For most of us, the school year is all about "keeper" recipes. Dinners you can rely on. Easy sides that the whole family will eat. Recipes that make life easier and more delicious. We've shared some of our favorite weeknight dinners and …
I consider myself a master meal planner, but there's one thing that gets even me: veggie side dishes. That's right, even I--the self-proclaimed Queen of Meals--am often stumped for creative vegetable dishes to serve to the family with my…
Now that we've covered awesome school lunch resources and simple lunch ideas--it's time to tackle dinner recipes for the kids. Here are six fairly fast dinner recipes sure to fit into your back-to-school routine, no matter how hectic. Th…
The tips, ideas and best products for back-to-school have been flowing in from every direction all month long. But soon we'll be back in the swing of things and the back-to-school chatter will die down, but there's one thing you can't do…
At some point this school year--sooner than you think--both you and your child will grow weary of the humble school lunch sandwich. It's a known quantity, which is comforting some days, but not every day, right? So here are 9 easy school…
Many of my Cool Mom Picks comrades swear they prefer backpack shopping to planning school lunches, but I admit it: I enjoy the challenge of getting creative with packed lunches. Sure, I get in a rut sometimes, but a pantry full of go-to …
So here's a chore I haven't been missing this summer: packing endless school lunches . Argh! Trying to come up with variety and good nutrition for my kids drives me nuts. I'm already looking for new ideas for the coming school year, and …
I admit it, I'm a bit of a loudmouth about the benefits of skipping juice for kids. Most options are packed with sugar--like 20 grams per single-serving box, nearly the same amount of sugar in a full-sized Hershey's bar. Whoa! I know, I …
After learning about HelloFlo.com earlier this year, I'm happy to say that I'm no longer caught off guard on a monthly basis. In fact, you may have have seen the hilarious HelloFlo Camp Gyno video that's circulating this week--but behind…
My family and I are hitting the road soon and, having learned the hard way to never be caught empty-handed on a long trip, I'll be prepared with an arsenal of travel snacks. Ideally healthy ones. Since you might be traveling soon too, wh…
Though there are already many wonderful charities and benefits to help support kids with cancer, we are so touched by one effort by dad and musician Alastair Moock who is using his musical talents to speak directly to these special kids,…
When I was a little kid, I just scratched mosquito bites until they bled. Like a boss. But now that I like to shave my legs, wear breezy dresses , and not look totally grody, I'm super excited to have found an all-natural salve to help c…
I tried carrying a tube of sunscreen in my purse once. Once . And then I got a new purse. So I'm head over heels for individually packaged, safe sunscreen for kids that even I can't spill. Bonus: it works. And smells great. [Don't miss a…
My kids, as with all kids, are obsessed with gummies. But I find that fruit chews give them the same satisfaction with a little less guilt. On my part. Hooray for a new brand that avoids the guilt entirely, and just in time for me to see…
Want to get in on the superfood fun, but have no clue what to do with a bag of chia seeds? (Other than turn them into a grassy novelty pet?) I've got five delicious ways to enjoy these wonder seeds, which were once the go-to survival foo…
When the weather turns warm, I am on the hunt for fun new ways to get the kids outside--and off their various electronic devices. My latest find may be low-tech, but it's so high on fun, we're all waiting in line for our turn to play. Sl…
I grew up eating the vitamins of a certain prehistoric cartoon and turned out pretty okay. Still, now that I'm a mom, I'd love for my own kids' vitamins to be a bit more naturally sourced. And maybe not so, well, chalky. Yum-V's Multi-Vi…
We're all familiar with sugar-happy birthday parties and itchy-sad Chicken Pox parties. But we're excited about the possibility of hosting a Healthy Child Party that makes the moms, the kids, and the doctors happy. If you're not yet fami…
Anyone who's a fan of great Italian cooking is probably a fan of Lidia Bastianich. And I say that as someone who admired her cooking (mmmm...Del Posto) long before she became a TV personality. Now, she's turning her talents towards a chi…
We here at Cool Mom Picks have been fans of Chobani Champions, the brand's line of Greek yogurts made especially for kids, since day one, when they launched with four tasty flavors packed in perfectly kid-sized cups. Thanks to their new …
It's finally here, the time when your sweet, drooly, dribbly little baby is ready to get down with some solids. You go to the supermarket and marvel at the huge selection of options, scratching your head as you read the ingredients, know…
If your family loves takeout, then your posse is going to love Steamy Kitchen's Healthy Asian Favorites: 100 Recipes That Are Fast, Fresh, and Simple Enough for Tonight's Supper , the new cookbook by one of our favorite food bloggers and…
This year, a lot of parents are resolving to buy healthier lunchbox snacks that are kid and cool mom approved. Seem like a tall order? Not with these five healthy snacks. I know that healthy snacks can be hard. So many taste, well, healt…
Kids like pushing buttons. Kids like snacks. So it isn't a big mystery when my kids drag me towards every vending machine they see. Fortunately one of our favorite healthy snack companies, Ella's Kitchen, is doing something to make vendi…