Apollo 11 Space Mission Delicacies (Neil Armstrong’s Menu)

The glamour and excitement of the Apollo 11 space mission moon landing dimmed the more common parts of the eight-day flight mission surrounded it, days filled with NASA-mandated rest periods, science experiments, and eating.

The graph below from the Autumn 1969 edition of the journal Nutrition Today shows the dramatic weight loss suffered by Apollo astronauts.

Changes in the average weight of crew members on Apollo Missions VII-XI
Changes in the average weight of crew members on Apollo Missions VII-XI

Apollo astronauts were the first to have hot water and eat their packaged food with a spoon.

While today’s astronauts still eat packaged meals, their food is much more diverse and flavorful than Armstrong and Aldrin’s in 1969.

The Apollo 11 astronauts ate packaged beef and veggies. Credit: Bettmann/Getty
The Apollo 11 astronauts ate packaged beef and veggies.
Credit: Bettmann/Getty

Are you keen on exploring the ins and outs of lunar missions? Our Complete Guide to the Apollo Program is the ultimate compendium. Find out what it took to make history beyond Earth!

No culinary delicacies onboard

Photo of a space-themed dining table set against the backdrop of the moon's surface. On the table is a futuristic-looking plate with various space food items representing the Apollo 11 mission's menu. Next to the plate is an astronaut's helmet reflecting the Earth in its visor. The tablecloth showcases an embroidered Apollo 11 logo. Above the table, floating in low gravity, are small packets labeled 'Apollo 11 Space Food'.

Neil Armstrong and Buzz Aldrin had no culinary delicacies onboard the Apollo 11 spacecraft.

Their meals consisted of beef and vegetables that had been dehydrated and stuffed into a package.

NASA Foods
MIxed dehydrated meals in plastic bags designed for NASA astronauts in 1963. Ralph Morse/The LIFE Picture Collection/Getty Images.

In the Apollo 11 space mission, Neil Armstrong and Buzz Aldrin were reportedly served beef and vegetables, pork with potato scallops, and Canadian bacon and apple sauce — all out of a package.

Apollo 11 Food
Apollo 11 Food

Neil Armstrong’s Menu on Apollo 11 Space Mission

Neil Armstrong Apollo 11 Menu
Neil Armstrong Apollo 11 Space Mission Menu
Photo of an astronaut inside a 1960s spacecraft cockpit, floating in zero gravity. He's carefully opening a space food packet labeled 'John Glenn's Meal'. Outside the window, Earth can be seen in all its glory, emphasizing the vastness of space. Instruments and controls surround the astronaut, illuminating the interior with a soft glow.

The meals were color-coded, individually wrapped, and labeled for each day. If something went wrong, such as the cabin losing pressure, the astronauts had a backup food source that would feed them through a port in their helmet, ensuring they wouldn’t have to take off their suits.

Nutritional Challenges and Evolution of Space Food

Weight loss was a common issue for Apollo astronauts. NASA studies showed that astronauts consistently lost weight during their missions, indicating that the food provided may not have been sufficient to maintain their body mass in the space environment.
Space food has evolved dramatically since the Apollo era. Today’s astronauts on the International Space Station (ISS) have access to a much more diverse and flavorful menu compared to their Apollo predecessors.
The ISS food menu now includes over 200 items, ranging from thermostabilized meals to freeze-dried foods and even fresh fruits and vegetables delivered on resupply missions.
Modern space food is not only designed for nutrition but also considers psychological well-being. Shared meals and familiar foods help establish a sense of normalcy and community in the challenging space environment.
Recent innovations include the ability to grow fresh produce in space. Astronauts on the ISS have successfully cultivated and consumed vegetables like lettuce and peppers, adding variety to their diets and potentially paving the way for future long-duration missions.
Food packaging and preparation methods have also improved. Today’s space food is designed to last up to five years when stored properly, addressing the need for long shelf life in space exploration.

First Man to Eat in Space

Photo of a vintage space exhibition display. In the center, there's a life-sized statue of astronaut John Glenn in his spacesuit. Next to him, a glass display case holds the first space food he ate. An informational plaque below reads 'John Glenn: First Man to Eat in Space'. The background has stars and planets, setting the space exploration mood.

