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Captions:

Mealtime points up some interesting aspects of life in space. Floor grid foot restraints hold the crewman firmly at their food trays and permit free upper body movement.

This crewman, already in space for two months, still tends to correct for gravity drop.

Food on Skylab was in serving trays similar to those used on commercial airplanes. Restaurant type squeeze-containers apply the thicker condiments.

A salt shaker does not work but food can be salted by squirting salt water from a special syringe.

Closed squeezed containers were used for flavored beverages and water was squirted directly into the mouth using a pressurized dispenser.

Captions (continued):

A typical drink dispenser, which one pinches toward the nozzle, squeezes liquid into the mouth.

However, open containers cannot fully contain water and beverages. Containers on Skylab were designed to fit recess in the trays and conventional tableware was used. Surface tension works well -- up to a point -- but once the tension bond is broken the food will float free.

Now that's what you call "rare" roast beef.

Surface tension bonding tends to hold liquid on the surface of food and even prevents ice cream from drifting from its container or off the surface of the spoon. The eating area in Skylab was quite elaborate for spacecraft of the early 1970's. Interior designers found that ample space had been provided. The longer time in space justified more amenities. Both hot and cold water dispensers were available for preparing food.

Space Station will require similar provisions. Note again, that because of secure foot restraints, actions such as bending, leaning in any direction, twisting, and reaching were possible without hand or arm force. Eating facilities on short space flights are more Spartan. Food may be in bags and, together with utensils, attached to legs by Velcro. The Shuttle Orbiter vehicle is designed for flights of less than two weeks duration. So creature comforts are not emphasized.