Mail from YouTube: Stampy Cat’s WonderQuest Launch

by Jen Rabulan-Bertram

As we returned home from DisneySMMC a few weeks ago, we were treated to a surprise package from our friends at YouTube.  I love the smirk on Biggie’s face as he revealed contents:

It was a signed poster from none other than Stampy Cat! It’s not every day that you get snail mail from your favorite YouTube super cat!

If your kid plays Minecraft as much as everyone else’s, there’s a chance that he or she also knows about StampyCat. In fact, at my house, I swear, my kid watches more StampyCat than he actually plays Minecraft. Don’t get me wrong, if my kid is going to be staring at a screen, I’m glad he’s watching content that I’ve approved and encourages imagination. 

If you’re not on the up and up about Stampy, then you must know that this YouTube channel stars a cat, and overviews the countless ways that Minecraft can be played. According to The Guardian, Stampy’s channel on YouTube has upwards to 5.6 million subscribers and nearly 3.4bn video views. The main audience of this channel are, not surprisingly, children.

The kids are drawn to the funny banter and easy-to-follow gameplay. As if he’s a big brother paving the way through the mines, Stampy is the kid’s virtual buddy and a bonified pop cultural phenomenon.

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With this wild success comes other great ideas. The creator of Stampy Cat, Joseph Garrett, has launched a new second channel called Wonder Quest. Guardian reported that it’s a 12-episode show of the same name that aims to blend education, entertainment and – while still shot within Minecraft – higher production values. Wonder Quest is a partnership with Maker Studios and YouTube is the official distributor.

Tube Filter reported that there will be a supplement animated series to Wonder Quest called I Wonder. The show will feature  Stampy and his friend Wizard Keen further explore the educational topics presented in the flagship series. Both shows will be hosted on the new Wonder Quest channel.

Finally, Garrett’s Side Quest series contains eight episodes of Let’s Play-style videos where Stampy and his friends play games in maps featured in Wonder Quest. Side Quest will be hosted on Garrett’s original Stampylonghead channel, which boasts over 5.6 million subscribers.

After watching an episode or two, I think Stampy is here to stay. I love that this show is scripted and set in the same Minecraft World, and keeps the same funny vibe that kids love. That lovable, fun tone is what keeps the kids engaged, and if that’s what it takes to mesh education with screen time seamlessly, I’m all for it.

 

 

Tommee Tippee Tableware Streamlines Travel for Families on the go

by Jen Rabulan-Bertram

Like many families, we spend a lot of time on the road in the summer. Whether it’s visiting grandparents out of town or heading to the beach, we’re always on the go, and rely on gear that helps us get to where we’re going. 

 

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I can’t tell you how many meals we have when we’re on the road: granola bars before rugby practice, Go Go Squeeze before swim meets and, yes, even cereal with milk on the road down to Va. Like most toddlers, my 3 year old is still perfecting his eating skills, so he needs tools that help him accomplish those tasks. Tommee Tippee has a great range of feeding tools that work so well for families on the go.

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Tommee Tippee’s Easi-Roll bib is my all-time favorite bib for my kid, and as gifts for baby showers. This super-practical bib is softer, yet durable and easy-to-clean after the messiest meals. I love that you can put the bib into the dishwasher after eating. The best thing about this best is that you can roll and tuck it right into your diaper bag or carry-on to have it accessible for road trips or any time you’re eating on the go.

 

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TT’s Section Plates remain a mainstay for all meals at our home. These plates are sectioned off into three compartments, making it easy to portion food for toddlers and keep them from not touching! Unlike other toddler plates, this plate has an ergonomic shape that makes it ideal for little hands to grasp (when they’re not snoozing, that is!)

 

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Pop Up Storage Cups always come in handy for road trips. In addition to Goldfish or Cheerios, we love throwing my toddler’s little collectible toys in the Pop Up Storage Cups. Whether it’s little bouncy balls or crayons for his coloring books, the Storage Cups are great to contain items to keep within reach in the car. Added extra: they fit perfectly in the car and booster seats’ cupholders.

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Easy Scoop Feeding Bowls are another fave for summer excursions. Some mornings in the summer, we start our days early to get prime spots at the beach. This often means we’re eating breakfast in the car, which is where the Easy Scoop Feeding Bowls with Lid and Spoon come in handy. C’mon, whomever thought of stashing the spoon in the lid is a genius!  When we don’t misplace the lids, these bowls are ideal for easy eating at the beach.

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Do you have any favorite gear that helps you when you’re on the road? Whatever you’re up to this summer, I hope you streamline your travels with easy-to-use gear when you’re on the go.

