Frequently Asked Questions

1.) What is the shelf-life of Astronaut Foods?

• The shelf life on our Astronaut Ice Cream and Candy products is 3 years.  A lot of our products will be fine a few years after their 3-year “best by” date.  However, when you get to about 7-10 years, even if the products are stored in a cool, dry place out of the sun and the pouch/container is unopened, they will lose a lot of their flavor and natural coloration and can spoil over that time.  Without a ton of preservatives, there are natural things that occur with food products that are simply unavoidable.

• Please note: the shelf life of Mercury Mix is 1.5 years.

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2.) Where can I find the “Best By” date on your packages?

• A “Best By” date is embossed on the bottom of every pouch. If you’re having a hard time finding it, run your fingers along the edges of the pouch until you feel the embossment.
• If you purchase our candy items, the “Best By” date may also be printed right on the front label.  

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3.) Is it possible to ship Astronaut Foods abroad?

• Unfortunately, due to strict rules and regulations around importing food products, we are unable to ship items to individuals outside of the United States. Please go to our Store Locator and click on the International Retailers button to find out where we sell our products outside of the United States.

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4.) Do you offer any gluten-free Astronaut Food items?

• Absolutely.  To confirm whether or not a product is Gluten-Free, you can view the ingredient statement by clicking on the specific product in question.   All of the Allergens contained in the product will be listed right after the Ingredient Statement.

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5.) Do you offer any vegan Astronaut Food items?

• Yes.  To confirm whether or not a product is Vegan, you can view the ingredient statement by clicking on the specific product in question.  

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6.) How do I eat Astronaut Ice Cream?

• Astronaut Ice Cream is ready-to-eat.  Just open the package and enjoy!

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7.) The inner-wrapper of my Astronaut Ice Cream bar has two slices in it.  Is it safe to eat?

• Yes!  The inner paper wrapper is slit to facilitate the freeze-drying process.  You’ll find the inner-paper-liner slit on every single package of ice cream.  The outside pouch, however, should be fully sealed and should not have any slices, punctures, etc.  If the outer pouch is not sealed, contact us right away, and do not consume the food inside.

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8). Are any of your Astronaut Foods Kosher?

• Unfortunately, at this time our Astronaut Ice Cream products are not Kosher certified.

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9.) What measures do you take to inspect your products?

• We go above and beyond to ensure the safety of our food by subjecting all of our meat and chicken products to a daily inspection process by the USDA. Our facilities received a “Superior” rating, the highest possible, by The American Institute of Baking (AIB), an independent inspector committed to protecting the safety of the food supply. We also have a quality team who cooks and tastes each of the flavors being produced every day.

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10.) Where are you located?

• We are based in beautiful Boulder, Colorado. Our address is 6350 Gunpark Drive, Boulder, CO, 80301. All of our products are produced and shipped from our Boulder, CO facility.

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11.) What are your “office” hours?

• We are available by phone and e-mail Monday-Friday, 9 am – 5 pm MST.

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12.) Can I phone in an order?

• Of course! Just call us toll free at (800) 253-8283

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13.) As a company that strives to preserve the natural environment, what are some of your “green” practices?

• We are committed to serving our community and environment. We support many organizations that are dedicated to preserving our planet, and sponsor various volunteers and activists in their missions to explore and better understand our planet. We also recycle, compost, have highly efficient lighting, and are committed to continually making our business more self‐sustaining and becoming a net zero energy user.

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14.) How is food Freeze-Dried?

• Freeze-drying,  or lyophilization, removes water from the ice cream by lowering the air pressure to a point where ice shifts from a solid to a gas.  The ice cream is placed in a vacuum chamber and frozen until the water crystalizes.  The air pressure is lowered, creating a vacuum, forcing air out of the chamber; next heat is applied, vaporizing the ice; finally a freezing coil traps the vaporized water.  This process continues for hours, resulting in a perfect freeze-dried ice cream slice or a freeze-dried strawberry.

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15.) I have an allergy. Is your food suitable for me?

• Although we use good manufacturing practices to segregate ingredients according to allergen program standards, and rigorously clean our equipment, our products are produced in a facility that processes peanuts, milk, soy, wheat, gluten, egg and tree nut ingredients. Please contact our customer service department with any questions: info@astronautfoods.com or 800.253.8283.