It’s hard to think about a steaming bowl of chicken noodle when it’s 90 degrees outside. Here in the Northeast, we’re about to embark on our 4th heat wave of the summer…and it’s not even August yet! Perhaps today’s re-opening of the infamous Soup Nazi’s NYC shop helps cultivate thoughts of cooler days when a hot bowl of soup hits the spot….ah, wishful thinking. For me, I can’t help but be plagued by the idea of what to cook for dinner (again). If I was the perfect mom, I’d have a freezer full of made-ahead dinners that just need to be unwrapped and heated up. Yeah, dream on. So, it helps when you can turn to something in a pinch that you can feed your family with a good conscience. Tabatchnick Fine Foods knows a thing or two about keeping kids (and grown-ups) nourished. They’ve been in business for over 100 years and, lucky for you, their homemade soups are available in the frozen foods aisle. If the word “frozen” throws you off, consider this: there’s less sodium and you don’t have to worry about BPA-lined soup cans. We sampled their balsamic tomato and rice and loved how easily it heated up from package to bowl, virtually mess-free. The broth was rich and hearty, and there was plenty of rice and veggies in each spoonful. Plenty of choices are available, including gluten-free and organic varieties.Even the Soup Nazi might be envious.

In a Nutshell: Need dinner on the table fast? Put away the take-out menus. These low-on-salt, big-on-taste frozen soups are real crowd-pleasers.

If I had a dime for every time I heard about a kid product that claims to “grow with your child,” I’d be a self-made millionaire. So when a product lives up to its name, it warrants a bit of praise. Hats off then to the HiLo Chair, one seat that’s worth saving. Not only is this kids’ chair nice to look at, but it works wonders in the kitchen. It starts out as standard high chair with tray, but because it has a dual-height adjustment, you can flip the chair upside down and, at the push of a button, the chair locks into place at its new height/size. That means you can count on using this sturdy chair from mushy peas on up to big-kid eating. And if you love the appropriately-named, culinary-inspired colors the HiLo Chair comes in, including blueberry, asparagus, portabello and even chocolate, you’ll consider this chair a welcome addition to your family’s kitchen. Getting the kids to eat their veggies? Sorry, you’re on your own there…

In a Nutshell: Feeding time gets fashionable with a high chair that converts to a child seat faster than you can boil water for spaghetti. Bon appetit!

If it’s true that kids eat what they make, then I’m making an effort to get my 6-year-old on the right track. This afternoon, we made homemade meatballs and this summer, we’ll be reaping the benefit of fresh vegetables from our garden. If you had ‘gardening with the kids’ on your to-do list and realize that you may not get around to it, then consider a short-cut. Amber’s Garden Ready-to-Plant Vegetable Garden Mats are the next best thing to gardening from scratch, and require minimal effort. These mats already have the seeds “planted” in them–simply place in a sunny spot, cover with top soil and add water. You may begin to see veggies sprout in as little as 3-5 days and, if you take proper care of them, they’ll yield fresh produce all season long. That’s plenty of good stuff to “sneak” into our batch of tomato sauce (shhh…just don’t tell my daughter). Amber’s Garden Kits come in a variety of veggies, including Asian, Herb and Summer Crop.

In a Nutshell: Teach your kids that veggies don’t actually come from a can in a fun, engaging way. This kits are so kid-friendly, even preschoolers can lend a hand.

Back in the day, when I worked full-time and commuted to Manhattan, I remember toting around more luggage than I cared to admit. Sure, I traveled for business every now and then, but we’re talking packed bags–as in multiple–for just one day. And since I was doing my best to save my pennies, one of those bags was a brown one–as in my sorry-looking lunch. How many times it collapsed or fell apart due to my clumsy packing style or because it couldn’t bear the weight of–gasp!–a cup of yogurt would be too many to mention. How I wish I’d gotten my hands on the Laptop Lunches Bento System, a grown-up version of the organized lunchbox. This insulated bag may look like it contains a portable computer, but take a closer look inside. It includes 5 generously sized containers that can accommodate everything from sandwiches to fruit to salad dressing. And if that doesn’t make you feel adult enough, there’s a set of stainless-steel silverware–great for going green–and a water bottle (who needs that can of diet soda, anyway?) Now, if your cup of yogurt leaks, no one will know but you.

In a Nutshell: This reusable lunch bag may not eliminate the need for toting another bag to the office, but at least it’s one that stands up to spills and other food disasters. It even works well when you’re eating lunch al fresco at the park (yes, you can walk away from your desk every now and then…)

Ah, how I fondly remember the picnics in the park my husband and I had B.K. (before kids). Our house was a short walk from a park that held summer concerts, and we’d pack a light dinner and head out without a care in the world. Fast forward to the present, and a dinner outdoors with two little kids is hardly romantic. Our plastic wine glasses have been replaced with juiceboxes, and the comfy blanket we shared barely has room for the four of us. Maybe that’s why today,  I can appreciate the Picnic Set from French Bull that is practical for my family, but whose style appeals to my grown-up sensibility. There’s service for four, including flatware, plates and ample sized cups that are (thankfully) aren’t breakable. And if we forget to pack a blanket, we’ve got a microfleece one inside the handy tote. A cutting board and bottle opener let the “bigger kids” enjoy wine and cheese with their meal…this way, I get to ignore the “whining” of another kind.