 

Full disclosure: This is a sponsored post and I am being offered compensation for my time and effort. As always, all opinions on NKT are my own.

Skylanders SuperChargers Reach New Heights with Vehicles; Debut Set for September 20

by Jen Rabulan-Bertram

Activision announced its latest installment in the Skylanders Franchise today. Skylanders SuperChargers will debut on September 20, 2015, which will bring this beloved game to new heights.

Skylanders SuperChargers Logo

In SuperChargers, Portal Masters will take the helm of high-octane vehicles on land, sea and sky. From vehicular combat, races down rapids and aerial dogfights, Activision says SuperChargers will feature story-driven gameplay, vehicle-based and on-foot adventures, puzzles, mini games, activities and platforming.

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SuperChargers Dive Bombers

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SuperChargers will have 20 new character toys and 20 new vehicles. Starter Packs will include two new Skylanders characters and a new Skylanders vehicle, as well as a new Portal of Power. The game will be available for preorder starting today, June 3 for $74.99. According to Activision execs, the previous Portal will be functional with this game, as well as a Digital Players’ version where the game itself can be downloaded on select consoles, adding even more play value to Skylanders SuperChargers. I’ll share details on that once it’s released.

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Skylanders SuperChargers feature a new class of heroes. The namesake SuperChargers boast swift moves, powerful attacks and new weapons. The developers, Vicarious Visions, have given SuperChargers special in-game abilities that will uplift players to take on Kaos.

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Storm Blade

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Spitfire

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Super Shot Stealth Elf

 

First Look at SuperChargers at #MTSKylanders

Back in February 2011, I remember standing on my tip-toes in the back of a room of journalists, trying to see the stage while listening to Activision executives talk about their next big thing. It was a video game that combined video games and tactile play with collectible figures, that would go on be a major game changer.

Yesterday, I stood on my tip-toes to get a glimpse of Skylanders, but in a much different setting. I had the unique opportunity to attend an intimate lunch hosted by Momtrends to learn about the latest installment of Skylanders. The beloved franchise is unveiling their fifth installment in their character-driven game and they gave a select group of NYC bloggers a firsthand look.

 

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As major Skylanders fans, it was a treat to get the first look of this new installment of the game we love so much. Skylanders has perfected upping their own ante with each new installment. Is it any wonder why the game remains the top console game for kids? Upon first look, my mind was blown. The vehicles and SuperChargers add a whole new dimension and explore different terrain at a new perspective. The SuperChargers will surely be well received by kids and gamers alike. The vehicle figures alone add so much tactile play value; I see even younger Portal Masters-in-training getting into the mix with the introduction of the cars, planes and vessels.

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Skylanders, as a whole, is the embodiment of The Next Kid Thing, and I’m thrilled to give you a first look of the game in-play.  The video I shot looks and sounds very much like a bootleg because of the setting. Because of the nature of the reveal, we were asked to sign an NDA and video opps were informal since it was a luncheon. Nevertheless, here’s a first look of Skylanders SuperChargers in action:

 

Skylanders not only gave us an exclusive sneak peek of SuperChargers the day before the official announcement, they treated us to a very special Skylanders-themed gift bag. In it, we received a lunch box, Thermos Foogo, Gil the Grunt pillow, Crayola Color Alive book and various stickers. In honor of the SuperChargers unveil, I’ll be giving away one of these fun goody bags!  I’ll post an update on this soon.

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A big thank you to Activision for always including bloggers in your outreach. As a family who has been a fan since the first unveil, it was an honor to be included in yesterday’s luncheon. 

Thank you to the Momtrends team for hosting a lovely and delicious lunch where I got to see friends, eat delicious food, craft and geek out!

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Skylanders SuperChargers will be available on Xbox 360™ and  Xbox One™video game and entertainment systems from Microsoft, PlayStation® 3 and PlayStation® 4 computer entertainment systems, Nintendo’s Wii U™ system, and a different, unique adventure will be made available on Nintendo’s Wii™ system and the Nintendo 3DS™ hand-held system. Additionally, the complete Skylanders SuperChargers experience will be available on iPad®. The game will be available on September 20 in North America, September 24 in Australia/New Zealand; and on September 25 in Europe. 

 Full disclosure: I attended a hosted event and received exclusive information to share with my audience. I received swag bags and lunch, but as always, opinions on NKT are my own.

TTPM Spring Showcase Gifting Suite Haul

by Jen Rabulan-Bertram

A few weeks ago, I attended TTPM’s Spring Showcase, where the latest and greatest for spring and summer toys were revealed. It’s always great to hear the experts’ opinions on the hot toys of the season.

