Menu for astronauts in the space includes variety, comforts of home;

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Neil Armstrong may have taken this first step towards the moon, but it was John Glenn who took the first slurp of applesauce for humankind.

Until he ate while orbiting Earth in 1962, scientists at NASA were not sure humans could swallow and digest food while in space. Luckily, he chowed down in zero gravity with no trouble. Today's astronauts in the International Space Station, so they get pretty hungry without a few snacks!

Of course, while the human body is happy to take a meal while hovering 250 miles above Earth, the process of cooking and eating is not exactly the same as it is back home. That's why NASA scientists are working hard to perfect astronaut menus. A healthy diet is even more important for you, it is here on the surface, because it makes you feel better. NASA has got a face up to a rocket, store it for a long time, and it's a good way to get rid of astronauts from getting bored, too!

"Imagine trying to eat the same food for every meal for six months. You can get tired of the food and eat it. That's why we're going to make a wide variety of healthy foods available for the astronauts to make choices, "says F. Ryan Dowdy, NASA's ISS food system manager at Johnson Space Center in Houston, Texas.

Astronauts have about 200 food items to pick from. According to Dowdy, a lot of options are surprisingly similar to meals we eat on Earth.

"Whether it's macaroni and cheese or chocolate pudding cake, it's important for the astronauts when eating to be reminded of home," he says. "Food can be an important psychological comfort in the stressful environment of space."

It's the preparation that's unique: it's time to go to the table – it's up to you . Macaroni and cheese is freeze-dried, and is added to the space station. Chocolate pudding cake is preserved similarly to canned food, but NASA puts it in a flexible pouch so it takes up less space.

Some Earth foods are perfectly fit for zero-gravity consumption. Tortillas, for example, are a great alternative to bread – they are a long time in storage, and they do not form crumbs that float around and get caught in important parts of the ship. Astronauts can request small quantities of fresh fruits and vegetables. NASA sends supplies up, but for the most part, they're eating various combinations of super-durable stored foods.

As NASA looks to the future of spaceflight – with missions to Mars, and perhaps even farther – the agency has more sustainable food. It takes about eight months to get to Mars, and astronauts will get to bring food to the journey home, too. Dowdy says NASA is working to extend the shelf life of its food, but is also part of the plan.

Dowdy says it's going to be a sustainable source of calories.

He thinks 3D printed treats may also be on the menu someday soon. One thing is for sure: It's going to take a lot of scientific know-how to feed the space explorers of the future.

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