What Would You Eat in Space
Recommend For: Ages 6 and up
Badges: Ready for Space, Space & the Present
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Download this activity as a PDF
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Have you ever wondered what astronauts eat when they are in space? It’s probably a lot better than you think! In this activity, you will explore what astronauts eat and design your own space menu.
You Will Need
A reliable internet connection
Paper and pencil
Watch
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Astronauts eat three meals a day: breakfast, lunch, and dinner. Food scientists at NASA ensure that the food astronauts east provides them with a balanced supply of vitamins and minerals. Watch this video by the Insider team to learn about what it is like to eat food in space.​
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Astronauts can choose from many types of food to eat. They can have fruits, nuts, peanut butter, chick, beef, seafood, candy, brownies and more. They can also enjoy drinks like coffee, tea, orange juice, fruit punch, and lemonade. Astronauts can even enjoy pizza night! Watch Expedition 53 crew enjoy making pizzas:
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Wonder
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What kinds of food can astronauts bring to space?
What kinds of food can’t astronauts bring to space? Why might they not be allowed?
We have lots of tools in our kitchens that help us prepare food. What kinds of tools do you think astronauts have in space? Are there any tools that they don’t have?
Does food taste different in space?
How long does food have to last in space?
What makes a healthy diet?
Read
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Not all food can be eaten in space. Read this article by the Franklin Institute about 5 food that astronauts can’t eat in space.
Want to learn more? NASA has an entire page to explore what it is like to eat in space. Check it out here.
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Create
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Imagine that you are a food scientist and are preparing the menu of food that you and your team will take on a mission to space with you. You need to plan for breakfast, lunch, and dinner. You need to plan a healthy diet but can include a special treat as well.
First, think about the food that you eat during a day. Make a list of what you like to eat at breakfast, lunch, and dinner. Use this list to help you think about what each meal might include. Were any of those foods mentioned as foods that can’t travel to space? If so, take those off your list.
Then, explore this food pyramid. It is important to make sure that your space menu represents a healthy diet.
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Now, design your menu.
What will you have for breakfast?
What will you have for lunch?
What will you enjoy for dinner and dessert?
Wonderlog
Want to complete this task towards collecting a Wondernauts badge? Share your space menu with the Wondernauts community. Was it hard to design the menu? Was there any food that you would miss not being about to eat in space?
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