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And this time around, hot toys range from outdoor toys, to ride on toys from Razor, to movie-inspired gear and goodies. Be sure to check out TTPM’s full lineup of this season’s hot toys.

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Like their other showcases, TTPM hosted a gifting suite where press and influencers receive samples of toys that might be relevant for their outlets. I met with all of the exhibitors, but typically only grab samples that are a fit for us. I let the boys do a haul of the samples I brought home with my usual sidebar comments! Be sure to head to our YouTube channel to check out the video!

 

Join Us for a Twitter Party with Safety 1st on 5/27 at 8pm

by Jen Rabulan-Bertram

Join us for a Twitter party! We’re partying on Wednesday night, May 27th at 8pm with our friends at Safety 1st. Together with several of my fellow bloggers, we’ll be celebrating parenting victories and talking about the very cool Step and Go from Safety 1st.  If you have some parenting victories to share, be sure to keep it real with us and join the conversation at #StepAndGoParent. 

If you don’t already follow me, be sure to follow me on Twitter @jenrab, and of course, follow our gracious hosts: @Safety1st.

 

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Full disclosure: This is a sponsored post and I am being compensated for sharing this information. As always, all opinions on NKT are my own.

Highlights from The New York Baby Show

by Jen Rabulan-Bertram

Eight years ago when I started this site, I was inundated with baby gear research. Like many other parents, I spent hours researching the best products for my own baby. That research ultimately led to the creation of The Next Kid Thing.

All these years later, one of my most favorite things is attending shows, especially ones that showcase cool new gear and goodies. Last weekend, the kids and I made our way to Pier 92 for the New York Baby Show.

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photo credit: Momtrends

Quickly becoming one of my favorite baby shows, this year’s New York Baby Show didn’t disappoint. This year’s show featured more than 140 exhibitors for expectant and new parents to meet and learn all about. Alongside of the expansive list of exhibitors, the New York Baby Show rounded out their weekend-long show with sessions conducted by parenting experts and other informative sessions. Twiniversity and NYC Dads Group, two organizations that I proudly call my friends, were among the experts who led sessions. 

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photo credit: Momtrends

And speaking of friends, new this year to New York Baby Show was the Blogger Lounge hosted by our friends at Momtrends. As always, Momtrends knows how to host a fun soiree; it was a treat that manis and blowouts were offered by the Glam Squad.

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photo credit: Momtrends

Before hitting the floor at the show, bloggers were treated to lunch, some glam and had the chance to meet several brands before the show. The Blogger Lounge also provided childcare courtesy of the Nanny League, which was basically a two hour playdate for Littles.

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 photo credit: Momtrends

So, while Littles was hanging out at the childcare area, Biggie and I walked the showroom floor to meet and great with the exhibitors. Biggie was my photographer for the evening, and he was able to capture photos as I networked.

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I loved the way many of the companies interacted with him as he took pictures, but my favorite was when we approached Canon’s booth. Canon, the presenting sponsor of the New York Baby Show, was on hand to showcase several of their latest cameras, including the beautiful and wifi-enabled 70d and T6i models.

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photo credit: Jack Bertram

As I spoke to one of the Canon reps to share my longtime love for their products, another gentleman was so nice to engage with Bigs. He asked to see his photos and made him giggle while I ogled.

Back to the babies: there were so many favorite brands at this show, so it was almost impossible to visit every booth. But here are just a few of the many brands that we loved visiting at the New York Baby Show:

My friends at Regal Lager had a spectrum of beautiful Cybex gear, but the innovative Cloud carseat was my absolute favorite. IMG 9597

photo credit: Jack Bertram

This thing grows with baby; it’s incredible. Love to Dream swaddles promote the arms up sleeping position that many babies naturally love. The textiles for these swaddles are so soft and pure. I love recommending these super practical swaddles and sacks to all of my new mom friends.

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I loved stopping by the Babyganics booth to check out their growing product line. Their sunscreens and hand sanitizers are staples in my beach bag.

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Shea Moisture is another personal favorite that I loved meeting. The Mommy scrub is so perfect for expectant moms and even ones who, like me, just love the smell and feel of this delicious scrub.

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photo credit: Jack Bertram


I was excited to see Nordic Naturals exhibiting at this show because I JUST bought their Children’s DHA liquid which comes highly recommended for kids with speech delays. I add a few drops into Little’s smoothies and voila! I’ve noticed a difference since he started the drops, and I’m thrilled that this liquid seems to be gentler on his sensitive stomach. Nordic Naturals offers a range of supplements applicable for all members of the family.

