Each year, in our annual back to school shopping guide , we always love tracking down those cool lunch box accessories, water bottles, bentos , and other fun goodies that help make opening that same lunch box every day a little more spec…
This Earth Month happened to be the perfect time for us to stumble on Skout Organic, as a lot of us are thinking about how to get more plant-based foods into our family's bellies. So why not start with the lunch box ? We recently tried t…
With Earth Month here and Earth Day coming up, we wanted to share a fantastic deal from Planet Box , the company making the incredible bento-style lunch boxes and earth-friendly reusable lunch accessories that we've been recommending for…
Back to school time isn't just about shopping! (Not that there's anything wrong with shopping, of course.) One of our favorite annual traditions is sharing our favorite back to school printables in our Back to School Guide to help make t…
Am I the only mom who's constantly running out of sandwich bags and plastic wrap? Probably not. By packing lunches and storing leftovers for 6 people in my family, I cannot keep them on hand. So when Liz suggested I purchase a set of Ete…
When my kids were younger, after-school snacks served largely as a reward for making it through the school day. Now that they are a bit older, what they eat after school and before their after-school activities provides necessary fuel to…
We love a fun bento box as much as the next person, but has anyone else noticed that most playful school lunch ideas require a PhD in arts and crafts? So cute, but who has the time -- or, um , ability? While we admittedly attempt more am…
When it comes to treats and candy for our kids, we've always take a pretty common sense "everything in moderation" approach around here. Hey, we love candy! What's a trip to the movie theater, a birthday party, or a special occasion lunc…
We know people love Instagram for pretty photos and funny memes, but now you can get delicious, easy recipes thanks to the Cool Mom Eats Instagram account. Our food editor and mom-of-2 Stacie Billis shares everything from last-minute din…
Way back when my mom packed lunch for me, the brown paper bag always came adorned with a smiley face, a heart, or on days she was feeling really ambitious, a rough portrait of our dog, Maggie. And as a kid, it made such a difference, esp…
While there are all kinds of kids lunch bags and boxes that I find are really durable and effective, I've long been a fan of the lunch bags from Built NY -- in no small part because the size and styling means I can borrow them from my ki…
We're all for making those crazy school mornings as un-crazy as possible, which is why we're big fans of having our kids pack their own lunches the night before. Yes, even our little ones! It can be done, promise. Not only does having ki…
While we admit we don't always love packing lunches every morning, we do love picking out cool new lunch boxes for our kids each year in time for back to school. And so, our Cool Mom Picks 2016 Back to School Guide continues with tons of…
A new water bottle is one of our back to school staples, and we've always been big Camelbak fans in my house. So how cool that they've teamed up with the National Parks for this new collection of water bottles that actually give back whe…
I'm not even ready to think about back-to-school season yet, but it's coming -- and sooner than later for parents like me in the south! While I've never been the type of parent who attempts to learn Bento arts or making a panda bear rice…
With lots of kids heading back to school in early August, and September really not that far behind, it's not too soon to start thinking about back to school. Especially when they're some of the most adorable backpacks and lunch boxes you…
I am never going to be the mom who makes that impressive bento lunch for my kids, featuring a Chewbacca made out of sesame noodles. But I am in fact that mom who stashes a bunch of free printable lunchbox notes in the drawer under the ki…
Our longtime readers may know that we always get excited for the back to school season, mainly because of back to school shopping. Okay, also because we have an excuse to get the kids to bed a little earlier. But mainly it's the shopping…
When I saw the brand new Skip Hop Forget Me Not backpack and lunch bag sets earlier this year at Toy Fair, it was like an instant, I HAVE TO TELL PEOPLE ABOUT THIS. And now, at long last, they're available for purchase from their site, o…
When PlanetBox , the makers of those uber popular stainless-steel lunch boxes, asked if I'd like to check out their new Bottlerocket water bottle , I didn't even blink before saying yes. I recently ditched juice boxes from my kids' lunch…
St. Patrick’s Day falls on a weekday this year which means it’s time to get festive with your kid's bento box . (How's that for a super specific column for you? St. Patrick's Day Bento Lunches.) Don’t worry: You don’t need a PhD in craft…
Happy Birthday Dr. Seuss! Over the years, we have celebrated the many magical Dr. Seuss books you've given us and our children with delicious and easy treats to eat , great Seuss-related gifts , and even ways to carry around a little Seu…
Along with so many other parents, we're longtime fans of the cult favorite, eco-friendly, stainless steel water bottles from Klean Kanteen . They give us confidence in the "not killing our kids" department, and do a great job of making o…
I always envisioned being That Mom who sends my kids off to school with cute little lunch box notes each day scribbled with heartfelt words of encouragement and love. Ha! Alas, I am the mom who is usually scrambling just to remember to p…