In 1973, a modified version of the commercially available Pillsbury Food Sticks was included on the third Skylab mission, as a NASA press release indicated. Learn more about our history on  GeneralMills.com  or in our  History category  on this blog. 1 c. dry powdered milk. Maybe I'm missing something regarding the nostalgia associated with these, but except for the name and shape, there seems to be little difference between these and the numerous types and brands of "protein bars" and "energy bars" that are sold in … Pillsbury used its role as a food supplier on Apollo 11 as a launching pad for a spin-off named Space Food Sticks, which were added to the menu for the Skylab astronauts. The downfall of Space Food Sticks began after the energy crisis of the mid-1970s when the space program took a back seat to other pressing issues. Recipes / Pillsbury pizza sticks (1000+) Mike's Pizza Sticks. Calorie break-down: 35% fat, 58% carbs, 7% protein. or 2 pkg. They don’t seem very appetizing. 2 tbsp. So lets take a look back and celebrate this iconic treat. Pillsbury released a commercial spin-off of their cosmic creation, imaginatively dubbing the product Space Food Sticks. It’s still used in several industries today around the world, from production and preparation to packaging and distribution. They were only available until the 1980s, as waning interest led them to be discontinued. Pillsbury pizza dough, Cornstarch, 1 jar favorite. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED | Of course many candy bars also contain a lovely balance of fat, protein and carbohydrates in the form of chocolate (fat), nuts (protein) and nougat/caramel/cookie (carbohydrates). Despite this, the originally caramel-flavoured sticks were part of the Apollo menu. Mike's Pizza Sticks, ingredients: 1 pkg. 796 views. Only reason we’re not still eating them regularly is that they got discontinued. They were unusual and oddly compelling. Space Food Sticks less candy and more like the current meal replacement bars. Howard Bauman, Pillsbury’s chief food technologist at the time, led a team at the company that created the first solid food consumed by a NASA astronaut. Scott Carpenter ate small “compressed” food cubes made by Pillsbury on board Aurora 7 in 1962. Space food is a type of food product created and processed for consumption by astronauts during missions to outer space.The food has specific requirements of providing balanced nutrition for individuals working in space, while being easy and safe to store, prepare and consume in the machinery-filled weightless environments of crewed spacecraft. Enter your email address to subscribe to this blog and receive notifications of new posts by email. ... mix. Shape into "space sticks" or shape desired. SPACE FOOD STICKS. 1. It also features employees who have dedicated their careers to the company’s mission: We Serve the World by Making Food that People Love. However, once the glamour of the moon walks wore off, the product lost its appeal. Space Food Sticks, or food bars very like them, were actually used by the Apollo astronauts on their moon missions. Space Food Sticks' Resurrection What the food scientists hoped to come up with was a high-energy alternative to what was then the almost universally despised standard: gelatin-covered cubes. wheat germ. Could Pillsbury’s best and brightest also make a food that astronauts could eat with their helmets on? Natasha Bruns is the corporate archivist at General Mills, based in Minneapolis, Minnesota. Slowly but inevitably the fabled Sticks gradually disappeared from supermarket shelves. The primary bloggers of “A Taste of General Mills” are members of the company’s Corporate Communications team. Space Food Sticks did actually get their start as snacks for astronauts, eventually being utilized during a Skylab mission. 2/3 c. honey (or corn syrup, light) 1/8 tsp. * The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a serving of food contributes to a daily diet. You can see that in this commercial, which focused on nutrition, but kept ‘Space’ on the box. When I asked one of my older sisters who remembered them how the originals tasted, she said, “mild.” Which makes sense since these were a food that needed to be acceptable to anyone who happened to be in space and couldn’t have a flavor that might be overwhelming or offensive. No need to fret if you didn’t live through the original Space Food Sticks release, commercials from the era capture the excitement of space mania and its associated consumer by-products very well. My mother used them for travel instead of granola bars. It focused on the prevention of potential food safety issues, not just inspection. By the 1980s, they had become a memory. Doesn’t seem like I missed much though. While others recall the texture being close to that of a rather soft Tootsie Roll. 00 $90.00 $90.00. She always kept a bunch in her purse. Note that there are things we won’t blog about or comment on, such as commodity markets, rumors, competitive actions, financial markets or speculation. $24.75 $ 24. The lasting legacy of Pillsbury’s Space Food Sticks in the food industry – beyond their connection to space history and food safety – is that they’re considered to be the forerunner of the many popular energy bars available today. Cut in the peanut butter. Have an idea for a story you’d like to see on “A Taste of General Mills”? So lets take a look back and celebrate this iconic treat. Saved by I Have Issues. Order at FunkyFoodShop.com. The nutrient-packed food was an excellent source of nutrition. I had the later version of them, which I am not sure were exactly the same. Still they are more fondly and widely remembered as a commercial product with out of this world origins. I was born in the mid 70s but I’d never heard of these until many years later when they were already off the market. 1 2 Next. Space Food Sticks are snacks created for the Pillsbury Company in the late 1960s by the company's chief food technologist, Howard Bauman. TV spot for Pillsbury Food Sticks circa early 1970s. In 1966, Pillsbury won a contract to make a “rod-shaped contingency food designed to sustain a flight crew when they must remain sealed within their pressure suits.” The effort was led by food scientist Howard Bauman and after trial and error, a little over 3 years later, the Space Food Stick was born. They were more akin to a candy bar and consumers of sweets would become the target audience for them. During the infamous Apollo 13 mission, when the crew had to abort their moon landing, the sticks were integrated into the daily menu for the three astronauts on board. More more info check out Spacefoodsticks.com. Space Food Sticks did actually get their start as snacks for astronauts, eventually being utilized during a Skylab mission. Thanks for visiting “A Taste of General Mills.”, ©2021 GENERAL MILLS INC | Chocolate was definitely the superior flavor. During a two-week study conducted at St. Luke’s Hospital in New York City, a woman was reported to have maintained her weight and health on 40 Space Food Sticks per day as her only source of nutrition. 1 c. crunchy peanut butter. COMMUNITY RULES | PRIVACY POLICY | After the food cubes, the Pillsbury team developed a non-crumbly cake for NASA, and other items, coated in their own “space suit” that would protect them until consumed. The space food innovation journey for Pillsbury – to create what would eventually become “Space Food Sticks” for several Apollo missions and Skylab – actually started in the early 1960s. 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