At a glance, the idea behind the Michelle Obama-backed National School Lunch Program (NSLP) is terrific: preempting adolescent weight gain in a nation where a third of the adult population suffers from obesity.

Unfortunately, the new, rigorously balanced meals have had limited success so far, with some participating school districts questioning the sustainability of the first lady's federal program. The Daily Caller reports that in the Burnt Hills-Ballston Lake district, the nutritional overhaul resulted in a loss of $100,000, as well as a string of complaints from students who thought the portion sizes were too small.

As a result, the district is opting out of the program next year.

"Students complained of being hungry with these lunches and the district lost money," assistant superintendent Chris Abdoo said in a statement. "I'm confident we can do better on our own next year."

The program, which is administered by the U.S Department of Agriculture, was originally signed into law by President Harry Truman in 1946 under the National School Lunch Act. President Obama's Healthy, Hunger-Free Kids Act of 2010 mandated a series of updates, increasing the availability of fruit, vegetables and whole grains in the menu.

But despite its nutritional benefits, the restructured menu failed to impress most students.

"Students felt they weren't getting good value for their money," food service manager Nicky Boehm said. "The high schoolers especially complained the portion sizes were too small, and many more students brought in lunch from home."

While high school students can hardly be considered authorities on "getting good value for their money," it is difficult to overlook the fact that the changes implemented by the Healthy, Hunger-Free Kids Act left a significant percentage of kids hungrier than they were before.

Through NSLP, children from families with incomes at or below 185 percent of the poverty level are eligible for free or price-reduced meals, financed by federal reimbursements. For this reason, the district's decision to leave the program will result in a partial loss of subsidized lunches.

However, since a mere nine percent of the student body qualifies for the price-reduced meals, schools in the district will continue to offer them. The additional expense will be offset by a 25 cents increase in the price of regular meals - an increase that would have taken effect even if the district had remained under the program, officials say.