I love a good space drama. Watching astronauts and those who work in space face all of the challenges that we have here on Earth – but minus the gravity and add some enemies from another galaxy… obsessed.
One thing I’ve always squirmed over in my sci-fi seshes, though, is the food. As a certified foodie, those rehydrated bowls of mush just don’t do it for me, and I’ve always wondered if astronauts in real life are still subjected to this tasteless mush.
So, fast-forward to reality and, uh present day. The European Space Agency has recently approved new food for space — freeze-dried snacks made by the Lithuanian company Super Garden.
Some of their offerings include lyophilized jalapeno cheddar, strawberries, and even ice cream, which all sound quite far from bland mush!
HuffPost UK spoke with Laura Kaziukoniene, CEO of Super Garden to learn more about what astronauts actually eat and what misconceptions we’ve been led to believe.
What astronauts actually eat
When speaking with Kaziukoniene, I admitted that my idea of astronaut food was mostly from fiction and was likely, at the very least, outdated.
Kaziukoniene said: “Astronaut food is primarily dehydrated or canned, with some thermo-stabilised options.
“Fresh food, like fruit and vegetables, only lasts for the initial days of a mission. The challenge is to develop tasty, nutritious recipes that evoke the comforts of home.”
She explained that Super Garden’s technology allows them to freeze-dry and present various foods as nutritious, flavourful snacks. This includes not just fruit, berries, and vegetables, but also cheeses, meats, ice cream, sweets, coffee, tea, smoothies, and even alcohol (without the intoxicating effects).
Kaziukoniene said that these can even be created to an astronaut’s personal tastes, too, adding: “We can also transform an astronaut’s favourite dish, such as a stew, soup, steak, or other delicacies, into a space-appropriate snack.
“These snacks do not require rehydration and can be consumed immediately, offering a flavourful and nutritious experience.”
Kaziukoniene emphasised that in creating the food, the team at Super Garden focus on not only nutrition and strong flavours — which is essential due to diminished taste perception in space — but also on astronauts’ nationalities, culinary traditions and personal preferences.
“Delicious food provides comfort, and in space, this comfort is especially important.”
How astronauts get all of the nutrients that they need
Kaziukoniene explained: “Each astronaut on the International Space Station has a personalised eight-day meal plan. This plan ensures a variety of tasty foods in appealing forms, while also providing essential nutrients.
“All food sent to space undergoes rigorous checks to ensure it can withstand extreme conditions, remain fresh, tasty, and nutritious for extended periods, and maintain an attractive form.
“These checks also guarantee that astronauts receive all necessary nutrients in their diet.”
The freeze-drying technology at Super Garden is particularly good for this, she notes, as by dehydrating food and enriching it with innovative proteins, the team preserve all essential nutrients, vitamins, and fibres.
How astronaut food has evolved over time
All of this, of course, led me to wondering what our first astronauts were tucking into amongst the stars.
Kaziukoniene said: “In the early days of space exploration, astronaut food resembled toothpaste tubes. Freeze-dried food had to be rehydrated and consumed as puree from these tubes. This food bore no resemblance to a home-cooked meal and offered little comfort.”
She also pointed out that at one point, there were proposals to create a pill that contained all necessary nutrients but she feels that would have been even more disheartening for astronauts.
As for how it evolved, Kaziukoniene said: “Due to the lack of advanced technology, the taste was understandably bland.
“Today, we create snacks that are so flavourful and appealing that they are popular on Earth, where a wide variety of foods is available. We hope these snacks will similarly enhance astronauts’ experiences in space.”
What is the biggest myth about space food?
Since I’d been so honest about my own ignorance, I wanted Kaziukoniene to dispel the space food myths we have been led to believe.
She said: “The biggest myth is that astronauts consume food vastly different from what we eat on Earth, with unnatural tastes reminiscent of outer space.
“In reality, the goal is to provide astronauts with familiar tastes. Many companies supplying food to space also sell the same snacks on Earth. For example, our most successful product, freeze-dried ice cream, is loved in over 40 markets.
“If people enjoy it here, we are committed to finding ways for European astronauts to enjoy ice cream in space, where it won’t melt.”
