Why would you think they have to be thrown away? Of course you may eat them.

Are you thinking that because its a young tree?

That is because you want to give the tree a good start in life without the stress of producing fruit .

If the tree has produced fruit then eat the fruits.

Yes, the time to remove the first crop on a fruit tree is when it is just marble size, or less.

Correctly said, Snoopdog. Why on earth would one want to throw goodness away? I haven't heard this one before!

Georgeous as Tugbrethil has stated the apples should have been removed when they were marble size to allow the tree to establish in its first year too late now though the tree has done all the work.