It took a while, but someone finally reinvented the lunchbox.

Yes, while we’ve been mindlessly putting every meal into a series of little plastic bags, a few smart folks in Seattle were busy figuring out how to save the Earth, one lunchbox at a time.

Similar to a Japanese bento box, the Goodbyn (pronounced “good bin”) has five different food compartments that can be sealed using just one lid. Ingeniously designed, each section protects the various items so there’s no need for plastic bags, juice boxes, or anything else that’ll end up in a landfill. Instead, the Goodbyn is BPA-free, dishwasher-safe, and when the schoolyear ends, it’s completely recyclable.

Worried that going green will cost you extra? Actually, Goodbyn estimates that families can save over $190 each year by eliminating plastic bags and drink boxes. Of course, Goodbyn is about more than just being sustainable; they also look awesome. Kids will love the bright, friendly colors (orange, blue, green, pink), plus they come with hundreds of stickers so little Picassos can change its appearance over and over.

It’s not often you get to be so stylish while still saving the planet.

*** WANT TO WIN ONE? Visit our Contests page to get all the details! Contest ends 1/22/10.

“Dad! Make us pancakes!!!!”

If your morning has ever started with a tiny person demanding pancakes, then you’ve probably gone through this debate in your head: Hmm, pancakes would be good, but aren’t the eggs a little old? Plus, the kids’ll just gobble them all up in five minutes while I spend the next 20 minutes doing dishes. “Nope, sorry, not today. Let’s have cereal!” you say to your disappointed audience.

The next day though, you’re at the store and you spot a tiny miracle: Batter Blaster. What’s this? A pancake and waffle mix in a can. Hilarious! Just like Cheez Whiz, right? But then you look a little closer and see that Batter Blaster uses organic ingredients, cage-free eggs, and the entire package is recyclable. Suddenly, these are sounding better than your Aunt What’s-Her-Name mix.

Of course, the big question is how are they? With a light and fluffy feel, they’re pleasantly good. Granted they’re not the best pancakes in the world, but making them is undeniably fun for everyone—kids love to get in on the action and help out. They can use the spray nozzle to make the most artistic pancakes around; crazy shapes and letters are no problem. And afterwards? Even easier. There’s no powdery mix to wipe up, and no measuring cups and mixing bowls to clean and put away.

Sorry, looks like you’re out of excuses. Every day is pancake day now.

Does this sound familiar? You’re trying to save money, but suddenly it’s 6pm, the kids are getting hungry, and no one’s even thought about what’s for dinner. So, the options are either braving Day Three of those reheated pasta leftovers, or trying to find a good, quick place to eat where they won’t roll their eyes at your, um, enthusiastic brood.

Luckily, Kids Eat For has come to the rescue. It’s a new site and mobile app (iPhone/Android) that finds all the restaurants near you that offer “kids eat free” deals. Plus, Kids Eat For includes reviews from Yelp for each restaurant, so you’ll know exactly what you’re in for. All major metropolitan areas are covered, and they even have exclusive deals – yes, that means you get to whisper secret passwords to get the deal.

But wait, you need more than just cheap food. Don’t forget about that seemingly super slo-mo time spent keeping the kids entertained until the food actually arrives. When crayons just won’t cut it, try Family Matters, an iPhone/Touch app that’s designed to spark imagination and conversation. Using a mix of games, challenges, and open-ended questions (“What would be another good name for this restaurant?”), Family Matters makes the time fly by. Need anymore incentive? For December, 50% of the proceeds go to the Ronald McDonald House Charities.

There you have it: a recipe for a fun, cheap, and delicious dinner. And you won’t even have to do the dishes.

Take a stroll through the “Parenting” section of any bookstore, and you’ll find countless books all promising to cure your little picky eater. Some offer monthly menu planning, while others show you ways to sneak veggies into your kid’s diet. Well, it turns out that the solution may be easier: just like James Brown said, you’ve got to make it funky.

Funky Lunch showcases the creations of Mark Northeast, a dad in the UK, who started making his wild sandwiches as a way to inspire his kids to eat new foods. Along the way, the meals grew into mini-masterpieces. “Funky Lunch was born out of the desire to turn an ordinary lunchtime sandwich into something a bit different to encourage children to eat a varied and healthy lunch,” Northeast writes on the site.

With a gallery full of edible creations, Funky Lunch features sandwiches designed to look like cartoon characters (Spongebob, Winnie the Pooh, Hello Kitty), animals (a giraffe, an alligator, a pig) and even otherwordly creatures (a dragon, the Loch Ness Monster).

Sure, most of us won’t ever make any of these sandwiches, but the real lesson is that when your normal Dad tricks aren’t working, try getting a little funky.