New York apple industry helps NYC, Syracuse Big Apple Crunch events to highlight local, healthy foods

Fishers, N.Y. – The New York state apple industry helped promote local food and healthy eating by joining in GrowNYC and City of New York-hosted Big Apple Crunch events across the state today, by donating apples and participating in some of the many events held statewide. This marked the third annual Big Apple Crunch, dubbed “the crunch heard ‘round the world.”

In New York City, NYAA President Jim Allen joined GrowNYC, city and other local officials to lead the countdown to the noontime crunch at the principal Big Apple Crunch event at Union Square Greenmarket. NYAA donated 2,000+ New York Gala and Empire apples for participants at that event, supplied by Samascott Orchards in Kinderhook. Big Apple Crunch events were also held at GrowNYC Greenmarkets and Youthmarkets across all five boroughs, and at schools, senior centers, food stores, workplaces, hospitals and other locations. Crunchers who posted pictures with the hashtag #BigAppleCrunch included actor and New York City resident Kevin Bacon.

In Syracuse, Syracuse University men’s basketball coach Jim Boeheim joined NYAA staff at a Big Apple Crunch event at the university. Boeheim joined NYAA Consulting Dietitian Linda Quinn, MS, RD, CDN, and NYAA Marketing Director Molly Golden at Schine Student Center, where Quinn led the countdown to the noontime crunch. Students also crunched at Syracuse dining centers across campus, posting selfies using hashtags #NYCampusCrunch and #SUapplecrunch. Apples for the Syracuse event were donated by NYAA-member Beak & Skiff Apple Orchards. In all, 18 New York colleges and universities participated in this year’s Big Apple Crunch.

“Apples are this event’s icon of local food and healthy eating for both logical and sentimental reasons,” said NYAA’s Allen. “Apples are abundant here in the largest apple-producing state in the East, their health and lifestyle benefits are well documented, and everybody loves them!”

New York is the largest apple-producing state east of the Mississippi, and the second-largest apple producing state in the country. Big Apple Crunch is a local celebration of the national Food Day held annually on Oct. 24. The 2014 Big Apple Crunch was hosted by GrowNYC, Food Day and the New York City Office of Food Policy.

Note to editors: NYAA is working to source photos of the day’s events. Check our Flickr site for photos. Photos will also be available from GrowNYC’s agentile@grownyc.org“>Amanda Gentile. For video of the Syracuse University event, contact kkobland@syr.edu“>Keith Kobland.

About GrowNYC

GrowNYC improves New York City’s quality of life through environmental programs that transform communities block by block and empower all New Yorkers to secure a clean and healthy environment for future generations.  Programs: Greenmarket, Office of Recycling Outreach and Education, Open Space Greening, Environmental Education and Grow to Learn NYC: Citywide School Gardens Initiative.  Learn more at www.grownyc.org.