First lady Michelle Obama's food fight rages on

Congress threw some whole grains out of first lady Michelle Obama’s food fight last week by passing a massive year-end spending bill that eases some restrictions on schools struggling to meet the healthy school meal standards she has championed.

The bill allows schools that demonstrate serving 100 percent whole grains creates a serious “hardship,” to serve only 50 percent whole grains, substituting the remaining grains with ones of their choosing. While many schools have implemented the 2012 standards successfully, many others have complained the whole grain requirement is unrealistic, citing mushy and unappetizing pastas, dry breads, and gritty tortillas as examples of how 100 percent whole grain products do not always translate to appealing menu items.

Vendors also have been slow to produce palatable, affordable options for schools. Many schools have been forced to opt out of federal meal programs simply to free themselves from the unwieldy restrictions.

Not only does the bill create flexibility with whole grains, it delays a very strict lower sodium deadline from 2017 to 2022. The bill forbids the government from requiring the more restrictive sodium levels “until the latest scientific research establishes the reduction is beneficial for children.”

The standards in question originated in 2012 and were a major component of the first lady’s “Let’s Move!” campaign. They were the first major revision to the $11 billion school lunch program in 15 years. The rules require more fruits, vegetables, and whole grains and set limits on sodium, sugar, and fat.

As schools struggled to implement the standards and student participation rates dropped, schools, the School Nutrition Association, and other advocates united to demand Congress revise or revoke the law. The ensuing debate escalated into a full-fledged “food fight” of ideas this year, even spawning the sarcastic Twitter hashtag “#ThanksMichelle” featured alongside photos of unappetizing school lunches.

As the debate raged, the first lady said she would fight “to the bitter end” to make sure kids have good nutrition in schools.

Other advocates for the 2012 standards contend students will get used to revised menu items over time and insist the food industry ultimately will be forced to provide more creative and tasty options under the more restrictive guidelines.

Alabama Rep. Robert Aderholt, the Republican chairman of the House subcommittee that oversees agriculture issues, said the whole grains waiver is “the best bill that we are going to get” with Democrats still controlling the Senate. He expressed optimism that once the Senate leadership changes hands in January, there might be more momentum for additional reforms to reduce what many Republicans consider a gross federal overreach into local communities.

The School Nutrition Association, a leading advocate for the changes, issued a statement saying it “strongly supports” the bill.

The final language is a compromise between the House attempt to allow schools to opt out of the standards for a year and a Senate provision that called for more study on the whole grains issue.

The bill, signed by President Barack Obama on Tuesday, is by no means the final volley in this food fight. The entire law governing child nutrition policy, including school lunches, expires next year. Both the House and Senate will need to wade into the lunchroom battle at some point in 2015.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.