NASA: We're ready for take off
Food on the ground and in space
We visited Houston to see our close friends but knew we wanted to explore the NASA Space Center. It was a wonderful experience, and we picked up a few food tidbits on the VIP Astronaut Tour.
Some fun facts:
Building 17 is where astronaut food is prepared. Once made, they’re sealed in plastic bags. The plastic sealing reminded me of my mother's seal-a-mealing foods as a kid.
Astronauts get to rate and scale the food. They share their thoughts on texture, taste, and look. That doesn’t necessarily mean it will change, but the input is given. And when supplies are replenished, it’s possible that foods they like from their families could be sent up into space where they are.
Astronauts have a good sense of humor when it comes to food. There’s the story about astronaut Mike Massimo swapping his asparagus for his buddy’s shrimp cocktail. But hear it from him. He told some stories about eating in space, including the one about asparagus, to Wired magazine in 2019.
Freeze-dried ice cream, artificially flavored chocolate, vanilla, and strawberry ice cream between chocolate wafers give you an idea of a treat in space. You can get it in the gift shop. I read the ingredients: 13 grams of total sugar with 10 grams of added sugar. The calories from the amount per serving was 150. Honestly, you’d never get me to eat this because it’s packaged, and I try very hard to avoid all processed food. But it was fun to buy as a novelty item. On a serious note, I felt that NASA should rethink purchasing these foods and give our brave astronauts the best dessert possible. And maybe this is the best dessert, but our standards are different on Earth than in outer space. I’m not sure what that better dessert would be or how it could be made for space, but that’s how I felt when I saw this.
The Food Hall in the main building had various items, including salads and yogurt—a plus—but also French fries and carb-heavy foods like pizza. I got some mustard and ketchup for our sandwiches, which I brought to save time and enjoy more of the space center. Did that ketchup have sugar? Probably. I don’t buy ketchup with added sugar. I like this brand: True Made Foods Ketchup with extra veggies and no sugar.
I think health can be improved across the board. If I were in charge of the Food Hall, I'd reduce the carb-heavy foods and packaged snacks because so many kids go to the Space Center. But I know this takes time and thought. Remember that my statement of change does not consider any of their systems, processes, and procedures. These issues might make a change like this difficult.
Still, while some of their offerings were great, others were not, and if someone wanted to shake up the place, there would be exciting room for that.
Meanwhile, throughout the Food Lab and the VIP Astronaut tour, I saw vending machines with packaged candy and sugary drinks. Needless to say, I’d unload those in a heartbeat and figure out a way to have better stuff in there.
Our astronauts risk their lives to bring new explorations to us here on Earth, and the people on the ground who work at NASA are nothing short of fantastic, too. I have the most profound respect for them, especially after I had a chance to see some astronauts in the largest training pool in the world, in the water for what would be hours, learning how to fix things in this simulated weightless environment.
As a swimmer, I was impressed by the astronauts' abilities to navigate in the water for a lengthy period of time. I was also happy our astronauts could pick up salad, yogurt, and hard-boiled eggs in the Food Hall!
But ‘Houston, we have a problem,’ or at least I do with any other food that’s not the best! Our astronauts, families, and kids who visit NASA deserve it! And since you have one of the coolest and most exciting places I’ve been to in a long time, a renewed focus on healthy foods to complement the already great things on the menu would make your place even more terrific!
I don’t mean to single out NASA for a food rethink; I had similar thoughts at the Houston Museum of Natural Science. The menu was filled with fried items and starchy carbs, though a stack of bananas, apples, and oranges was available. However, on a busy Saturday afternoon, I didn’t see anyone choosing the fruit—instead, most opted for hot dogs, fries, and grilled cheese for their kids. Maybe this is just how it is, and the menu reflects what kids prefer over vegetables.
Or perhaps the meal is meant to feel like a treat—a memorable, eat-out experience since it's a fun place. But I believe healthy eating habits start young, and making fresh, colorful veggies more accessible and appealing could be a significant step. Simple changes like adding a salad to the menu or offering veggies in easy-to-grab bags could make a difference.
In both NASA and the museum, I was thrilled I brought sandwiches, banana bread, and other snacks from home. It’s not that I couldn’t afford to buy lunch—quite the opposite. I don’t typically like lunch options laden with carbs, sugar, and nothing else. My preference is always to have my own. I reserve eating out for the experience. And having my own brown bag lunch meant blasting off into exhibits faster than it was waiting in line at the Food Hall!
By the way, I asked Dietitian/Diabetes Educator Jordana Turkel if I was overboard in asking for customizations of the meals and if NASA and the museum, should they ever read this article, simply disregard my comments. She said, “Don’t be shy! Ask for what you want and for what your body needs! You only get one body!”
Well said, Jordana! And here’s Houston, a fabulous city. See you again, and hopefully, for the rodeo!