diff --git a/slate/slate.py b/slate/slate.py
index d1bc53c..21a983c 100644
--- a/slate/slate.py
+++ b/slate/slate.py
@@ -106,7 +106,7 @@ class Slate():
     def deep_expand_vars(self, dict, **kwargs):
         self.apply_nested(dict, lambda x: self.expand_vars(x, **kwargs))
 
-    def consume(self, conf, key, default=None, **kwargs):
+    def consume(self, conf, key, default=None, expand=False, **kwargs):
         keys_arr = key.split('.')
         if len(keys_arr) == 1:
             k = keys_arr[0]
@@ -117,7 +117,9 @@ class Slate():
             if k in conf:
                 del conf[k]
 
-            if type(val) == str:
+            if expand:
+                self.deep_expand_vars(val, config=self._config, **kwargs)
+            elif type(val) == str:
                 while val.find('{') != -1:
                     val = self.expand_vars(val, config=self._config, **kwargs)