Artemis 2 food menu spiced up with 189 items: What will NASA astronauts eat? 5 hot sauces, 10+ beverages and more

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Artemis 2 space mission: From green tea, coffee, smoothies, maple syrup to vegetable quiche, cake and pudding — more than 10 types of beverages, five different hot sausages and six desserts are among there food items that will satiate their hunger.

(L-R) Canadian Space Agency astronaut Mission Specialist Jeremy Hansen, NASA astronaut and Artemis II Mission Specialist Christina Koch, NASA astronaut and Artemis II Commander Reid Wiseman and NASA astronaut and Artemis II pilot Victor Glover look on during a welcome ceremony ahead of the Artemis II April 1 launch at Kennedy Space Center in Florida on March 27, 2026. NASA astronauts assigned to the Artemis II mission arrive at Kennedy Space Center in Florida on March 27, 2026, to begin final pre-launch preparations for the first crewed lunar flyby in the Artemis program. The journey, set to last around 10 days, will take the astronauts on a loop around the Moon, though they will not land on its surface. The crew comprises the first woman, the first person of color and the first non-American to take part in such a journey. (Photo by Miguel J. Rodriguez CARRILLO / AFP)

Keeping in view the needs of the Canadian astronaut, NASA included five Canadian products in the Menu.

So what's on the space menu?

NASA released a list reveling few of the food items that will travel along the three American and one Canadian astronaut on the Artemis 2 mission. They are:

189 unique menu items: More than 10 types of beverages

Coffee

Green Tea

Mango-Peach Smoothie

Chocolate Breakfast Drink

Vanilla Breakfast Drink

Lemonade

Apple Cider

Pineapple Drink

Cocoa

Strawberry breakfast drink

Most common food items

Tortillas

Wheat Flat Bread

Vegetable Quiche

Breakfast Sausage

Couscous w/ Nuts

Mango Salad

Granola w/ Blueberries

Almonds

Cashews

Barbecued Beef Brisket

Broccoli au Gratin

Spicy Green Beans

Macaroni & Cheese

Tropical Fruit Salad

Butternut Squash Cauliflower

There are 5 different hot sauces flying around the Moon with the crew.

Culinary flavourings

Maple Syrup

Chocolate Spread

Peanut Butter

Hot Sauce

Spicy Mustard

Strawberry Jam

Honey

Cinnamon

Almond Butter

What's in the desert?

Pudding

Cake

Chocolate

cobbler

Candy-coated

almonds

The meal structure

NASA explained that astronauts have scheduled time for breakfast, lunch, and dinner on a typical mission day — excluding launch and reentry.

Each astronaut is allotted two flavoured beverages per day. Beverage options are limited due to "upmass constraints, which restrict how much food and drink can be carried onboard," NASA said.

No fresh food on Artemis 2

NASA said no fresh foods will be flying on Artemis II as "Orion does not have refrigeration nor the late load capability required for fresh foods."

Authorities ensured that with no resupply, refrigeration, or late-load capability, all meals are carefully selected to remain safe, shelf-stable, and easy to prepare and consume in NASA’s Orion spacecraft.

How is space food prepared in Artemis 2 Orion spacecraft?

Food aboard Orion is ready-to-eat, rehydratable, thermostabilised, or irradiated, NASA said. It added that the crew uses Orion’s potable water dispenser to rehydrate foods and beverages and a compact, briefcase-style food warmer to heat meals as needed.

About the Author

Akriti Anand

Akriti Anand is a Deputy Chief Content Producer at LiveMint. She is a digital journalist with more than six years in the news industry. In her current role, she covers both national and international politics, and also keeps a close watch on the latest trends in science and space exploration. Akriti joined the LiveMint team in October 2023. Before this, she built a strong career at other major media houses. She worked as a senior sub-editor at India Today. Later, she moved to CNBCTV-18. There, she covered high-pressure topics like breaking news and major elections. She spent much of her time analysing Parliament bills and complex political debates. She is also a skilled editor who knows how to polish a story for a digital audience. One of her career highlights happened at CNBCTV-18. She made her first television debut during the Chandrayaan-3 mission. She also provided special on-air coverage for the Karnataka Elections. When she is not busy with breaking news, Akriti loves to write explainers and interview experts on a wide range of issues. She also enjoys making complex space missions easy for everyone to understand. Her education helps her tackle these diverse subjects. She holds a BA in English Literature, a Postgraduate Diploma in Mass Communication, and a Master’s degree in Development Studies. She is currently expanding her knowledge in climate journalism. Connect with Akriti here LinkedIn: <a href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/akriti-anand-868285199">https://www.linkedin.com/in/akriti-anand-868285199</a> Twitter/X: <a href="https://x.com/AkritiAnand7">https://x.com/AkritiAnand7</a> Email: akriti.anand@htdigital.in

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