This is a very sweet little set of dishes that would be perfect for a toddler who is just learning to eat independently or for a slightly older child.  This Dish & Cutlery Set is decorated with fanciful illustrations from the book Children of the Forest by beloved Swedish author Elsa Beskow.

The set includes a plate, a bowl with a suction cup bottom, a mug with a lid, and matching cutlery.  The set is completely dishwasher safe for easy clean up, but it cannot go in the microwave.  You can purchase the set for $39.95 at ThreeSistersToys.com.

Better keep a stack of these Tidy Table Covers™ by Mom Inventors, Inc., because once you use them, you’ll wonder how you ever lived without them! How simple and convenient - no more need to tape newspaper or butcher paper to the work space. Just slip them over the table. What a time saver.

IThese are reusable (or disposable depending on how much of mess you make). They cost  $9.95 (3-Pack) at OneStepAhead.com.

The best of both worlds: this children’s First Meals cookbook was written by a Cordon Bleu chef and mom, Annabel Karmel. It has over 200 EASY, healthy recipes for children.

I never depended on ready-made meals out of a box, from a can, or from the frozen section, for my children’s meals…these were more like last resorts. I’m sure with a little more planning and time sheduling I could have done better, as we all could! Having a treasure-trove of easy and healthy kids meals readily available would be a big help.

It includes meals for lunch boxes, dinners, yummy treats and tips for food allergies and picky eaters. This hardcover book is 192 pages and costs $19.95 at OneStepAhead.com.

The Hable Construction Canvas Picnic Tote can be used for more than just picnics.  It’s great for beach towels, extra clothes, toys, books, anything that can go anywhere when traveling with kids. I’m sure this would have been a standard item in our family car. And I’m sure it would be just fine as a Picnic Tote too.

The Hable Construction Canvas Picnic Tote comes in this bright and springy Lime Stripe and costs $165.00 at PetitLuxe.com.

I’m guilty. I used to cut the crusts from my children’s sandwiches! It just seemed like it would taste better. The kids sure seemed to appreciate it! Now this little item, the Good Bites Crustless Sandwich Cutter, would have made the job faster and even fun. This is a really nifty tool because it not only removes the crust, but with one cut, it seals the edges (no more oozing jelly), and slices the sandwich into easy-to-handle pieces.

The Good Bites Crustless Sandwich Cutter is available in other shapes, including heart and circle, and is priced at $4.95 at OneStepAhead.com. It is appropriate for ages 2 and up. Have fun - and stop feeling guilty. You’re not spoiling them, you’re creating a geometric math lesson!