Humankind has long dreamt of breaking the physical boundaries of the brain and body, our perfectly efficient future exemplified by consuming nutrients on the go. So the theory goes, if we stop “wasting” time preparing or even savoring our meals, we can devote more mental and physical energy to the necessary work that happens on the battlefield, spaceship, or within the relentlessly innovative tech startup. Though we may associate such futuristic notions of food and drink with fiction—think pills-as-meals in Sleeper or The Jetsons—on-the-go nutrition options are very much alive today, and they’ve got as much to do with food sustainability issues as the dream of being liberated from the stove or dining room.

In this rundown of very real options for consuming nutrients on the go, find out how vacuum-sealed entrées and powdered proteins have enabled people in extreme circumstances to push beyond their limits—and why they’ll continue to do so for years to come.