 

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photo credit: Jack Bertram

I met lots of newcomers at this show, which is always exciting. I can’t wait to learn more about this crib mattress, these snacks and this cool new family camp in Vermont. 

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One newcomer that I wasn’t able to meet was the stroller company, gb. I wanted to get a closer look at the Qbit, which appears to be a smaller stroller that would work well for city families. 

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 If I had an unlimited amount of time, I would have loved to walk the show for another day to meet the other exhibitors that were too busy to chat. The New York Baby Show is a fabulous forum for expectant and new families to learn, shop and engage with family-centric exhibitors. What I truly appreciate about this show is that the whole family can enjoy the day together. 

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The two-day format on the west side allows for show-goers to truly take in all that this show has to offer, from information sessions to visiting all the booths to taking a stroll on the test track. If you’re pregnant or have a new baby and want to check out the latest and greatest, be sure to put the New York Baby Show on the must-do list.

A big thank you to Momtrends and New York Family for having us this year. As always, I enjoyed covering this show and look forward to sharing more.
 
Full disclosure: This is a sponsored post and I am being compensated for sharing my experience. As always, all opinions on NKT are my own.

Disney’s Beach Club Room Tour at Disney Social Media Moms Celebration

by Jen Rabulan-Bertram

During this week following Disney Social Media Moms Celebration, I’ve been doing my best to catch up and take in all the fun things that I learned.

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I have so many stories and details to share about the trip, but in the meantime, I wanted to share a quick room tour at Disney’s Beach Club Resort. This was the first video we did when we arrived at the resort, so we were exhausted, excited and overwhelmed.

 

In essence, the Beach and Yacht Club Resorts were the perfect backdrop for this year’s DSMMC. We enjoyed glorious views, convenient access to Epcot and basked in the deluxe accommodations that Disney offers at this level. To say that this resort is my new favorite is quite the understatement. The pool, Stormalong Bay, is enough to want to return for future vacations. It’s, quite simply, the most beautiful sand-bottomed pool I’ve ever seen. (And the only one at that!) The resort, itself, is breathtaking. 

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So, back to the rooms at the Beach Club: they’re beautiful, spacious enough for 5 people and comfortable for a luxurious stay. The rooms feature two queen beds and one day bed. The beach decor is beautiful and classic, but from what I’m understanding, they’re in the process of updating some rooms. Here are some stats on the standard rooms with garden views at the Beach Club:

At 380 sq. ft., most rooms at the Beach Club will sleep up to 5 adults.  All rooms come with an alarm clock with mp3 player, mini fridge, ceiling fan, coffee maker with tea and coffee setup, hair dryer, ice bucket, safe, iron and ironing board, pool towels, desk and chair, telephone and television.

We absolutely enjoyed staying at the Beach Club and were so fortunate to do so during DSMMC. I’ll be sure to share a more thorough review of the resort, but for now, check out our room tour!

Disney Social Media Moms Celebration is here!

by Jen Rabulan-Bertram

 

It’s finally here! After much anticipation, we made it to Orlando for the 2015 Disney Social Media Moms Celebration! As many of you know, DSMMC is an invite-only celebration with top influencers to engage in all things Disney.

 

After little sleep last night, we had an uneventful trip down to Florida. The kids were great on the plane, aside from Jack’s unnecessary need to hold a barf bag to his mouth every time there was turbulence. haha!

 

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I’m just so glad to be here and can’t wait to relax and unwind with my guys in between Disney Social Media Moms. Both boys are older, and so far, it’s a bit easier to manage them while traveling. As for Disney, the magic is as brilliant as ever. We arrived a day early and were able to travel with ease and relax in the amazing beach-bottomed pool. We’ve yet to hit the parks, but are so thankful to have this family-time together, which is something that seems to be so fleeting these days.

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I’ve had the fortune of being invited multiple times, with this trip being my third rodeo. I’ll share information along the way, but I wanted to be totally transparent about this trip. We were not planning on taking a Disney trip this year, but when DSMMC sends an invite, it’s truly a once in a lifetime opportunity and something that’s hard to pass up. We were able to get the stars to align to afford to go on this trip. With that said, Disney is the host for DisneySMMC, however,  we pay a subsidized rate and are treated to several exclusive events, receive samples and experience unique things to share with our audiences.


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We’ll be learning more about Disney’s latest endeavors, so be sure to listen in on the conversation. Check out all the action on #DisneySMMC, and of course, be sure to follow me @jenrab on Twitter and Instagram for updates throughout our trip. Just a few things I’m excited to learn more about: Disney Springs, Avatar World and Frozen-themed attraction in Norway in Epcot! Unbelievable!

