Eons ago (OK, just five years) we did a post on family meal planning. In fact, it was one of the very first things we blogged about here at Mommy Poppins. But a lot's changed since then, and the rise of smartphones, social networks and a gazillion new websites gives us many new options to chew on when it comes to making meals.

You can't overestimate the importance of sitting down to family meals. Studies show that eating as a family benefits everyone, especially children, who are then less likely to become obese, fall into substance abuse or have low self-esteem. Of course preparing dinner (and breakfast and brunch and lunch) isn't always easy to pull off. Happily, there are a slew of online meal-planning sites, mobile apps and meal swapping tools to help get healthy, budget-friendly meals on your table. Here are some of our current favorites.

Granola bars are a snack that kids love and parents can feel good about giving their kids - or so the ads say. But many granola bars aren't much better than candy bars and are loaded with sugar, fat, trans fats and high fructose corn syrup. I found a really easy recipe for granola bars on AllRecipes and I've been making our own ever since. We whip up a batch every weekend for the upcoming week - perfect for back to school time. You could also make more and freeze them. The kids love them and love making them. It's fun for them to eat healthy snacks they've made themselves.

There are several great beaches in Fairfield County, some even with playgrounds, but few are as all-encompassing as Jennings Beach in Fairfield.  It isn't difficult to spend an entire day here, or several of them for that matter, especially if you're looking for some summer fun. For even more beach and water fun check out our CT Beach and Water Fun Guide.

Last year at this time you may have been wracked with anxiety about finding your child the right preschool or elementary school. Now all of that is behind you and next week or soon there after your kid or toddler will be starting school for the first time or starting at big kid school for the first time. Either way, it's their turn to be filled with anxiety. Even the most cool NYC kid is bound to feel some jitters when faced with a completely new school situation.

What's new in NYC? A lot, actually. This week we focused on a slew of fresh family attractions, including a new interactive exhibit, a FREE new children's musical and 10 new NYC destinations with options to please a variety of ages and interests. (That's my kid in the pic, enjoying the new Whitney Museum.)

Not that we're knocking the old—sometimes the best summer adventures are experiences that are just new to you. If you're looking for family day trip ideas, our New Jersey site has an awesome roundup of old-school activities you can't do in the city, like drive-ins, historic villages and swimming holes. Or maybe you want to check out a quaint and walkable NJ town, or connect with nature in Hudson Valley or romp around an outdoor museum on Long Island? Our tri-state area sites are overflowing with getaway inspiration.

For those looking to go further afield, our Travel site has a lovely slide show of the Skyline Drive in Virginia’s Shenandoah Valley, which is close enough to NYC to be doable on a weekend.

Here's what else we covered on the NYC site this week:

The Farmington Valley, located along the western border of Hartford County, comprises the quaint towns of Avon, Simsbury, Farmington, Canton, and Granby. Traversed by the Farmington River and dotted with lakes, farms, and horse stables, the area is quiet and picturesque yet also home to great restaurants, top-notch sports facilities, and a plethora of cultural events. Check out our list below and take advantage of some of the area’s attractions (many of which are free!).

As summer kicks into high gear, parks all over NYC are undergoing (or finishing up) major rehab projects—and we've got the details for you here. Other news this week includes an upcoming FREE coding event for tweens and teens, MoMath's songwriting competition and news about test-making company, Pearson, that will affect next year's state standardized tests. Read on for this week's news highlights and be sure to sign up for our free newsletters, if you haven't already, to stay up to date on the latest NYC news, reviews and more. 

Everyone seems to be loving Long Beach this weekend.  The dragonboats,  Lewis Carroll,  heck there's a whole festival built around loving Long Beach.  We like to think we got the trend started, with our post dropping some serious "We heart LB" vibes.

You know what else people love around here?  The movies, and everything to do with show biz. Besides having a nearly infinite number of ways to see movies this weekend, indoors, outdoors, timeless classics, or brand new releases,  we now have an unmatched studio tour, thanks to Warner Brothers, that takes you inside the movie- and television-making process like never before. Check this out: you can sit on the couch at Central Perk. (Stuff just got real.)

But don't stop there: we've got love to spread all over town.  Love for soda.  Love for the big top.  Love for pirates and reptiles and kid-centric music,  and love for music that will get you in the mood for love.  Love for our far away favorite Pluto,  whether or not we call it a planet.  And most of all, love for spending time with our kids, no matter what it is we end up doing.

Keep reading for our most lovey dovey picks for this weekend...