WASHINGTON, D.C. – Michelle Obama’s vow to fight “to the bitter end” over changes to her lunch rules turned into a bitter pill for the first lady.

Congressional Republicans had been seeking to create waivers for schools struggling to implement the “healthy” revisions to the National School Lunch Program.

MORE NEWS: Know These Before Moving From Cyprus To The UK

That effort didn’t succeed, but they did undermine a number of the provisions many school districts have been complaining about.

CBS reports:

The bill would reduce requirements for whole grains, and would put off rules to make school meals less salty, suspending lower sodium standards that were supposed to go into effect in 2017.

Specifically, page 99 of the massive spending bill reads:

The secretary shall allow States to grant an exemption from the whole grain requirements that took effect on or after July 1, 2014, and the States shall establish a process for evaluating and responding, in a reasonable amount of time, to requests for an exemption, Provided, That school food authorities demonstrate hardship, including financial hardship, in procuring specific whole grain products which are acceptable to the students and compliant with the whole grain-rich requirements: Provided further, That school food authorities shall comply with the applicable grain component or standard with respect to the school lunch or school breakfast program that was in effect prior to July 1, 2014

The School Nutrition Association immediately praised the action, saying it “strongly supports” the changes.

“School Nutrition Association and its members strongly support the Omnibus Appropriations Bill,” SNA CEO Patricia Montague says in a press release.

“SNA greatly appreciate Congress’ recognition of the challenges school nutrition professionals have faced as they work to meet new nutrition standards while ensuring students continue to eat healthy school meals.

MORE NEWS: How to prepare for face-to-face classes

“USDA’s regulations were well intended, but have resulted in unintended, adverse consequences. Since the new standards took effect, 1.5 million dissatisfied students have given up on school meals, taking their lunch money with them. The financial impact is crippling some school meal programs and limiting their ability to invest in the kind of innovative, appealing menus that can entice students back to the cafeteria,” Montague adds.

“If Congress hits the pause button now on the sodium reduction, it’s possible that more children could develop high blood pressure and be at risk for heart disease or stroke before they even become adults,” American Heart Association CEO Nancy Brown tells CBS.

The Washington Post characterized the change as a loss for the first lady.

“House Republicans 1. Michelle Obama 0,” the article opens.

The paper notes this is not a fundamental change.

“The budget deal won’t end (students’) complaints, of course, as it is a small tweak and a reaction to big criticisms of some of the changes. This is mainly about whole grains versus half grains rather than greasy pizza versus carrots,” according to the paper.