The Martha’s Vineyard Regional High School has joined Michelle Obama’s Chefs Move to Schools program, run through the U.S. Department of Agriculture.

Island caterers Jan Buhrman and Jamie Hamlin have partnered with the school lunch chef Leslie Floyd to create healthy, delicious meals that meet the school’s dietary guidelines and budgets. They will join an effort with school nurse Linda Leonard, who is working with staff to teach young people about nutrition and making balanced and healthy choices.

Ms. Buhrman has created an Indian lunch for Monday, June 16. She also has taken on the Meatless Monday challenge and plans to get other chefs on the Island to create locally sourced menus that students will love. Ms. Buhrman is organizing other Island chefs to share their opinions and create meals for the school lunch.

Ms. Buhrman and Ms. Hamlin, who have worked together on the school lunch contract, have ambitious plans for the high school, working as a team with Chef Floyd to create house-made meals. A long list of changes for next year are in store for the school lunch contract, including sourcing produce locally and eliminating processed animal proteins.

Their challenge is two-fold: One, the free/subsidized food is hard to compete with when it comes to the budget, and two, the kids have been getting foods high in sugar, fat and salt and well processed. When your taste buds are used to that, it can be a hard sell/switch.