Since June of 2007, Erik Berlin (a.k.a Chef Egg ) has served as a conduit between the Whole Foods Market and the community, teaching healthy food habits to the greater Silver Spring area. When Chef Egg, a self-proclaimed "paid volunteer" is not out in the community demonstrating how to make a healthy smoothie with kale (yes kale!) or showing seniors how to shop for healthy foods, you can find him in the Whole Foods Market in downtown Silver Spring.

Patch: What is your mission as “Chef Egg”?

Chef Egg:  I don’t know if it’s really a mission, but my goal is to take as many healthy eating initiatives out into the local community as I can. While we have a great amount of information, demonstrations and events in our store, the kind of people I try to reach may not be our typical shoppers.

Patch: Who are you trying to reach with these healthy eating initiatives?

C.E: People of all ages, really. With people living longer, eating right is becoming more and more important for seniors. With younger people, I want to help them develop healthy food habits as early as possible. With them, it is usually the parents that are the issue, not the kids. What I tell them is that “If you can afford McDonalds, you can afford to eat healthy!”

Patch: Is childhood obesity an issue in Silver Spring?

C.E: Actually, in my experience, I don’t see as big an issue with obesity as nutritional issues – both school lunches and what many of the kids bring from home. In my opinion, the school lunches are not nutritious or healthy. What I focus on is getting the kids interested and involved in packing their own lunch – start out with a piece of fruit, add a low sugar juice box or water, then make a healthy sandwich with a protein and some veggies. Then comes that part that the kids like – I tell them that if they follow the first three steps, then packing a cookie or two is OK!

Patch: Silver Spring is very diverse – how do you deal with different tastes and experiences?

C.E: That’s one of the nice things about cooking – that you can change things to suit any taste. I was a private chef in Potomac before coming to Whole Foods Market, and gained experience making a variety of different dishes, so it’s not too difficult to tailor the presentations to the audience. What is fun is introducing kids to things they may have never seen or eaten – like sushi! It actually turned out to be a big hit.

Patch: Do other grocery stores do this kind of thing?

C.E: Not that I know of. I’m sure other stores make donations of food I think I may be the only one out there in the community. Although I would do this for free in my own time, I am lucky enough to have this position as a “paid volunteer.” I also get to help coordinate the National Day of Service for Shepherd’s Table. I feel very fortunate to be able to work for a company who does so much for the community that it’s in.

Patch: You mentioned working with seniors as well, what do you teach them?

C.E: Well, with people being more active and living longer, eating healthy may be more important to them now than it ever was before. Recently, I was at the Springvale Terrace Retirement Community and to get them interested, we talk about “sense memories,” and how different smells can transport you to different times and places in your life. That is a much easier way to connect with them, as “organic” really doesn’t mean that much to them. At the event, I gave a demonstration on making a healthy stir-fry and it was new to many of them!

Patch: What are your top tips for parents who want to get their kids to eat healthier?

C.E: First, start with sweet, fresh fruits. Kids always want the sweet stuff, so if you can get them hooked on fresh fruit, it’ll go a long way. Second, monitor your own habits. Watch the kinds of food you make available for them – if there is healthy food in the house, that’s what they will eat! Third, get them involved in all parts of meals, from selecting the food, to preparing and serving, plus cleanup – develop their sense of personal responsibility about food.

Patch: How about tips for kids who want to eat healthy?

C.E: Number one is to SPEAK UP! Just be bold, and say “Mom, I need apples and oranges for my lunch.” Number two would be to tell your parents that you want to be involved in all parts of the meal – picking the foods out, making and serving and even cleaning up. What parent will say no to that? And my number three tip is to pack your own lunches. If you pack what you want, you are going to be much less likely to try and trade what is in your bag for something someone else has.

If you’d like to find out how you can bring Chef Egg to your school or organization, you can contact him online or via telephone at 301-608-9373.