John Glenn was the first American to eat in space in 1962. He had applesauce from a tube. Glenn also ate pureed beef and vegetables.

Pureed beef and vegetables. Smithsonian National Air and Space Museum.
Pureed beef and vegetables. Smithsonian National Air and Space Museum.

Fun facts. After crunching the numbers back home, NASA reported that Buzz Aldrin had spent 300 calories an hour on the Moon.

“How did it taste?”

Dr. Malcolm Smith, the Chief of Food and Nutrition at NASA for the Apollo 11 flight, reported in the Autumn 1969 edition of Nutrition Today (paid article) that astronauts Armstrong, Aldrin, and Collins “enjoyed the food we had put aboard. 

Apollo 11 Space food included (from left to right): chicken and vegetables, beef hash, and beef and gravy. Credit: Bettmann/Bettmann Archive
Apollo 11 Space food included (from left to right) chicken and vegetables, beef hash, and beef and gravy. Credit: Bettmann/Bettmann Archive

The variety was satisfactory, and there was enough to satisfy their hunger and maintain their performance.”

Apollo rehydratable food packaging.
Apollo rehydratable food packaging.

Buzz Aldrin later enjoyed the shrimp cocktail, explaining, “The shrimp were chosen one by one to be sure they would be tiny enough to squeeze out of the food packet, and they were delicious!” 

From First Man: The Life of Neil A. Armstrong, we learn that Neil Armstrong’s favorite meal was spaghetti with meat sauce, scalloped potatoes, fruitcake cubes, and grape punch, a spread that certainly sounds Retro Recipe ready.

The first food that was eaten on the Moon

Photo of an astronaut inside a 1960s spacecraft cockpit, floating in zero gravity. He's carefully opening a space food packet labeled 'John Glenn's Meal'. Outside the window, Earth can be seen in all its glory, emphasizing the vastness of space. Instruments and controls surround the astronaut, illuminating the interior with a soft glow.

The first food eaten on the Moon was a communion wafer.

When Apollo 11‘s Eagle lunar module landed on the Moon on July 20, 1969, the two astronauts, Buzz Aldrin and Neil Armstrong, had to do something difficult: Wait.

They were scheduled to open the door of their lunar lander and walk onto the desolate surface of a completely different world.

But for now, their mission required them to take a break before the big event.

Aldrin filled his time doing something surprising, something no man had ever ventured.

Isolated and overwhelmed by apprehension, he participated in the first Christian sacrament ever performed on the Moon—a rite of Christian communion.

Buzz lunar communion has become shrouded in riddles and confusion. But the rite itself was comparatively simple.

Here is the communion bag and chalice used by Buzz Aldrin during his lunar communion. (Credit: David Frohman, President of Peachstate Historical Consulting, Inc.)
Here is the communion bag and chalice used by Buzz Aldrin during his lunar communion. (Credit: David Frohman, President of Peachstate Historical Consulting, Inc.)

Aldrin also was an elder at Webster Presbyterian Church. Even before Buzz entered space in 1969, Aldrin got exclusive permission to take bread and wine with him to play and give himself communion.

Humans had previously prayed in space, but Buzz was about to go one step further—figuratively and literally. Section of his mission was not just to land on the Moon but to step on it.

To prepare, Buzz took communion after the Eagle lunar module arrived on the Moon’s Sea of Tranquility through an hours-long downtime intended to let both the astronauts recover from their space flight and prepare for their moonwalk.

Photo of a detailed museum exhibit dedicated to lunar exploration. A well-lit glass pedestal showcases a replica of the first space food consumed on the Moon. An informational plaque next to it reads 'The First Food Eaten on the Moon'. Surrounding the display are photos of the Apollo missions, lunar landscapes, and astronauts enjoying their meals.

Preparing chicken stew aboard Apollo 11

That’s it – I hope you enjoyed the article!

If you’re interested in diving deeper into the history and intricacies of the Apollo missions, I highly recommend checking out our Complete Guide to the Apollo Program. It provides a comprehensive overview of the entire journey, from inception to the final moon landing.

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