table of contents
LETTER FROM our EDITOR on the cover features sk eats sk shops
go to the cover story
How to Help Your Child Reframe Success This School Year
feature
by Ana Homayoun
Whole Foods' Tres Leches cake is one of my favorite summer desserts because it's arguably the best store-bought and authentic tres leches cake I've ever had - it could even make a top 3 list of best cakes to share with friends. It's delicious and allows me to effortlessly serve my guests a dessert with a genuine, homemade flavor without spending time on baking or preparation. In addition, its exceptional taste and crowd-pleasing and delightful texture guarantee that everyone at my gatherings enjoys a memorable and delicious culinary experience with little effort.
Olga Muñoz
cocinarepublic.com
shop it
whole foods Tres Leches Family Size Cake
Sonya Kerr
Summer is for enjoying more time outdoors with loved ones, and less time at the oven. My summer food essentials to keep stocked are all the cool, flavorful premade dips - french onion, hummus, dill, tzatziki - to pair with simple to prep crudités for all-day grazing & grilled veg-meat combo platters for al fresco dining.
HouseofKerrs.com
dips
shop it
RETURN to the top
Jen Reagan
Otter pops! They are cheap, frozen popsicles that kids love and come in a zillion flavors. When entertaining on a budget they are essential for any party with kids.
lowdoughfamily.com
Freezer Ice Pops
shop it
Tiffany Stuart
My favorite entertaining hack is buying family or catering meals from popular fast casual restaurants such as Chipotle and Dig. It’s more memorable than just pizza, usually loved by most people, and less stressful for me.
itsmeladyg.com
Traci Wennerholm
There are so many living with food allergies and I always want to serve something that looks and tastes good! I never want someone to feel like they are missing out! I love Jolly Llama ice cream cones. They are gluten and dairy free sugar cones (with chocolate at the bottom of every cone!) filled with delicious ice cream flavors like white mint chip, salted caramel, chocolate and vanilla. They look and taste just like other brands!
burntapple.com
jolly llama
ice cream cones
shop it
Nicole Prom
My 7-year-old and I have food allergies to gluten, dairy, and soy, so we end up bringing our own food to most events. The So Delicious Dipped Salted Caramel Cashew Milk Non-Dairy Frozen Dessert Bar is my go-to if we're going somewhere that I know there will be ice cream treats that we won't be able to eat. This way we aren't left out!
thewayitreallyis.com
So Delicious Dipped Salted Caramel Cashew Milk Non-Dairy Frozen Dessert Bar
shop it
Carolyn J. Braden
I LOVE my Igloo KoolTunes Cooler. I use it poolside, at the beach and on biking picnic adventures. It gives me the best of everything I love: fun retro vibes, it keeps my summer snacks and drinks cool, and plays my favorite summer jams. It’s a MUST HAVE summer entertainment hack that brings joy to all.
carolynsbloomingcreations.com
igloo KoolTunes Cooler
shop it
Kate Bossany
My favorite go-to summer treat has to be Quadratini Lemon, creme-filled wafers from Loacker. Each bite whisks me away to the sun-drenched lemon groves found on the breezy shores of Italy's Lake Garda. I love the the tangy, citrus notes of lemon paired with the velvety smoothness of the cream filling. The wafers are crispy and light so I can indulge in a few while relaxing on my patio without an ounce of guilt!
throneandvine.com
Quadratini Lemon, creme-filled wafers
shop it
Sara Ecklin
Goodpop freezer pops! I love having these on hand for the kiddos. They are made without food dyes, added sugars, and use organic ingredients. I love knowing that they can enjoy a refreshing treat made with better-for-you ingredients.
cleanplatemama.com
Goodpop freezer pops
shop it
Dee Broughton
I love using small barrel drink dispensers when hosting gatherings. They are compact enough that I can prepare several drink variations and fruit infusions. They have an opening at the top, which fits a bottle so it's super convenient. By turning the bottle upside down and placing it into the dispenser, it automatically refills itself!
scratchmarket.co
Vintage Glass Barrel Dispenser
shop it
Is it just me, or did this summer fly by? July was over in a blink. As I write this, I’m preparing to drop one child off at college for the first time (sob!) and prepare another for the final year of middle school — two very different challenges that speak to a time of transition in our family’s life. Daunting, yes. But exciting, too.
That’s the perfect way to describe another transition — the transition into middle school — that many parents face this fall, and why we’re dedicating this year’s SheKnows Back-to-School digital issue to the tween years. That 9-to-12 age range is when our little kids start to feel… not so little anymore, and when the usual back-to-school excitement can take on an extra tinge of apprehension, along with the usual anticipation. In addition to a (possible) new school, chances are they’re facing increased academic pressures, strange new body changes (hi, puberty!), and a social scene where skincare and cologne have replaced cute lunch boxes.
