What do astronauts eat in space?

The orbital pantry is organized into a few families. Rehydratable dishes — soups, scrambled eggs, purées — weigh very little and are reconstituted by injecting hot water into the pouch, then eaten with a spoon through an opening. Thermostabilized foods are heat-sterilized and arrive ready to eat in flexible pouches or cans. These are supplemented with intermediate-moisture items, such as dried fruit, and foods in their natural form: nuts, cookies, or bars. Drinks travel as powder in pouches fitted with a straw. Menus are planned weeks in advance and rotate in cycles, though each crew member gets an allotment of personally chosen foods to help morale on six-month missions.

Bread is banned because its crumbs would float and could get into an eye or a ventilation duct; wheat tortillas have replaced it since the shuttle era. Salt and pepper are supplied dissolved in liquid for the same reason. Trays are held to the thigh or a wall with velcro and magnets, and utensils are usually magnetic. The nasal congestion common in microgravity dulls the sense of smell and, with it, perceived taste — hence the preference for spicy sauces, shrimp cocktails with horseradish, and strong seasonings.

Every cargo ship carries a small shipment of fresh fruit and vegetables that gets eaten in the first few days. Since 2014, the Veggie greenhouse has allowed crews to grow and eat lettuce and other produce on board, a trial aimed at long missions where resupply from Earth stops being a realistic option.