My people survive in mineral and protein infused slime. You don’t want to know where it comes from. Over the centuries, we have developed for sophisticated “tastes” and even tried food from other species we have encountered.
When I grow up, I want to be a space historian and archeologist, I specialize in studying the early days of space programs of species we encounter. And when we find a gem like earth where we can observe your development in real time, I cannot be more excited. I only wish there was a way for me to watch what happens on your world 32 hours a day.
Back to your food and what your astronauts eat. A lot of your freeze dried food is very common to what other species developed for their early day explorers. There is a species called the Cortezans who are very much like you humanoids. Carbon based in nature but evolutionarily different from you. They used to send up freeze-dried food to their explorers. They are then rehydrated in space when they are ready to eat. What is interesting is that the freeze dried food become sort of a hit on their world and even a few others.
Another species called the Orchnaids also supply their explorers with freeze-dried meals but also a variety of MRE (meals ready to eat). These types of meals offer greater variety. Even though my taste buds are not as sophisticated as those of other species, I was especially intrigued by the miso soup and ramen the Japanese space agency sends their astronauts. We have only learned about pasta and noodles from the Zinojin, and began to make our slim in similar ways. I do not know what miso tastes like (thought we know the exact chemical compounds), I look forward to replicating it in my garage. (Don’t tell my parents!)
Pangeaverse 