Your kids might think these are nesting dolls, but, really, they are measuring cups, modeled after the traditional Russian matryoshka. (Of course, when you aren’t using them to measure stuff, you could pass them off to the kiddos for playtime, or, better yet, invite your little ones to use them to help you cook a gourmet dish.) We love them—and we really adore the price. Just $9.94 at Amazon.

]]> http://planetkidonline.com/2012/03/24/a-doll-of-a-measuring-cu/feed/ 0 http://planetkidonline.com/2011/12/26/sweet-treats-to-eat-and-share/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=sweet-treats-to-eat-and-share http://planetkidonline.com/2011/12/26/sweet-treats-to-eat-and-share/#comments Mon, 26 Dec 2011 05:00:13 +0000 Jacki Donaldson http://planetkidonline.com/?p=5176

Spread Butter Snap pretzels on cookie sheet. Place one “hug” chocolate on each one. Bake at 200 for 4 minutes. Remove from oven and lightly press green and red M&Ms on top of each melting hug. When done, place in fridge to cool, then send goodies with husband to share with co-workers (after first eating several yourself). Don’t fret that Christmas is over and the green and red are out of season — just use orange and blue M&Ms (Go Gators!) or another favorite color combo!

]]> http://planetkidonline.com/2011/12/26/sweet-treats-to-eat-and-share/feed/ 0 http://planetkidonline.com/2011/12/07/are-you-making-your-kids-fat/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=are-you-making-your-kids-fat http://planetkidonline.com/2011/12/07/are-you-making-your-kids-fat/#comments Wed, 07 Dec 2011 05:00:36 +0000 Jacki Donaldson http://planetkidonline.com/?p=5141

If eggs are not a part of your family’s diet, then let me suggest you start incorporating them into breakfast, or lunch, or dinner. Your choice. Hey, have them for snacks, too. Nutritionist Jonny Bowden says eating eggs can boost health, and I’m with him. Boiled is my pick, and just recently, I learned how to make a perfectly cooked and peeled egg. Here are the basics (stolen from my blog Square One):

• Place eggs in pan, and cover with water.
• Put pan on stove, and turn on heat (in my case, gas heat).
• Once water starts to boil, set timer for 7 minutes.
• After 7 minutes (or 8 or 9, if you’re like me, and you totally don’t hear the beep, beep, beep), turn off heat, and move pan to another turned-off burner to cool.
• Cover pan, and let sit for 30 minutes (use your timer again — and be warned: if you let your eggs sit for more than an hour, like I did last week, this whole process kinda goes up in smoke. Well, not literally, but shells will stick for sure.)
• After 30 minutes, pour out water, run a little cool water on eggs, and start peeling.

Got a better way to make a better egg? Please share in comments!

Image: David Reber’s Hammer Photography, Flickr

I know many moms who swear by saving with coupons. I can’t say I’ve ever been really successful at this game, but I have witnessed a happy moment or two at the grocery store register. Just has never happened to me, which I tend to think is because I don’t buy a lot of the boxed stuff, and there never seems to be much savings out there for fresh produce, meats, and such. Or, maybe it’s because I don’t seek out coupons. Hard to save when I don’t clip, right? Well, I guess I could start trying harder by checking out printable coupons? And visiting coupon blogs. And … what else should I do? Please share your tips and tricks!

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