 

 

I can’t wait to endure and share the magic in the days to come!

Vera Sweeney to Host Trollbeads Event in NYC on Saturday

by Jen Rabulan-Bertram

With Mother’s Day upon us, there are so many fun mom-centric events on the horizon. If you’re in the City this weekend, my beautiful friend, Vera Sweeney of Lady and the Blog and TLC’s “What She Said” fame, is hosting a fun event on Saturday with Trollbeads.

Join Trollbeads for a Mother & Daughter Event hosted by Vera Sweeney from Lady & the Blog and TLC’s “What She Said.” Guests will receive a custom flower crown designed by Rachel Cho with every purchase (while supplies last). 

“What She Said” is set to air on May 10th and features some of the country’s foremost female comics commiserating, venting, and speaking the truth about being mothers during these crazy modern times.

When: Saturday, May 2nd 1-4PM 
226 Columbus Ave, NYC
646.692.3113

RSVP to veryvera@gmail.com to guarantee VIP gift

If you go, tell her I sent you! Vera is fabulous!

 

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8 Delicious and Easy Lunchbox Ideas

by Jen Rabulan-Bertram

Now that Spring is in full swing, I’ve already started to hear the collective sigh of students, parents and teachers in regards to the end of the school year. It’s been a long year, and many of us are ready for the carefree days of summer. But, not so fast! If you’re like us, we still have a good two months to go until we bid adieu to the school days.

So, what to do when you’re all exhausted with the school routine—well, besides go on a vacation. Aside from re-engaging in homework and getting outdoors, renewing the excitement of the school day can be as simple as refreshing the lunchbox. School lunches shouldn’t complicate life, but instead, make it a little lighter.

With that, I thought I’d round up a few delicious goodies that we’re currently craving and coveting for our lunchbox. 

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1. Nature’s Bakery Fig Bars

These delicious fig bars have been around for quite sometime, but they’ve become even more accessible as of late. As an avid Costco shopper, I first picked up a multi-pack of these fig bars and we all fell in love with the taste. These bars are made with stone wheat, are free of GMOs and come in several tasty flavors like apple-cinnamon, raspberry and blueberry.

2. Grapefruits

Grapefruits are rich in Vitamin C and a great source of lycopene, which makes this citrus fruit a delicious treat for kids. An alternative to oranges, grapefruits provide a tart, but refreshing taste to a Spring lunchbox.

3. Sistema containers

Since I picked up my first container for back to school last year, Sistema has been popping up more places. In fact, I’ve been eyeing the different sizes and colors at my local HomeGoods. These compact BPA-free plastic containers are ideal for packing small portions and eliminating all the excess wrappers and Ziploc bags.

4. Contigo Stainless Steel Autospout Flip Chill Kids’ Water Bottle

We have the plastic Flip Chill Kids’ Water Bottle, which is a great refillable water bottle for my preschooler. Instead of juice boxes, we’ve been trying to drink more water every day. We need to be hydrated to keep us going through the day! This Stainless Steel version of the Autospout Flip Chill Kids’ Water Bottle is sleek, practical and spill-free.

5. Fruttata Tropical Freeze Dried Fruits

Nothing will ever beat the taste of fresh fruits, but Fruttata Freeze Dried Fruits comes close. These freeze dried fruits are virtually mess-free and ideal for lunch boxes and kids on the go. Once again, I love that there’s a Costco sized bag available because once you have one, these crisps go quick!

6. The Best Homemade Lunches on the Planet by Laura Fuentes

I’ll admit, I’ve been slacking on lunches now that the school year is winding down. So, when I’m feeling uninspired, I love checking out this practical recipe book for homemade lunches. Written by Laura Fuentes, known for Momables, presents a lot of easy, but delicious lunches that anyone can do.

7. Crustache Mustache Shape Crust Cutter

Even boring sandwiches taste a little better when they look fun. We can’t get enough of the Crustache Mustache Shape Crust Cutter because, well, mustaches.

My only complaint about this cool sandwich cutter is that it’s small, so when I’m cutting a larger sandwich almost half of the bread is cut off. Other than that, who can resist a mustache sandwich?

 

8. Peanut Butter & Co.

These delicious gourmet peanut butters from Peanut Butter & Co. are unlike anything I’ve ever tasted. I recently received a jar of Cinnamon Raisin Swirl Peanut Butter in a gift bag from the Home press junket since they partnered in a promotion for the film. We had this peanut butter on toasted raisin bread and we couldn’t have enough. If your kid’s school isn’t peanut free, this would be a great option for a sweet treat for lunch. Who am I kidding? This delicious peanut butter is perfect for any time of the day.