I just learned what astronauts actually eat and I am shocked

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I love a good space drama. Watching astronauts and others who work in space face all the challenges we have here on Earth, albeit with no gravity and a few enemies from another galaxy… I’m obsessed.

One thing that has always annoyed me during my sci-fi sessions is the food. As a certified foodie, those rehydrated bowls of mush just aren’t my thing and I’ve always wondered if astronauts in real life are still subjected to this tasteless mush.

So, fast forward to reality and, er, the present. The European Space Agency recently approved new foods for space – freeze-dried snacks from Lithuanian company Super Garden.

Their offerings include freeze-dried jalapeno cheddar, strawberries, and even ice cream, which sounds anything but bland!

HuffPost UK spoke to Laura Kaziukoniene, CEO of Super Garden, to find out more about what astronauts actually eat and the misconceptions that are being forced upon us.

What astronauts really eat

When I spoke to Kaziukoniene, I admitted that my idea of ​​astronaut food was largely fictional and probably outdated, to say the least.

Kaziukoniene said: “Astronaut food consists mainly of dehydrated or canned food, but there are also some thermostabilized options.

“Fresh foods like fruits and vegetables are only enough for the first few days of a mission. The challenge is to develop tasty, nutritious recipes that are reminiscent of the comfort of home.”

She explained that Super Garden’s technology allows them to freeze-dry a variety of foods and offer them as nutritious, tasty snacks. This includes not only fruits, berries and vegetables, but also cheese, meat, ice cream, candy, coffee, tea, smoothies and even alcohol (without the intoxicating effects).

Kaziukoniene said these can even be prepared according to an astronaut’s personal taste, adding: “We can also turn an astronaut’s favorite dish, such as stew, soup, steak or other delicacies, into a space-worthy snack.

“These snacks do not require rehydration and can be consumed immediately, providing a tasty and nutritious experience.”

Kaziukoniene stressed that when preparing meals, the Super Garden team pays attention not only to nutritional value and strong flavour – which is essential due to the reduced perception of taste in space – but also to the astronauts’ nationality, culinary traditions and personal preferences.

“Delicious food provides a sense of security and in space this security is especially important.”

How astronauts get all the nutrients they need

Kaziukoniene explained: “Each astronaut on the International Space Station has a personal eight-day meal plan. This plan provides a variety of tasty foods in an appealing format while also providing important nutrients.

“All food sent into space undergoes rigorous controls to ensure it can withstand extreme conditions, stay fresh, tasty and nutritious over time, and retain its attractive shape.

“These controls also ensure that the astronauts receive all the necessary nutrients through their diet.”

Super Garden’s freeze-drying technology is particularly well suited for this, because by dehydrating the food and enriching it with innovative proteins, the body retains all of the important nutrients, vitamins and fiber.

How astronaut food has evolved over time

All this, of course, made me wonder what our first astronauts ate among the stars.

Kaziukoniene said: “In the early days of space exploration, astronaut food resembled tubes of toothpaste. Freeze-dried food had to be rehydrated and consumed as a puree from these tubes. This food bore no resemblance to a home-cooked meal and offered little comfort.”

She also pointed out that there were once proposals to develop a pill containing all the necessary nutrients, but she believes that would have been even more daunting for the astronauts.

Yes, indeed!

Commenting on the development, Kaziukoniene said: “Due to the lack of advanced technology, the taste was understandably bland.

“Today, we are creating snacks that are so tasty and appealing that they are popular on Earth, where a wide variety of foods are available. We hope these snacks will similarly enhance astronauts’ experiences in space.”

What is the biggest myth about space food?

Being honest about my ignorance, I wanted Kaziukoniene to debunk the myths about space food that we have been led to believe.

She said: “The biggest myth is that astronauts’ food is significantly different from that on Earth and has unnatural tastes reminiscent of space.

“In reality, the goal is to offer astronauts familiar tastes. Many companies that deliver food to space also sell the same snacks on Earth. For example, our most successful product, freeze-dried ice cream, is popular in over 40 markets.

“If people here like it, we will work to ensure that European astronauts can also enjoy ice cream in space, where it doesn’t melt.”

Great.

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