A Springfield family is trying a free program to improve the nutrition of their family meal, writes Mari A. Schaefer for the Philadelphia Inquirer.

As a longtime member of Weight Watchers, Amy Edwards of Springfield knew the changes needed at home to combat her 6-year-old daughter Grace’s weight gain, but she needed support.

She found it in Project Picnic, a program from Drexel University’s Well Center.

Edwards attended a workshop to learn about healthy food choices, proper portion sizes and how to change the kitchen to help kids choose more nutritional foods.

Her family then participated in six at-home video conference sessions.  Edwards wore a Bluetooth listening devices during mealtimes to get real-time feedback from a nutritional expert.

Ice cream for dessert was out and fresh fruits were in. Vegetables with dips or peanut butter replaced other snacks, she said.

She uses a kitchen scale to measure portions and Grace will often help weigh the food.

A month in, Grace has lost a few pounds, with a goal of developing healthier eating habits.

“It made me reexamine how we were eating and what I was providing in the house,” Edwards said.

Read more about this Springfield family’s effort to eat healthier here.

[uam_ad id=”62465″]