It’s not about the food presentation when having Thanksgiving dinner in space

Even though they’re hundreds of miles above earth, NASA astronauts on the International Space Station will partake in a Thanksgiving meal. The menu this year is similar to what most American earthlings will eat: turkey, candied yams, mashed potatoes, and a cherry-blueberry cobbler for dessert.

However, food preparation and presentation will be very different. Weightlessness in space is a foe to space chefs interested in the finer details of dining. Nothing stays in place, whether they’re ingredients, utensils, or napkins. Imagine trying to season a meal with salt and pepper. So those seasonings come in liquid form.

Other space food is usually frozen, heat-processed, or freeze dried, then packaged in plastic, foil, or canned.

Watch our video to see how food is prepared, and what chowing down a Thanksgiving feast in space looks like.