Artemis II astronauts have revealed the surprising snack they reached for as soon as they were back on Earth after setting a new human spaceflight distance record.
Astronaut meals have a reputation for being fairly uninspiring, especially for anyone spending long stretches in orbit.
Food planned for space prioritizes safety and function over flavor and texture, so it’s rarely expected to be anyone’s favorite dining experience.
Everything also needs to last for extended missions—sometimes weeks or months—and it has to be easy to eat without creating crumbs or floating debris, which can become a real problem in microgravity.
Still, despite the stereotypes, the Artemis II crew suggested the onboard menu during their historic journey was better than many people might assume.
“The Artemis II crew has direct input into menu selection,” NASA claims, “Crew members sample, evaluate, and rate all foods on the standard menu during preflight testing, and their preferences are balanced with nutritional requirements and what Orion can accommodate.”
After their remarkable loop around the Moon, the astronauts also shared what they ate first once they were safely down on Earth again.
In an interview with CBS, commander Reid Wiseman described the moment after splashdown: “When we landed, we splashed down into the Pacific Ocean, waiting for the rescue forces to come open the hatch, and Christina, out of her spacesuit pocket, goes, ‘I got some peanut M&Ms, anybody want some?'”
He added: “And so we’re leaning against the side of the spacecraft, just come back from the moon, eating peanut M&Ms; we were happy.”
The peanut M&Ms weren’t the only food-related detail that caught viewers’ attention during the mission, either.
During the journey, many people pointed out what appeared to be a jar of Nutella drifting through the capsule, shortly before the crew went on to break the record for the greatest distance humans have traveled from Earth.
Once the footage spread online, NASA clarified that the appearance of the branded jar wasn’t a deliberate advertisement.
Nutella, however, leaned into the attention, posting on X: “Honored to have traveled further than any spread in history, taking spreading smiles to new heights.
“We’ve traveled to a lot of breakfast tables. Never any quite like this.”
As for the meals they most enjoyed while away, Wiseman and fellow crew member Victor Glover highlighted several favorites, including spicy green beans, broccoli au gratin, and fajitas.