Apple season is in full swing, which means we've got to find things to make with all them apples! As much as I love them, I'm finding myself seriously challenged by the the huge quantity of fruit I end up with during apple season. It doe…
I can confidently cook for nearly anyone, but one type of guest stumps me over and over: the little ones who come over to play with my kids. In fact, figuring out what to serve on my kids' playdates is way more stressful than planning a …
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 …
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…
No need to get fussy this Fourth of July. We've found seven patriotic snacks that are super cute, festive and easy to make. So easy, your kids can do most of the work , leaving you to celebrate your sweet independence! - Stacie These Sta…
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…
We've gone cuckoo for coconuts. According to my last count, there are a million and one coconut snacks on the market today. (And, yes, that's official market data, ha.) Turns out, pure coconut is pretty healthy stuff. It is still high in…
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…
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…
Feeding your baby solids is an exciting but somewhat stressful time--especially when you are on the go . As you know, most babies can't really figure out the whole spoon-to-mouth thing when they first start eating, and it can get pretty …
One of our readers' most common questions: what are your best tips for surviving travel with kids? We're here to oblige! So we've rounded up our tried-and-true favorite picks for keeping junior travelers in great spirits. From day trip t…
I can't be the only parent who's swiped my kids' squeezable fruit pouches. I love fruit so much, I could be a fruitarian with very little prompting. And now there's a fruit pouch for us grown folks, with some decidedly grown-up flavors. …
Remember our list of 6 cookbooks that every parent should own? Well, make room on your cookbook shelf for one more: the new Weelicious cookbook by Catherine McCord. But before I get to the many reasons why Weelicious: 140 Fast, Fresh, an…
With back to school in full swing, I'm mulling over lunch box ideas to keep things fresh for the next ten months. (Ten!) I recently posted 13 healthier versions of kids' favorite lunchbox snacks and this week I'm sticking with snacks; sp…
Healthy lunchbox snacks seem to be one of the frequent requests from our readers. I'm generally a from-scratch girl, but life--and lunch packing --with two little ones can get hectic. Despite my dedication to all foods homemade, I rely o…
I must admit, once or twice I have bought boxes of lovely, organic snacks only to find they've gone stale before we've had a chance to get through them. What can I say? My daughter is picky and not every snack is her style. Leave it to E…
As someone who hates mushy fruit with a passion, I wholeheartedly embraced the recent popularity of the pouch. Finally, my kids can eat applesauce without me locking myself in the bathroom. (Because it's all about me, right?) But as it t…
Got the winter squash blahs? Now that big mama nature has sprung spring on us, we get to look forward to a wider variety of fresh vegetables at the market. My favorite way to celebrate the bounty of Spring is to make homemade veggie chip…
If you're anything like me, your diet consists of the meal you've made for yourself and then all the leftovers you nibble off your kids' plates while you clean up the dishes. So if your New Year's resolution is to eat healthier and be a …