Reversed horizontal Spur logo.

402: Consumption

The below content replicates the content of the physical exhibit at CSU Spur. It can be used for reference, language translation, and additional accessibility.

Consumption: The Value of Food 

Buying, cooking, eating, and enjoying food is all part of the last stage in the Sustainable Food System: consumption. Some of your food took a long journey to get to your plate. Now, let’s explore more about the importance of the food we eat every day.  

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Food is life! Preparing a well-balanced meal with family and friends keeps us healthy and brings us closer by establishing traditions. 

My Plate: Food Choices 

MyPlate.gov has information and resources we can use to help us choose a healthy mix of food for our plate. 

Image caption: Image courtesy of the U.S. Department of Agriculture 

Consumption: Build A Plate 

Complete your plate! Choose two sides and one main dish to get at least one fruit, vegetable, protein, dairy, and grain for a complete and delicious meal. 

Side Dish: 
  • Avocado 
  • Carrots 
  • Yogurt 
Main Dish: 
  • Chicken and Cheese Nachos 
  • Chef’s Salad with Cheese 
  • Tamales with beans and veggies 
Side Dish: 
  • Cornbread 
  • Peach 
  • Green Beans 

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Food is fun! Making healthy food is good for your body and mind. Let’s learn more about the foods we can choose to eat. 

Reading a Nutrition Label  

Suggested serving size and information 
Calories in each serving 
Vitamins and minerals in the food 
Daily Value percentage guide 
  • 5% or less is low 
  • 20% or more is high 

Every bite counts 

A daily mix of fruits, veggies, grains, proteins, and foods with calcium helps our body get the nutrition it needs. 

Nutrition: food facts 

Nutrition Fact labels show us the number of calories, carbohydrates, fat, fiber, protein, vitamins, and minerals that the foods we eat have in them. Reading nutrition labels can help us choose foods that keep our bodies healthy. 

Passionate about food? Explore careers in food consumption! 

  • Chef 
  • Food Server 
  • Baker 
  • Food Nutritionist 
  • Food Truck Operator 
  • Restaurant Manager 

Food consumption: careers 

There are many different jobs in food consumption. From cooking food, to studying it, to serving it—there is an entire world of food careers waiting for you to explore!  

Limiting food waste for a sustainable future 

Food waste is food we throw away. Reducing food waste is an important part of creating a Sustainable Food System. Farmers, ranchers, processors, and distributors are working to reduce waste, and we all can help! 

Image caption: Leftovers and foods that go bad often end up in the trash. We can all reduce our own food waste by eating food before it goes bad and composting food that we don’t eat!  

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About 68% of the food we throw away ends up in the landfill. That’s almost 43 million tons every year across the world! 

Image caption: We can all help reduce food waste! For example, some stores donate unsold bakery items (like bread) to farms that can be added to their animal feed. 

Ways to reduce food waste 

  • Only buy what you need 
  • Preserve seasonal fruits and vegetables 
  • Eat your leftovers 
  • Compost food you don’t eat 

KAREN SCHLATTER

Director, Colorado Water Center

Karen Schlatter was appointed director of the Colorado Water Center at Colorado State University in 2025, after joining the Center as associate director in 2023. Schlatter brings academic, nonprofit, and public sector experience in managing complex water challenges with a deep commitment to building partnerships and the ability to engage in conversations across Colorado’s water community. She joined CSU from the University of Florida Water Institute where her work included facilitating multi-stakeholder/academic teams to achieve shared goals around water management through collaborative, interdisciplinary research. Prior to her role at UF, she served as associate director of the Colorado River Delta Program at the Sonoran Institute, where she focused on building cross-sector and international partnerships to support large-scale ecological restoration, effective binational water management, and community engagement in the Colorado River Delta region. Schlatter earned a Bachelor of Science in biology from McGill University and a Master of Science in environmental studies from the University of Colorado Boulder. She served as an agricultural extension volunteer in the Peace Corps in Paraguay.

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TOM VILSACK

Chief Executive Officer, World Food Prize Foundation

Effective March 1, 2025, Thomas J. Vilsack, former United States Secretary of Agriculture and Governor of Iowa, will become the first Chief Executive Officer for the World Food Prize Foundation. In this new role, Governor Vilsack will focus on expanding the Foundation’s global network, and will further position the Foundation as a leader in addressing global food and nutrition insecurity, continuing his lifetime of public service.

In 1998, he became the first Democrat to be elected as the Governor of Iowa in more than 30 years. During his two terms as Governor, he created an $800 million, 10-year economic development incentive program—the Iowa Values Fund. His administration worked with schools, medical providers, businesses, faith-based organizations and other entities to expand healthcare coverage to more than 90,000 previously uninsured children.

He became the 30th and 32nd United States Secretary of Agriculture, from 2008-2017 and 2021-2025, respectively. Only five people in U.S. history have served in the Cabinet longer, and during his tenures, the United States Department of Agriculture set records for U.S. agricultural exports and provided food assistance to millions of Americans. He helped expand food and nutrition access through summer feeding programs for children and additional support for fruit and vegetable purchases through the Women, Infants and Children (WIC) program. As Secretary, he worked to develop new and superior markets for small and mid-sized farms, allowing those operations to remain viable and in turn, strengthening and growing rural communities.

Governor Vilsack has long been connected to the World Food Prize Foundation, having served on both the Council of Advisors and the Board of Directors. His insights and acumen were vital in shaping our mission and initiatives. His leadership and experience will be instrumental in expanding the Foundation’s international reach and continuing the mission of elevating innovations and inspiring action to sustainably increase the quality, quantity and availability of food for all.

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Celebrate the Fourth of July at Spur!

CSU Spur is hosting its first Fourth of July party! Join us at 5:30 p.m. on July 4 for a live DJ, local barbecue, activities for kids, and a view of celebrations across the city from the Terra rooftop.

Tickets are $5.

Get your tickets

We’ll see you Saturday!

2nd Saturday at CSU Spur is 10 a.m.-2 p.m. this Saturday (Aug. 8), and this month, the theme is Back to School Bash. Join us to make your own pencil pouch, pick up some school supplies, and participate in hands-on STEM activities and experiences designed to spark curiosity in learners of all ages.

Explore 2nd Saturday activities