With two young kids of his own, Tyler Anderson knows the challenges of getting kids to eat healthy food.

The executive chef of the Copper Beech Inn in Ivoryton jokes that 3-year-old Averi and 6-year-old Gavin are "the pickiest kids in the world," which is extra frustrating for someone in the business of food.

But it gives Anderson some added experience in a new role as one of the chefs around the country who are adopting local schools to help fight childhood obesity.

Anderson visited the White House earlier this month as part of First Lady Michelle Obama's "Chefs Move to Schools" initiative, which encourages local chefs to come up with healthier alternatives to the processed foods - chicken nuggets, hot dogs, French fries, etc. - that populate school lunch menus.

"You know more about food than almost anyone - other than the grandmas - and you've got the visibility and the enthusiasm to match that knowledge," Obama told them. "You can make a salad bar fun - now, that's something - and delicious. You can teach kids to cook something that tastes good and is good for them; and share your passion for food in a way that's truly contagious."

The program is part of Obama's "Let's Move!" campaign, which aims to educate parents and schools on making healthy choices, keeping kids physically fit and ensuring healthy food is accessible and affordable. It goes hand in hand with efforts like celebrity chef Jamie Oliver's "Food Revolution," an ABC show in which Oliver addressed obesity in Huntington, W.Va.

Anderson, a recent winner of "Chopped," a food competition aired on the Food Network, acknowledged his task won't be easy, particularly on a budget.

"It's a big challenge, especially for high-end chefs used to using fancy ingredients," Anderson says. "It will take a lot of creativity."

But change can be simple. Using fresh chicken in a chicken nugget and baking it can make it much healthier, Anderson says.

The chefs won't be taking over school kitchens, but assisting and training staff, Anderson says. He also plans to work with other Connecticut chefs involved in the program, including Jonathan Rapp from the River Tavern and Billy Grant, who owns Grants and Bricco restaurants in West Hartford.

"We'll be seeing where the program is now with a set of fresh eyes," Anderson says. "It's what we as chefs do every day."

He hopes to start working with a school this fall, and "slowly but surely increase the quality of the food."

For more information, go to www.letsmove.gov.