Modern Parents Messy Kids

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Holiday Baking Essentials for Last-Minute Traditional & Healthy Sweet Treats

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'Tis the season for making memories, enjoying time with family and celebrating the sweet pleasures of the holidays. 'Tis also the the season for running around like a crazy person, staying up past bedtime doing projects and throwing together treats at the last minute. While I am all for the memory making, I prefer to avoid becoming a crazy person - at least when it comes to holiday baking. As soon as Halloween passes, I stock up on my holiday baking essentials so I'm never left without the … [Read more...]

25 Totally Do-able Halloween Lunch Ideas

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I've said before I could never be a mama that regularly Bentos (see how I made it a verb?). I lack the time and, more to the point, the creativity.  But that doesn't mean I can't appreciate the appeal.  Not surprisingly, this glimpse into how guest contributor Wendy works her lunch-time magic has gotten my wheels turning on creative ways I can incorporate healthy new options into my kids' decidedly pedestrian lunches.  Additionally, I love the idea of pulling out all the stops like this for … [Read more...]

Thanksgiving Side Dish Round Up

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If you're like me, turkey is not the star of the Thanksgiving meal.  It's all the side dishes. Typically, we make a meal with one or two side dishes.  Thanksgiving is an excuse to make little bit of everything.  Or at least delegate family and friends to help you make a little bit of everything. (1) Let's start with a MUST.  Mashed Potatoes.  These are hands-down the best.  And it's all in the technique.  As in, TWO ingredients.  These are worth the effort. (2) As a kid, I was never a fan of … [Read more...]

Fall Favorite: Salted Caramel Apples

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I've been dying to entertain fall style lately (hot apple cider, pumpkin bread, etc.). I really just love the tastes and smells of autumn. It's all just so comforting, like curling up in front of a warm fire in your favorite cozy sweater and wool socks (or is that just me?). In that spirit, we're sharing one of our favorite fall recipes from our eBook, Hands-On Holidays: Simple Ideas for Making Memories October through December.   You can currently get the eBook at 50% off as part of our … [Read more...]

A Harmless Halloween Breakfast

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Around my house, we don't love the idea of being scared or watching scary movies, but we do love dressing up and being silly around Halloween. We are satisfied with cute little ghosts and pretend mummies - we want to steer clear of any potential nightmare situations (parents included). With the lighter side of the holiday in mind, I came up with a few harmless breakfast ideas to serve up to the kids. Much better than candy for breakfast, right? All the directions for these Halloween morning … [Read more...]

Easy Meal Ideas Using Fall Produce

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Fall produce: it's not all pumpkins and apple, folks. There's a lot more to choose from come harvest time. Check out this list of goodies you'll start to see at your market in the next few weeks (if not already!): Vegetables Broccoli, brussel sprouts, cauliflower, celery root, eggplant, endive, fennel, garlic, kohlrabi, leafy greens, mushrooms, pumpkin, winter squash (acorn, buttercup, butternut, delicata), sweet potatoes, yams Fruits Apples, cranberries, dates, figs, grapes, … [Read more...]

Autumn Bento Box plus More Autumn Lunch Ideas

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We've got a new contributor joining our MPMK team (yay!).  Wendy of the bento-fabulous blog Wendolonia is going to start stopping by periodically to share some seasonal and healthy lunch ideas for the kids - because who can't  use more of those? I'm curious, do any of you bento it when it comes to packing lunches?  I admit, the time involved in achieving a pretty presentation is a bit overwhelming to me but I do appreciate the variety of healthy foods and food groups that are the foundation of … [Read more...]

5 Back-to-School Nutrition Tips Your Kids Will Love

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photo source   I know that a lot of you out there are busy parents like me who want to provide the best for your kids but need some shortcuts on how to do it fast and well.  Which is why I'm thrilled to bring you this post from nutritionist and Dr. Oz contributor Kate Geagan.  She's sharing everything from her favorite kid breakfast and snack ideas to the anatomy of a healthy packed lunch. And please don't forget, Kate's going to be sharing even more of her wisdom during our live … [Read more...]

Our Ten Favorite Things in the Kitchen

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I don't know about you, but I don't cook much in the summertime.  Mostly we grill, which I leave to my hubby, and munch on lots of fresh fruit, cold salads, and corn on the cob.   But autumn is a different story, it's a time when I look to get back into the kitchen and to start focusing on making heartier soups, stews, and casseroles.  In fact, I often cook these thing two batches at a time - one to eat and one to freeze. If you're looking to work your way back to the kitchen too, we've got a … [Read more...]