It’s always easier to negotiate shopping at IKEA after you’ve had a good lunch – especially if the kids are tagging along – and the Swedish meatballs in the café don’t quite hit the spot. Instead, go to Saigon Palms for some surprisingly good Vietnamese food. The food is satisfying and the servers automatically bring kid-friendly plastic utensils and plates. Read More

You can support more local farmers and producers while expanding your culinary spectrum by joining a meat or poultry CSA, a CSK (community-supported kitchen), and many other interesting collectives in the Bay Area.  Here’s a list of some local CSAs that are out of the traditional CSA box:

Tired of pizza and burgers and looking for some new places to take the kids?  We’ve rounded up our top pick restaurants that will introduce the family to the Japanese food culture without compromising on flavor or quality.  Perhaps little Jane’s been eating toro sashimi since she was four or you prefer authentic Japanese street food, either way we found a place that can fit the bill.  Read on for our picks:

Do the kids groan when they see a PB&J or turkey sandwich every day in their lunch?  You would too after weeks of eating the same thing! Kick off the school year in good taste by thinking outside the lunchbox and putting together a meal that is healthy, fun and surprising!  We’ve put together a list of some fun and easy ideas. Read more for some great kid favorite lunch box ideas.

Rebecca Staffel is a local mom who gave up her corporate job to start Deluxe Foods. She is the “chief tasting officer” and makes jams, jellies, chutneys and sauces that feature flavor twists. Raspberry thyme, blueberry basil, grape jelly with sage are just three of the combination's that Staffel has concocted. Read more about these fabulous jams and how you can make some simple desserts with your kids.

Chicago-style, deep-dish pizza has hit the East Bay by way of San Francisco with Little Star Pizza's recent opening on Solano Avenue in Albany.  The bonafide pizza institution is expanding its empire eastward and has even gained the respect of die-hard New York-style pizza lovers thanks to its unique deep-dish cornmeal crust. Read more to learn about this kid favorite deep dish treat.

Local food writer and pickling extraordinaire Karen Solomon is hosting a homemade babyfood swap at18 Reasons next Friday, a non-profit organization and venue engaging the community through food and art run by the folks at Bi-Rite Market. If you want to feed your babe delicious and seasonal homemade purees but don’t have the time, this food exchange is your answer! Read more about this meetup with fellow foodie parents.

Putting a meal on the table for the family is always easier when you have some dependable tools in your pantry. You probably already buy chicken breasts in bulk. But what you might consider doing is grilling or baking some chicken breasts in advance, which will cut down your meal-prep time during the week.  Read more to learn about some great tips, tricks, and uses for kid friendly chicken.