Cool Mom Picks - Editors Best of 2009: The kids snacks, lunchboxes, cookbooks, and grownup food

Tuesday 29 December

Editors Best of 2009: The kids snacks, lunchboxes, cookbooks, and grownup food

Cool Mom Picks Pick of the Year badge The older our kids get, the more we're focused on the what, why, when and how of feeding them. It's been exciting discovering the growing number of products and resources to help steer our kids away from the McWhatever and onto food that qualifies as healthy and yummy.

Ella's Kitchen organic baby food

Kristen: All of my kids love to snack on the organic baby food from Ella's Kitchen. Just don't tell them that there happens to be broccoli mixed in with their pears.

Liz: I have become completely addicted to the organic maple-almond butter from Justin's. I mean, uh my kids have. And those little snacks-sized squeeze packs are a godsend.

Laptop lunch box reusable food container for kids

Kristen: My kindergartener's Laptop Lunch box makes packing her daily lunch a little easier and even better, way more eco-friendly. And considering all the compliments she still gets from it at school, I know she doesn't even miss the licensed characters.

Bento box - reusable lunch container for kids

Liz: The bento boxes from Shinzi Katoh just make me smile. But lovely design aside, they're easy for kids to open and close, they stay shut, and they're a snap to wash. That makes me smile too. A lot.

Vegan Cookies Invade the Cookie Jar

Kristen: As a former vegan, I know how hard it is to find good egg-free, dairy-free cookies - well, at least ones that don't make better weapons than treats. Thanks to Vegan Cookies Invade the Cookie Jar, everyone can enjoy cookies without the animal products, and not even know the difference.

Liz: I'm so happy to have discovered The Toddler Cafe. Not only do Jennifer Carden's recipes keep my kids at the table, they actually get me excited to be in the kitchen in the first place.

Popalongs organic chips

Kristen: I'm a certified potato chip junkie, but since we discovered Pop-a-longs, I can feed my craving without feeding my thighs. In fact, we almost always have at least one bag in the house. Yum.

Liz: If ugly is wrong, I don't want to be right. Especially when it comes to Ugly Truffles, and their companion indulgence, Damn Good Cookies from Chocolate Gourmet. I bought my inlaws a humongo box of them for Christmas and they tell me it was gone before the gifts were unwrapped.

Find More: Backpacks, Lunchboxes + Bags for Kids, Books for Adults, Food and Drink