Items in the fresh food locker have to be consumed early in flight to avoid offgasing. Once the astronauts have selected their food items for the next meal, the food is prepared in the galley located on the orbiter's middeck. The galley is a modular unit that contains a water dispenser and an oven. The galley oven is a forced air convection oven and used for warming foods to the proper serving temperature. The temperature of the oven is maintained at 160 to 170 degrees Fahrenheit.
Some astronauts use a meal tray to hold the food containers.
The tray can be attached to an astronaut's lap by a strap or can be attached to a wall. The meal tray becomes the astronaut's dinner plate and allows them to choose from several food items at once. Conventional eating utensils are used in space. Following the meal, the empty containers are discarded in the trash compartment below the middeck floor. Eating utensils and food trays are cleaned at the hygiene station with premoistened towelettes.