The 4 best meal planning apps to use on the go. Life savers!
Yes, I've finally given into meal planning apps after much resistance. I confess, sometimes, just making it to the grocery store feels like a victory. And while I'd love to spend hours browsing my favorite cookbooks and food blogs before every trip to the store, I...
Taste the rainbow. Cake.
We've seen cookie cutters and cake pans in the shapes of unicorns, Minecraft characters, Minons, ninjas, Santa Claus ninjas (really), and everything pop culture-y in between. But if none of those quite fit the bill for your own brood, you have to check out this Shape...
Next week’s meal plan: 5 easy recipes for the week ahead from a summery corn pasta to the best sheet pan chicken dinner.
It’s time to get a head start on your meal plan for next week. From a summery corn pasta to the best sheet pan chicken dinner (yes, truly), we’ve got 5 quick and easy weeknight meals that will get you through the week. So grab a pen, make your shopping list, and stock...
How to stock a vacation rental kitchen: 8 smart tips to stay on budget.
The end of July and early August mark the end of summer for many, so it's no wonder that it's also the most popular vacation time of year for families. Here at Cool Mom HQ, we are big fans of renting a vacation home over a hotel room(s) not only because you get more...
8 unexpected and totally delicious ways to upgrade your iced coffee.
For those of us who need a caffeine fix in the morning, but can't bear the heat any longer, iced coffee is the only way to go. But at this point in the summer, we're looking for something more than just coffee + milk + ice cubes. So we've been poking around our...
What happened when I stopped worrying about feeding my picky eater.
Defining a picky eater can be hard. Some would argue that my toddler doesn’t fall within the typical guidelines because, yes, she loves broccoli, but she also doesn’t like normal “kid” foods like chicken breast or pasta. The part of feeding my picky eater that I find...
12 reasons coconut oil is the most useful thing in your kitchen.
Unless you've been living under a rock (AKA you have a lot more self-discipline when it comes to social media than I do), you've probably heard about the miraculous properties of coconut oil. From the kitchen to the makeup bag, and even the changing table, knowing how...
Web Coolness: Pokemon snacks, an Olympics cake, and the vending machines we’re coveting.
Here are our favorite food links from around the web this week. We hope that you enjoy them too! We spotted more adorable Pokemon snacks on Mysan's Instagram. Did you see the others on our Instagram feed this week? How to make juice bar drinks...without a...
Next week’s meal plan: 5 easy recipes for the week ahead, from a 15-minute pasta to slow cooker ribs.
It’s time to get a head start on your meal plan for next week. From a 15-minute summer pasta to slow cooker ribs for all of the summer taste without any of the work, we’ve got 5 quick and easy weeknight meals that will get you through the week. So grab a pen, make...
What is an Instant Pot and do you need one? (We think, yes.)
Last winter, there was a surge in chatter about the Instant Pot, also known by other brands as a multi-cooker. With slow cooking as one of its many functions, it's no surprise—tis the season. But we noticed another uptick in talk about these nifty gadgets again...
How to save money by making your favorite juice bar drinks at home without a juicer. (Yes, really.)
I love coffee like the rest of the Cool Mom team, but honestly, I'm fine with my homemade cold brew coffee. The problem is that all of the money I save by skipping Starbucks goes straight to my juice bar addiction, because if you ask me, nothing beats a fresh pressed...
4 of the very best non-dairy ice creams, for those who can’t ordinarily scream for ice cream
When my daughter was diagnosed with a milk allergy over a dozen years ago, I whispered a quiet goodbye to big drippy ice cream cones enjoyed on a hot summer's day. But, I needn't have been quite so dramatic because the number of non-dairy and vegan ice cream options...
Our favorite tips, tricks, and kitchen hacks
Non-toxic spring cleaning with salt: 8 unexpected uses in the kitchen beyond cooking.
Springtime means spring cleaning in my house and that means cleaning with salt. Yes, really. While there are some great natural cleaning products out there that are worth every dime (we love Better Life around here, and even housecleaning services use it), the...
Create a more sustainable kitchen with these 10 easy, eco-friendly ideas
With Earth Day coming up in April and spring cleaning season here, it's a great time to reflect on ways we can create a more eco-friendly home and a more sustainable kitchen. If your family spends as much time as my family of five does thinking about, preparing,...
Kitchen spring cleaning checklist: 7 kitchen tasks everyone forgets
With spring having sprung (and the words of Marie Kondo echoing in my head all these years later), I've been doing my best to kick-start kitchen spring cleaning before summer arrives. But one thing I've learned after all these years is it's so easy to miss certain...
Healthy comfort food recipes to get us through the winter without the extra pounds
Healthy comfort food recipes can be hard to come by. I mean I totally get the desire to start new diets in the new year, what with fresh beginnings and all. But when it's winter, I just want to cuddle up on the couch with a blanket and a big bowl of cheesy soup or...
How to tell if food is fresh: Tips for 7 of your top pantry staples
It's good to have some tricks for how tell if food is fresh and still good to eat -- as you know if you've ever opened a jar of half-used tomato sauce that seemed fairly new...only to find furry white spots of mold floating on top. While some spoiled food is quite...
Latest Recipes
9 impressive make-ahead Mother’s Day brunch recipes so Mom won’t have to lift a finger.
You know why we're talking about make-ahead brunch recipes for Mother's Day, right? Because we’ve been there. You’re feeling pretty good about your Mother’s Day plans, since you’ve got a gift (last-minute gifts count!), pretty flowers, and a perfect card in hand....
Change your margaritas with 10 delicious margarita variations
While we all love a classic margarita, these delicious margarita variations let you celebrate Cinco De Mayo, National Margarita Day, or just a well-earned weekend night in style. Pair them with one of the recipes from our favorite authentic Mexican food blogs and...
The best authentic Mexican food blogs: 6 favorites for Cinco de Mayo and every other day of the year.
I've had the best time seeking out the best Mexican food blogs serving up authentic Mexican cuisine in honor of Cinco de Mayo. I've always loved this holiday; in my hometown of New York City, May 5th marks a point in early spring when we're absolutely sure there's...
5 easy, delicious dinner ideas for those weeks that get unexpectedly busy | Weekly Meal Plan
This time of year always gets busier than we anticipate, and I always want to have easy weeknight dinner ideas on hand for those kinds of weeks. As the end-of-school commitments start ramping up, with hectic evenings driving everyone around -- let alone a quick...
7 spectacular macaroon variations for a big finish at Passover
We've explained many times that macarons are not to be confused with macaroons, the latter being a flour-free, gluten-free, generally chewy coconut cookie that's a favorite treat to finish off your Seder. This being Passover season, it's a perfect opportunity to...