Put down your fast food burgers and microwaved pizza for this Friday. Sacramento State’s Food Day is making a big return to campus this year, and you might just regret that choice of lunch after you’re done.

Oct. 24 sees the fifth year of Sac State’s participation in the national celebration and educational day, created by the non-profit watchdog and consumer advocacy group Center for Science in the Public Interest.

“Food Day inspires Americans to change their diets and their food policies,” said Food Day web organizer and staff Avi Schlosburg. “This is a day to make changes in our own selves and take action to solve food-related problems in our communities at the local, state and national level.”

Economics assistant Professor Kristin Kiesel has been the organizer for Sac State’s Food Day events for the past four years.

“The idea is a little bit along the lines of Earth Day,” said Kiesel. “It’s the idea of designating one particular day to start a discussion about food and about issues related to food, whether it is health related, environmental, or [a] food justice issue.”

She explained that while the events are difficult to organize each year, the positive response and interaction from students after Food Day is worth it to her.

Kiesel said in addition to bringing more attention to the issues associated with food production, Food Day also give students the opportunity to take things they have learned in the classroom into something more tangible.

“The goal is really to find leading people in the field who students can connect to and inspire,” Kiesel said.

She also feels it is important to get students involved in long-term decisions about what kind of food is available for purchase on campus.

All of the events are free, and provide students with the unique opportunity to get perspective on Sacramento’s unique relationship with food production and agriculture.

Cooking demonstrations and tastings sponsored by Sacramento Natural Food Co-op are scheduled for the campus community from 1-2 p.m. in The Well, which some students are understandably excited about.

“Anytime there’s free food, I’m in,” said junior criminal justice major Adriana Sanchez. “And I think it’d be good to learn about what kind of choices I’m making about the food I usually eat.”

Sanchez said that when she was growing up, her family often wouldn’t have the money for healthier food options. This is a reality shared by many families and will be focused on in this year’s Food Day.

A special showing of the documentary “Fed Up” will be shown in the University Union’s Redwood room from 5-7 p.m. The film focuses on the causes of obesity in the U.S., from poor dietary guidelines set for children to an entrenched sugar industry blocking attempts to provide healthier diets for children.

Following the panel discussion, and the official end to Sac State’s Food Day, is a special interactive keynote by author and chef Bryant Terry from 7:15-8:30 p.m.

Terry will be speaking on the wide range of social and political issues that often stem from food production, income inequality and structural racism. Issues will be presented in an engaging and entertaining way to connect with students, from video segments to rapping.

The keynote will be followed by a book signing of Terry’s latest cookbook Afro Vegan, which was named one of the best cookbooks of 2014 by Amazon.com.

Other events include an open house for the on-campus aquaponics system at the Sustainable Technology Outdoor Research Center and the grand reveal of Capitol Public Radio’s Garden Project at 7055 Folsom Blvd.

Featured menus around campus dining establishments and themed literature in the Hornet Bookstore will be available for the entire Food Day, and the accompanying Food and Nutrition Club Jamboree is scheduled for Oct. 23 in the Library Quad.

For more information about Food Day, visit foodday.org