Keller @ Large: A Food Fight In Boston Public Schools

BOSTON (CBS) - There is a national debate over efforts to get our kids eating healthier. Many schools want to limit school lunch choices while others claim less choice means less nutrition for kids.

While Republicans are leading the charge in Congress to relax school meal rules, championed by First Lady Michelle Obama and others, this is not just a partisan food fight. School administrators here at home are struggling to keep both the feds and the kids happy without drowning in budgetary red ink.

You probably don't equate sugary cereal with good nutrition, but Cocoa Puffs have been among the breakfast choices recommended under two-year-old federal rules promoted by the First Lady. Why? Because getting finicky school kids to eat healthier often requires compromises.

"Cereals that are offered in schools do meet the standards, and they're also balanced with low fat, fat free dairy milk which is loaded with nine essential nutrients," said Lisa Burnett of the New England Dairy and Food Council.

Getting kids to accept meals that conform to federal standards and coping with the higher costs of those mandates is proving to be a daunting task.

"The new guidelines are a bit challenging. Some of the kids are used to more flavorful foods," Boston Public School Food Official Deborah Ventricelli said.

"Our expenses are not matching our revenue reimbursements, so the cost of food is very high compared to the reimbursement rates," said Director of Business Improvement Naveen Reddy.

Some Republicans in Congress want to ease the nutrition standards and allow for more local control but to the First Lady - this is unacceptable.

"I would like for them to find some sort of way that we can balance all of these things," Ventricelli said.

At a recent state house meeting of local dietitians, there was an agreement that failure is an unaffordable option.

"In Massachusetts, over a half of adults are overweight or obese, and that costs our state $3.5 billion annually in medical expenses," explained Lisa Burnett.

Finding the right balance between nutritious menus kids like and the schools can afford is proving to be easier said than done.