In a Nutshell: Eating outdoors with kids is certainly no picnic. But you can make it more to your liking with this all-encompassing, fashionable set.

If your family’s kitchen is anything like mine, you make a concerted effort to stretch those meals into leftovers. Granted, I’m no hero–we love pizza night just like everyone else–but whenever possible, I do try to make more than one dish out a main ingredient. Think roasted chicken for Tuesday night’s dinner into Wednesday’s chicken salad for lunch…you get the picture. Because I can never seem to get my hands on enough reusable food containers–and always seem to forget to pick them up at the grocery store–I know I can’t go wrong with the 40-piece Fresh Keeper Set. Not only do the lids match their containers, so I can organize leftovers by color, but the included Lid Organizer lets me get my hands on the right pieces in a snap. What’s especially handy is the built-in date-set feature with a movable pointer that I can use to track just how long that batch of tomato sauce has been around; I don’t need to dig up any labels or write directly on the container, which always seems to fade away anyhow. Now there’s no question of whether or not something is edible…But I didn’t say anything about my cooking expertise…

In a Nutshell: Say “yes” to leftovers with this colorful, organized system that will make you feel more like Martha Stewart than the harried short-order cook that you really are.

As the saying goes, good things come in small packages. And when you’re talking about kids’ lunchboxes, the less bulky, the better (and the less likely to stuff them with junk food). With two new, sleek choices that are both sturdy and stylish, brown bags are no longer necessary. The yubo Lunch Box (left) will not only please kids, but moms, too. It’s dishwasher-safe, so any spills or “accidents in transit” (think overturned yogurt cups and jelly sandwiches gone haywire) are a non-issue. Because you can change the faceplates or personalize your own, kids never tire of the look. It’s worth investing in the deluxe yubo, which comes with three reusable food containers (does it feel like you can should take stock in Ziplocs?) and an slim ice box to keep everything cool. Now that’s cool.

For an equally hip, environmentally-friendly lunch box, check out LunchBots, a futuristic model that is small on space but not on practicality. The stainless steel container has two compartments for packing snacks and small entrees. The no-nonsense design makes it a great choice for kids as well as grown-ups.

In a Nutshell: There may be no such thing as a free lunch, but with these carrying solutions, there’s no excuse not to bring your meals to school or work anymore.

Baby bottles have come a long way since the old-fashioned glass ones that needed to be sterilized. As their designs become more sleek and easy to clean, they become…well, attractive. (Who knew drinking milk could be so trendy?). The latest BPA-free bottle to catch our eye is one that happens to have a catchy name. The Very Hungry Bottle sports a curved shape that practically beckons baby to drink up, while the silicone nipple has a textured nipple meant to mimic your breast. We especially liked the no-skid bottom, which makes it easy to fill the bottle and attach the nipple with just one hand (you know how talented we mommies can be). You won’t be able to resist the whimsical packaging: a red milk carton that is as inviting as it is endearing.

In a Nutshell: Whether you’re weaning your baby or simply looking for a bottle that will keep her content, be prepared to stock up on these babies.

As much as I wanted my kindergartner to graduate to a regular drinking glass, I wasn’t thrilled about the prospect of wiping up more spills than I already do. Alas, the faded Thomas train on her favorite cup seemed to be crying out, “Retire me, please!” What a perfect opportunity to try out Siliskin Glass, a new line of BPA-free drinking cups for the child who’s too big for a sippy cup, but hasn’t yet mastered the dexterity of handling glassware–or for the moms who are too chicken to let them. The name alone was enough to grab my attention–what’s silly about broken glass? And that’s exact the point. Siliskin is a protective silicone wrapper that “hugs” a glass tumbler, so that kids can drink with reckless abandon and get a handle (literally) on their cup. My daughter loves that she can drink her OJ without rattling my caffeine-induced nerves at the breakfast table. And I love that Siliskin Glass is dishwasher-safe and BPA-free, making clean-up and safety a snap for this busy mom.

In a Nutshell: With easy-grip glassware, there’s no need to cry over spilled milk.

Bottle drying racks are hardly a conversation piece…until now. Boon’s Grass is not only practical, but it’s bound to catch your eye, especially amidst all the utilitarian models on store shelves. What’s handy is that Grass comes in two parts, so you can wash the base and “grass” separately. We like the whimsical design that makes it look like it could double as a liner for an Easter basket–or maybe that’s just wishful thinking that spring is right around the corner. If you’re into products that don’t scream “baby,” then this is the drying rack for you. Because the “blades” don’t conform to standard bottle size, you can dry practically anything you like on it: sippy cups, bottles, utensils, pacifiers, etc. Hey, it even works as a cushy place to dry “big kid” beverage tumblers, too. Now you can literally take over your kid’s turf–how refreshing.

In a Nutshell: Something that has actually has a life beyond the baby years? We’ll take two…