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 [&hellip
Feeding the Little Walnuts Archive
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 [&hellip
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 [&hellip
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 [&hellip
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 [&hellip
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 [&hellip
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 [&hellip
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 [&hellip
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 [&hellip
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 [&hellip