School lunches

Critics say rules on nutritional content make the meals unappealing and costly.

“They’re not going to eat it necessarily just because you put it on their plate."

About half of public school children today qualify for free and reduced-price meals at school. A new federal option allows high-poverty schools to feed all students at no charge.

More than half of public school children now qualify for free and reduced-price meals. But getting kids to actually eat school meals can be tough.

Roughly half of public school children today qualify for free or reduced-price lunch, and that number drives billions of dollars in other benefits for schools. But critics say the program is prone to error and fraud.

Some school districts are hundreds of thousands in debt because of unpaid lunches. So they've stopped feeding students who don't have cafeteria credit.

In the fall of 2011, fourth-grader Zachary Maxwell set out to show his parents and the world his less-than-appetizing lunch tray reality.

Schools in San Antonio found that when they replaced fatty foods on their lunch menu with healthier options, they sold more lunches and made more money.

Changes in the federal school lunch program will put more fruits and vegetables on pupils' trays. Will they eat them?