Lunch on Mars
When we think about what we will have for lunch we usually only think about two things: what we want to eat and whether we have it in the house. Sometimes we forget about other important aspects of meal planning such as:
Does it provide the nutrients that our body needs without adding a lot of substances that we don’t need?
How much waste will this meal generate (parts we don’t eat, packaging)?
Now think about planning a lunch on Mars.
Do you still need nutritious food to stay healthy?
Where does the waste go on Mars? On Earth we have big landfills and trash in our streets and oceans. Do you think we should do that on Mars?
How will you get your food on Mars? Do you have to transport it from Earth?
Lunch on Mars Planning Guidelines
Your task is to plan a lunch that meets the following requirements:
Nutritionally complete including something from each of the 4 basic food groups:
- Breads / cereals
- Fruits / vegetables
- Dairy products
- Meat / fish / protein
At least 236 mL (8 fluid ounces) of fluid.
The total mass of food and liquid must be less than 568 grams per crew member.
The total mass of any uneaten food and the packaging that held all of your food must be less than 57 grams.
Plan your Lunch on Mars using the guidelines provided. List all of the parts of your lunch along with their masses in your Mission Journal. Mission Control has provided some additional details for this task in the Lunch on Mars Planning video.
Lunch on Mars Planning Video
