The LuLac Edition #5, 717th, July 19th, 2026

 

 

WHAT DID THE

APOLLO 11

ASTRONAUTS

EAT IN SPACE?

It is 57 years ago that the Apollo astronauts walked on the moon.Neil Armstrong took the first step followed by Buzz Aldrin. Michael Collins circled the moon to drop them off and get them back. 
The trio were working hard, stsykmg busy and making history. But just what were they eating in this long journey to the moon and back. 
he Apollo 11 astronauts ate freeze-dried and packaged meals including beef, chicken, vegetables, bacon, cookies, fruit, and beverages like coffee and fruit drinks, with the first food on the Moon being communion bread and wine.
Types of Food.

During the Apollo 11 mission, astronauts Neil Armstrong, Buzz Aldrin, and Michael Collins consumed freeze-dried and packaged meals designed for space travel. Their menu included beef and vegetables, beef hash, beef with gravy, chicken with rice, pork with potato scallops, Canadian bacon, and apple sauce. Breakfast items included Kellogg’s Corn Flakes, and snacks featured bacon squares, sugar cookie cubes, peaches, and pineapple-grapefruit drink. Buzz Aldrin described some meals as "delicious" despite the limitations of space food technology at the time.

Packaging and Preparation

The food was freeze-dried or dehydrated and packaged in color-coded, individually wrapped pouches labeled for each day. Astronauts rehydrated meals using a water probe that dispensed hot or cold water, and ate using a spoon or a “spoon bowl” designed to prevent food from floating away in microgravity 
. Some meals had antimicrobial tablets to reduce spoilage, and the packaging was designed to protect flavor, moisture, and prevent crumbling. 

First Foods on the Moon

The first food consumed on the Moon was part of a holy communion ceremony performed by Buzz Aldrin, consisting of bread and wine. The first scheduled lunar meal included bacon squares, peaches, sugar cookie cubes, pineapple-grapefruit drink, and coffee, eaten shortly after landing in the Sea of Tranquility 
Each astronaut was provided with three meals per day, totaling approximately 2,800 calories, though weight loss was common during missions, indicating that the food sometimes fell short of maintaining body mass in microgravity. 

The meals were designed to be nutritionally balanced while minimizing,

weight and packaging volume.

Post-Mission Quarantine Meals

After returning to Earth, the astronauts were placed in quarantine for 21 days, during which they ate Stouffer’s prepared meals, including items like macaroni and cheese, ravioli, and Salisbury steak, to ensure safety and maintain nutrition.
Apollo 11’s food system marked a significant step in space nutrition, introducing hot water rehydration, utensil use, and individually packaged meals, setting the stage for the more diverse and flavorful menus available to astronauts today