dispense condiments for meals. Salt and pepper must be kept in liquid form because any individual grains can disperse and float during flight and potentially damage the flight apparatus. Additional condiments may include taco sauce, mustard, mayonnaise and ketchup, served in individual packets.
- 5
  Forgo bread for tortillas, which are easier to eat on space missions because tortillas do not produce crumbs that float in weightlessness.

Astronomy