Big Apple Crunch
Wednesday 10/16/19
Written by Tara Frank
Dietician Intern at The Sylvia Center
This Wednesday, Hunter College New York City Food Policy Center invited us to celebrate World Food Day by participating in this year’s Big Apple Crunch where children from East Harlem enjoyed healthy eating and fun, nutritionally educational activities. Although we were bracing ourselves for a nor’easter later in the afternoon, the turnout was still a success with hundreds of kids excited to participate in the days events, including making their own apple pizza! Using sliced apple rounds as the “crust” with sunbutter, honey, or yogurt (the most popular) as the “sauce”, the children topped their own apple pizzas with granola, coconut, raisins, dried cranberries, and pepitas. Many children were curious to try the toppings which they had never eaten before. Some even said they would like to eat apple pizzas at home, and a few even braved a taste of an “ants on a log”, made of celery stuffed with sunbutter and topped with raisins, which we offered to make this a nutritionally complete snack that hit all the food groups: fruits, vegetables, whole grains, protein, and dairy. The adults loved it too, and many were excited to try an alternative to nut-butter, a great option for those with nut allergies and sensitivities. We were so happy to be invited to the event and look forward to doing it again next year!
