Gothamist
A non-profit newsroom, powered by WNYC.
Gothamist
Listen Live
Food
Top Five Food Facts Tweeted From The Brooklyn Food Conference
By
Rebecca Fishbein
Published May 13, 2012
Modified May 13, 2012
Share
FacebookTwitterRedditEmail
Never miss a story
Email address
By submitting your information, you're agreeing to receive communications from New York Public Radio in accordance with our Terms .
By
Rebecca Fishbein
Published May 13, 2012
Modified May 13, 2012
Share
FacebookTwitterRedditEmail
We rely on your support to make local news available to all
Make your contribution now and help Gothamist thrive in 2026. Donate today
Gothamist is funded by sponsors and member donations
Yesterday was the fourth annual Brooklyn Food Conference, where foodies, organic enthusiasts, activists and other related parties link up to learn about the local food scene. Hosted by the Brooklyn Food Coalition—a group that promotes food sustainability and healthy eating— and held at Brooklyn Technical High School in Fort Greene, the conference boasts speakers, cooking demos, workshops, vendors selling organic goodies and family activities. Missed it? Bloggers at the Local live-tweeted the conference for a couple hours yesterday; we've gathered their top five most interesting New York food facts for you to digest.
- The NYC public school district could be counted as the 10th largest city in the nation, serving 650,000 lunches and 220,000 breakfasts out of 1,200 kitchens.
- Before public schools started running breakfast programs, teachers used to bring cereal and milk with them to class so hungry students would have something to eat in the morning.
- Sweet 'N Low sweetener was invented in Brooklyn. The Cumberland Packing factory in Fort Greene still has one of the original signs.
- 36.4 percent of the members of households assisted by food banks are children under the age of eighteen.
- Grassroots organizing in New York has helped farmworkers get basic guarantees like sanitation, shade and water, even though they aren't protected by state labor laws.
For more information about local food sustainability, visit the Brooklyn Food Coalition's website here.
Tagged
Brooklyn Food Coalition
Brooklyn Food Conference
FUREE
Rebecca Fishbein
Read more
Gothamist is funded by sponsors and member donations
Gothamist is funded by sponsors and member donations
MORE food
North African restaurants are rare in NYC. These 10 are the best.
Egyptian, Moroccan, Algerian and Tunisian food is delicious but underrepresented in the city.
By
Robert Sietsema
Published Oct 10, 2026
10 dishes that demonstrate the delicious diversity of curry in New York City
The global dish is shapeshifting and ubiquitous.
By
Robert Sietsema
Food
10 dishes that demonstrate the delicious diversity of curry in New York City
The global dish is shapeshifting and ubiquitous.
By
Robert Sietsema
Frozen yogurt is back in New York City. So are the super long lines.
By
Sonia Rao
5 NYC banana puddings as good as Magnolia's
By
Hannah Frishberg
Where to eat in Greenpoint, Brooklyn right now, from Polish to Sichuan to Iberian
By
Robert Sietsema
Never miss a story
Catch up on the most important headlines with a roundup of essential NYC stories, delivered to your inbox daily.
Sign upEmail address
By submitting your information, you're agreeing to receive communications from New York Public Radio in accordance with our Terms .