Before you get excited, no we cannot deliver food to you in space. But what we can do, is tell you that eating in space is no joke (it is a little funny though). Why? Because of this little thing called gravity.
The thing is, foods in microgravity have a mind of their own. Picture this: you’re housed in a flying metal container that’s hurtling through space and you’re really hankering for a bite. You rip open a bag of chips and BAM! You’ve got a swarm of potato torpedos headed straight for you. And if you were thinking of having some water to wash down those salty crips, don’t even bother. Because that’s going to fly right out of your cup, too.
So how do astronauts manage to survive in space? With special packaging methods! You see, space food is parcelled to last for years and defy microgravity. In fact, the first form of space food was packaged like toothpaste – soft, gloopy processed meals that astronauts could squeeze out of aluminium tubes straight into their mouths. (Now doesn’t that sound yum?)
If this bleak picture of a world where food is meant for sustenance and not pleasure doesn’t scare you, and if you’re still keen on becoming an astronaut (you braveheart, you), here are 9 things you can expect to survive on in space:
- Powdered Scrambled Eggs: Suddenly, even the worst scrambled eggs on earth seem more appetising.
- Peanut Butter & Jelly Tortillas: The astronaut-version of roti with butter and sugar (except that sugar would fly away).
- Beverage Pouches: Hot coffee through a straw? We’re going back to sleep.
- Spicy Sauce: We don’t think that’s a good idea when you’re caged in a metal tube with no ventilation, but hey… what do we know.
- Chocolate-covered Nuts: Finally something that doesn’t make us gag. (Also great for playing games in space.)
- Dehydrated Ice Cream: This is just blasphemy, we tell you! BLASPHEMY! *shakes fist in anger*
- Lentil Soup: Basically, there’s no running away from dal no matter how far you go.
- Liquid Salt & Pepper: We don’t even know where to begin with this one.
- Gelatin-coated Sandwiches: If this doesn’t put you off food forever, you – dear friend – have a cast-iron stomach.
Moral of the story? Eating and drinking in space is hard work. Thank your stars you’re a foodie and not an astronaut.
