What Astronauts Actually Eat in Space (Send More Siracha)

“NASA astronauts Michael Hopkins (left) and Rick Mastracchio, both Expedition 38 flight engineers, pose for a photo with a Thanksgiving meal in the Unity node of the International Space Station. ISS038-E-009306 (28 Nov. 2013) – high res (1.9 M) low res (115 K)”
Keith’s note: Yea, yea, yea NASA PAO wants you to think that they had a traditional Thanksgiving turkeyfest on-orbit. Look at the high res version of this image and you will see three different brands of peanut butter, 3 bottles of hot sauce, mini-Reeses peanut butter cups, Ghirardelli chocolates, and Tic Tacs. In other words they really eat like geeks.
Oh yes – advice to NASA: looks like the makers of Siracha sauce have to shut down for a while (factory neighbors hate the smell). Make sure you throw a bottle into Cygnus – its a popular product on ISS. I cannot imagine what would happen if the ISS crews ran out of this precious substance.
Keith Cowing’s Devon Island Journal 19 July 2003: Illness, Good Food, and Morale
“Good food is something that NASA has long known. Good food – or at least the best one can provide under the circumstances that accompany spaceflight – is very important to mission success. Astronauts are allowed to chose menus for their missions – and NASA has a whole kitchen system set up whereby meals are taste tested. Other popular items such as candies, condiments, and fresh vegetables are also added.”