In this week's Enterprise episode "Shuttlepod One," Commander Tucker and Lt. Reed take time out from the crisis at hand to have a meal. As was the case in the 20th and 21st centuries, 22nd-century astronauts still sometimes have to eat pre-prepared food contained in packages.

Tucker sticks with good ol' meat and potatoes while Reed is somewhat more adventurous and chooses the Chilean sea bass (despite his alleged dislike of fish mentioned in a previous episode). It's rather clear from Malcolm's expression that the sea bass is below par, but he puts on a brave face and says it's fine anyway.

Given the busy schedule that astronauts maintain during their missions, a good meal is all that more important. As such, NASA goes to great lengths to make sure there is an ample variety of menu choices that taste good. To be certain that crew preferences are met, a month before launch, each crew member heading to Space Station Alpha composes their own 120-day menu so as to be certain that their selections will be waiting for them when they arrive. (Photo courtesy NASA.)

Of course, this system works fine if you know which specific individuals are going to be in space at a given time. However there are going to be instances where food will need to be placed aboard a spacecraft for contingency purposes. In the case of the Enterprise shuttlepods, a mixture of food is placed aboard so as to provide a variety of choices for a broad range of individuals. No doubt in the 22nd century the menu will also need to cater to different species (i.e. Vulcans) as well. Whatever is placed aboard, it is likely to be the product of extensive testing.

NASA is always looking to improve its food — and has used scientists and engineers in the field as test subjects. Such was the case at the Haughton Mars Research Project on Devon Island in the Canadian high arctic.

According to SpaceRef.com's Marc Boucher, who was a participant in the Summer 2000 field season on Devon Island, "I had the opportunity to participate in several NASA experiments. Once of those was a two-week test of food destined for the International Space Station. Our goal was to evaluate the taste of the main courses. Each meal is designed for a specific caloric intake. For the most part I would have to say that half the items we tested were good to excellent, while the rest didn't fare so well.

"By coincidence, among the items I tried was Chilean sea bass. My reaction was much the same as Lt. Reed's."

Eventually, the problem of individual taste preferences will be solved when programmable replicators are perfected and become standard equipment on all Starfleet vessels, big and small (because "Chef" can't be everywhere at once!). Until then, some advice to all astronauts present and future: pass on the bass.

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