Blog Posts by Daily Grommet

snackTAXI reusable snack and sandwich bagsBefore we all suffocate in a sea of plastic, let's give three cheers for Erin Kelly-Dill of Western Massachusetts. This inventive mother of three realized she was using more than 500 disposable sandwich baggies a year and vowed to put a end to it all by creating our Earth Day Grommet: snackTAXI.

My daughter was the one who alerted me to these eco-friendly snack and sandwich sized bags. They're cute, they're reusable, they're dishwasher safe, and now they're in my kitchen at the ready for summer picnics, camp outs, road trips, and beach days.

The bags, offered here in two sizes, are put together by a team of local sewers and they come in plain or printed fabric that can withstand the wear and tear of the lunch box crowd. SnackTAXI is a great idea for birthday gifts, teacher gifts, or for your girlfriend, who in these Spartan times, has become a die-hard brown-bagger.

We give a big green light to snackTAXI.

Buy snackTAXI reusable snack and sandwich bags here.

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Be prepared for a tactile surprise the first time you pick up one of these plates or cups. They look just likeWhat Is It? Melamine plates and cups the ubiquitous paper plates and plastic cups that appear at picnics and barbecues everywhere, but they're not disposable. They're made of durable melamine, so they'll hold up to gobs of barbecue sauce and potato salad much better than the flimsy dinnerware they pay homage to.

David Dewey, One Hundered 80 The creator is David Dewey, who worked with a manufacturer to make molds of everyday paper plates and plastic cups and then cast these modern, eco-friendly replicas. We found them after Daily Grommet reader Michele MacIntyre emailed us, looking for help finding this updated version of the classic paper plate. She thought they were special and we agree.

David's dinnerware is great for kids, and his witty interpretations will make the adults at your party do a double-take when they discover the surprising heft and pleasing finish of these plates and cups. Plus, they won't collapse or leak,

Take a look at your fingernails and toenails. Do you like what you see? With summertime on our doorstep, now's the time to get those extremities in tip-top shape, and Adam Dinkes has just the thing to do it.

Adam (below left) teamed up with renowned dermatologist Neil Sadick to create his special formula. Adam Dinkes, GoNail ItNeil Sadick, GoNail's a soft, non-greasy, sweet smelling cream that when applied just twice daily can stengthen, lengthen and harden fingernails and toenails. Called GoNails, it's the perfect remedy for brittle, cracking, peeling and otherwise unsightly nails and cuticles. And this isn't just for ladies. Men, too, will appreciate how easy it is to get healthy nails with just a few seconds of effort each day.

GoNails! Nail growth product with cuticle treatment
So go ahead and flaunt those nails this summer, even if you don't have the time or budget for a regular mani/pedi. DIYers will see quick results with GoNails. You'll be pleased from hand to toe.

Buy GoNails! Nail growth product with cuticle treatment here.

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Waterproof Bags for Cameras, Phones, iPods and MorePhones don't swim. Neither does your MP3 player or your camera. In fact, they don't even like the rain. Accidents happen, your smartphone slips out of your hand, bounces off the dock and into the ocean. With a waterproof case from Aquapac, if your favorite electronic device goes in the drink, you won't lose it.

Aquapacs are completely waterproof and surprisingly functional.Waterproof Bags for Cameras, Phones, iPods and More You don't even have to remove your devices to use them. You can talk on the phone, change the music or even take pictures while your device is in its protective case. And the cases float, so if the Aquapac that's holding your keys, money and passport winds up in the lake, it will float on the surface until you can fish it out (not every device stays afloat in its waterproof Aquapac, so you'll want to test it first in a bucket of water at home).

Tim Turnbull, AquaPacTwo patented Aquaclips are what make these cases truly waterproof. The design dates back to 1983, when three London windsurfers wanted to listen to their Walkmans

Our wellness has a lot to do with good gut health. Probiotics are the "good" bacteria our intestines need and love. They've been credited with everything from quelling allergies to slowing the aging process. And of course we all know we should be eating our veggies, too. But who has time to buy, chop and steam four to five servings of veggies every day.

Marjolein Brugman, LighterLivingMarjolein Brugman is a fitness expert and driving force behind LighterLiving. She knows that wellness is a personal journey, and everyone does better with support. So she's making it easy to incorporate better nutrition into your daily routine. Her Probiotic Bars are a convenient, healthful snack, and her VegeLight mix can be enjoyed either hot or cold.

Lighterliving's probiotic bars or VegeLight vegetable drink mixThe probiotic bar assortment includes five bars each of chocolate, apricot coconut, and lemon poppyseed flavors - each are drizzled in yogurt. They're packed with fiber and probiotics, plus they're all-organic and have no added sugar. The VegeLight concentrated mix includes

S TenMarks online math programsummer is the time for kids to cut loose and enjoy life outside the classroom. But (there's always a catch) we don't want everything our kids learned during the academic year to melt away like a snow cone on pavement.

TenMarks was created to help students refine and advance thAndrew Joseph, Tenmarkseir math skills, and the company offers a 12-week summer "Step-Up" program for practicing math. Founders Andrew Joseph (right) and Rohit Agarwal were looking for a way to supplement kids' classroom instruction. Their solution is an online service that creates a personalized math curriculum, tailored to each student's ability and grade level. One of the things we like best about TenMarks Rohit Agarwalis its Web interface. It's intuitive and engaging, so students can practice and learn math in an environment that's comfortable and motivating. We also like the hints and videos that offer extra help when a student is stumped by a worksheet problem. Students can do the work at their own pace, and TenMarks keeps parents

Once upon a time, in a faraway kitchen, two friends started baking a secret family recipe for brownies. Fairytale Brownies Not just any brownies, but rich, fudgy brownies made with exquisite dark chocolate. These friends, Eileen Spitalny and David Kravetz, met on the playground in kindergarten and made a promise to each other to spread their love of chocolate and brownies around the world. After college they started moonlighting as bakers and today they're running a gourmet brownie business in their own bakery and shipping sweet confections to brownie lovers worldwide.

There's good reason for the success of Fairytale Brownies. Eileen and David insist on pure ingredients, like Callebaut Belgian chocolate blended with pure creamery butter and farm fresh eggs. You won't find any trans fats, hydrogenated oils, preservatives or artificial colors. And their brownies are guaranteed fresh upon arrival. We're guessing they won't stick around for long, but if you're the type who can avoid the

Seth HaberSeth Haber channeled his love of the outdoors, need for relaxation, and concern for the environment into something everyone can appreciate: a hammock.

Trek Light Gear's camping and backpacking hammocks.Seth's hammocks do double duty. They're made for lounging like most hammocks, but they're also designed for travel, so you can take one along when you're camping, hiking or stargazing in a friend's backyard. Each Trek Light hammock is made of a strong parachute nylon that can hold up to 400 pounds. It's incredibly light, too. The single hammock weighs just one pound, and the double model (with room for two) weighs just a few ounces more. Trek Light Gear also offers (and recommends using) a rope kit that makes it easy to set up the hammock. The kit spares you from tying any knots and relies on tension to suspend the hammock.

Katherine Kinser, Stuffitts We heard about Seth and his Trek Light hammocks from Katherine Kinser at Stuffitts . We featured Stuffitts handy shoe-drying inserts earlier this year. Both Seth and Katherine know firsthand the challenges of