KNHR's Top Drawer

Fun Lunchtime Products

I’m a frequent shopper at Target (who isn’t, right?), and I can’t help but notice how my local Target is currently being dominated by back-to-school items, dorm items and parents shopping with their little kids/middle schoolers/college freshmen. Back-to-school shopping was always one of my favorite things to do. It was exciting to pick out new clothes and shoes, notebooks and pens, backpacks and lunch boxes each year in August.

For those of you who might be prepping your kids for school (or prepping for school yourself), here’s a closer look at a couple items I mentioned in my back-to-school products article from the August print issue of Kitchenware News & Housewares Review. For those of you with elementary-aged children, you might want to pack their lunch in these Thermos food jars, and pack some juice or water in an accompanying beverage bottle. Your little ones will love carrying their lunch along in a container emblazoned with their favorite characters, and you’ll appreciate how the food jars keep their lunches at the appropriate temperature.

 

(Thermos Hello Kitty beverage bottle)

 

(Thermos Hello Kitty food jar)

For a slightly older crowd, Built NY makes terrific-looking lunch totes, appropriate for high schoolers, college students, even for the adult taking lunch to the office. The neoprene keeps food insulated, and the stylish bag designs are fun to look at and also make it fun to carry around. These Built NY bags turn your lunch into an accessory.

I would carry my lunch in this, for sure. It's Built NY's Vine lunch bag.

New Products from Hannon at NYIGF

If you’re headed to the New York International Gift Fair this weekend, stop by Hannon Group’s booth to see their expanded line of Sachi Insulated Lunch Totes as well as a new line of Sachi Wine Totes. The International Gift Fair takes place August 14-19 at the Javits Center in New York City. You can find Hannon Group at booths 3179 and 3181. The insulated lunch tote from Sachi is available in nearly 45 different styles and patterns. Available colors and styles include red, grey or magenta woolie; blue rose, cream hearts, magenta rose, black quilt and more. The suggested retail price for the lunch totes $14.99 to $24.99.

Hannon will also introduce three new styles of their wine tote at the show. The eco-friendly wine totes, in mocha brown, camel tan and black, offer a fully insulated interior that helps keep wine bottles chilled throughout the day. Suggested retail prices for the wine totes range from $24.99 to $34.99. For more information and to see the rest of their products, visit www.hannongroup.com and check out their booth!

Looking Cute with Jessie Steele

I’ll admit it—I’m a bit of a shopping addict. I just have this love for cute clothes and shoes. And, you already know how much I love hanging out in my kitchen. So you can imagine how much I am loving these aprons and reusable tote bags from Jessie Steele. The aprons are offered in a wide selection of retro patterns and bold, bright colors, some with matching tote bags and matching children’s aprons. What, you want me to look cute in my kitchen wearing a classic black-and-white printed bib apron, with an adorable bow on the hip? Well, if you insist. The aprons come in sizes 0-18. The versatile tote bags are made from durable, reinforced canvas with long shoulder straps, perfect for a morning of shopping at the farmer’s market or a day at the beach.

This would look so cute on you.

I think this bag will make other women jealous.

KNHR Has A New Editor!

Kitchenware News & Housewares Review welcomes Joanne Friedrick as its new editor. Joanne replaces Karen Martin, who is leaving to pursue other interests. She can be reached at joanne_f@oser.com and at 207-780-8656. As you’ll note from the telephone number, Joanne is also based in Portland, Maine. She is a former editor of Gourmet News and has wide-ranging experience as a free-lance writer.

Please join me in welcoming her to Kitchenware News.

Kelly Lewis continues as KNHR’s new associate editor. Kelly joined the magazine staff last month, and her first contribution will appear on the front cover of the January issue. You can reach her at Kelly_l@oser.com and at 520-721-1300.

Publisher Karen Taylor, based in Los Angeles, can still be reached at Karen_t@oser.com and at 323-512-5113.

 

Gourmet Housewares Show Moves To New York In 2011

GLM, LLC, owner of the Gourmet Housewares Show, has announced that the show is moving to New York in January, 2011. No Gourmet Housewares Show will be held in 2010. In January, 2011, the Gourmet Housewares Show will be co-located within the New York International Gift Fair. GLM is hoping that some of the 150 new exhibitors it expects at NYIGF as a result of the move will also exhibit in the fall NYIGF show.

Kitchen Gifts

We’re closing in on the height of the gift-giving season, so I thought I’d call your attention to this kitchen gift basket from The Baby Bunch.

The Thanks a Bunch Kitchen Bucket Bunch is filled with a nice compilation of thoughtful kitchen items in a good color scheme (powder blue with cocoa trim).

The Kitchen Bunch includes: one full apron with pocket, two dish cloths, two tea towels and one tote bag suitable for grocery shopping and more, all made of 100% cotton and gathered into what the manufacturer describes as a “bouquet ready for a kitchen caper.”

The kitchen “buds” are surrounded by fabric and wooden rosebuds accented with green leaves. The Thanks a Bunch Kitchen Bucket Bunch arrives in a useful metal pail with a gift tag.

Designer/Artist: Bryony Boxer is responsible for this thoughtful gift package which retails for $69.95.

Look for the company at both AmericasMart Atlanta and NYIGF in January.

Flip & Tumble Bags

We’ve all been there. You’ve gone grocery shopping; you get to the counter, and yes, once again, you’ve left your bag of reusable bags in the car.

My local grocery store is clearly tired of having their customers get to the counter with the same greeting, “Oh no! I left my bags in the car.” They placed a giant sign at the entrance that says, “Don’t  forget your reusable bags!”

The Flip & Tumble Bags can also help.

This shopping bag rolls up into a small ball that could fit in your purse or coat pocket. You could keep one or two in the  purse or pocket on a permanent basis, so you would have one ready for every retail experience.

The bags are made of ripstop nylon and have a felt patch on the shoulder to ease the burden. Thankfully, they are machine washable.

Of course, they come in great colors. The individual bags sell for $9. If you buy in multiples, there is a discount.

Caddy Concepts

I saw Caddy Concepts’ new portable laundry hampers at the IHA Media event on Affordable Innovation. While it’s billed as a laundry hamper, I’m sure there are many uses for this caddy.

According to the manufacturer, the hamper is available in “environmentally friendly fabrics including exterior shells constructed out of 100% cotton canvas.”  The rolling caddy will be available in many shapes, sizes and colors in November.  The caddy is lightweight and made of  water resistant material. The large wheels and retractable handle make it easy to maneuver. When not in use, the caddy collapses for easy storage.

For more information, contact Caddy Concepts – 516-570-6279.