Food Day and Apple Day Spotlight Nutrition

Eddie Richards talks with a students about the four varieties of apples from his family's Middletown, Va. farm that were available at Apple Day on Kogan Plaza. The Richards Fruit Market had a full display of pumpkins, apples, cider and other produce this year. The farm was stared in 1878. "We try to grow the whole meal on our farms, from meat to vegetables and produce," Mr. Richards said.

Urban Food Task Force (UFTF) Chair Diane Knapp and Co-chair Dawnita Altieri pose with Ruffles the dog for a photo beside the statue of university namesake George Washington on Food Day. The festivities were a part of a week of activities hosted by UFTF. "I hope you have found these events interesting in your quest for living well," Ms. Knapp said, addressing the students, faculty and staff who attended the Food Day and Apple Day celebration on Kogan Plaza.

Sodexo and Whole Foods also had produce available for students, faculty and staff for Apple Day on Friday. Jess Carlin, the Whole Foods Market marketing and communications team leader, said that the local grocery store donated 20 cases of apples.

Jess Pitocco (pictured) a freshman in the Columbian College of Arts and Sciences was excited to pick up free apples at the event. She said it can be difficult to stay healthy because it takes commitment. "I know I can always get a salad from J Street" Ms. Carlin said. "I try to eat healthy three out of five days a week but those last two days, I usually end up eating too many Oreos," she laughed.

George Washington President Steven Knapp visited the fair with his daughter and granddaughter. "We had a very interesting conversation with Ms. David about the documentary "Fed Up" on Thursday evening, today students, faculty and staff are coming together to celebrate Food Day and on Saturday we will give away fresh produce, including some donated by our student community garden, at the Pop Up Produce Market," Dr. Knapp said. "The Food Day activities have highlighted our university's commitment to food issues."

Students were eager to pick up fresh produce. Tom Magnan, a freshman in the School of Engineering and Applied Science, said that growing up in Vermont, he and his family often went apple picking. "I like crisp apples," he said. "The hard ones where, when you bite it, half of it comes off."

Apple Day is a GW tradition that encourages members of the university community to incorporate fresh produce into their diet.

Last Thursday, Laurie David, producer of "Fed Up," a documentary about the U.S. food system spoke at a screening of the film. The Food Day event gave students the opportunity to discuss the film with Ms. David, the Oscar-winning producer of "An Inconvenient Truth." Director of the School of Media and Public Affairs Frank Sesno moderated the discussion.

The festivities came to close on Friday afternoon. School of Media and Public Affairs freshman Aishvarya Kavi said she had a great time attending Apple Day for the first time. "I try to eat a lot of fresh food and drink water," she said. "It's important and I feel more 'ready to go' when I do."