It’s a lot to navigate — for them, of course, but also for you, which is why we’re bringing you a curated list of helpful stories, from puberty experts Cara Natterson and Vanessa Kroll Bennett sharing how to help your tween manage their changing body and emotions, to advice from celebrity esthetician Shani Darden on what skincare products your tween actually needs. Author Ana Homayoun shares how to help manage the academic pressure your kids may feel — yes, even years away from college — and reframe success. And our shopping section will help you pick the best tween deodorant (because it’s necessary now) and the coolest backpacks and dresses (because style still matters!).
Finally, we’ve got a recipe from brand-new cookbook author Tamron Hall that covers both busy weeknight dinners and school lunches, and an exclusive interview with our cover star: actress and mom of two JoAnna Garcia Swisher, who talked to SheKnows Parenting Editor Rita Templeton about “making that turn into tweendom.”
“It's been really fun,” she shares of her 11-year-old daughter. “These new conversations that we're having, and all of the changes that are happening for her, it's been really amazing to watch her navigate it, and to kind of be there by her side for it.”
Here’s to being by your kid’s side for a successful school year…
letter from our editor
erika janes, editor-in-chief
JoAnna Garcia Swisher Has Found Her Happy Place
The Sweet Magnolias actress and mom of two is embracing new professional opportunities and a new parenting phase — and finding joy in it all.
by rita templeton
go to cover story
features
The 3-Step Back-to-School Skincare Routine Your Tween Needs This Year
feature
by Maggie ryan
Puberty, Periods & More: Helping Your Hormonal Tween Navigate a New School Year
feature
by Elaine roth
sk eats
The Best Deodorants for Kids, According to Dermatologists
shopping
by Jenn Sinrich
sk shopping
We Found 10 of the Cutest & Coolest Backpacks To Send Your Tween Back to School in Style
shopping
by JACQUELYN GREENFIELD
The Best Places to Shop for Cute & Comfortable Tween Dresses
shopping
by KRISTINE SOLOMON, ARIELLE TSCHINKEL, KRISTINE FELLIZAR
CHICKEN SOUP-ISH
recipe
We think there really is something to be said for the healing, comforting qualities of chicken soup. In this one-pot version, the soup gets a velvety texture due to cooking the short grain rice in the broth itself. It lands somewhere between a soup and stew, in that area we call “a warm hug.”
Heat a large Dutch oven or saucepan over medium-high heat. Add the oil to the pan and heat until the oil moves freely in the pan, an additional 30 seconds.
To the hot oil add the onion, carrot, celery, garlic, and ½ teaspoon salt. Cook, stirring often until fragrant and the vegetables are beginning to soften, about 5 minutes.
Stir in the Calabrian chili paste. Add the broth, water, Parmesan cheese rind, and rice. Stir to combine. Season with the remaining 1 teaspoon salt. Bring to a simmer and reduce the temperature to medium low to maintain a gentle simmer.
Slide in the chicken breasts and cook, stirring occasionally until the flavors have married, the rice is tender, and the chicken breasts are cooked all the way through, about 20 minutes. Remove and discard or eat the Parmesan rind.
Remove the chicken to a plate and shred into bite-sized pieces. Return the chicken to the pot and stir in the spinach until wilted. Stir in the lemon juice. Serve topped with a snowfall of Parmesan cheese and a drizzle of olive oil.
PREP TIME: 15 MINUTES | COOK TIME: 45 MINUTEs | YIELD: SERVES 4
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, plus more to finish
1 onion, cut into ⅓-inch pieces
1 large carrot, cut into ⅓-inch pieces
1 celery rib, cut into ⅓-inch pieces
2 garlic cloves, chopped
1½ teaspoons kosher salt, divided
½ teaspoon Calabrian chili paste or ¼ teaspoon red pepper flakes
3 cups low-sodium chicken broth
2 cups water
1 (3-inch) Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese rind, optional
¾ cup short grain rice, such as arborio
2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts, about ¾ pound
2 cups packed baby spinach, roughly chopped
1 tablespoon freshly squeezed lemon juice, from half a lemon
Freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese, to finish
photographs by Lauren Volo | Book cover design by Amy C. King
Tamron Hall Is Turning a New Page — As a Cookbook Author
feature
by kenzie mastroe
on the cover
sk staff
EDITORIAL
Editor-In-Chief
ERIKA JANES
Design Director
DANIELLE GIARRATANO
Senior Food & Lifestyle Editor
KENZIE MASTROE
Parenting Editor
RITA TEMPLETON
Entertainment Editor
ALICE KELLY
Health Editor
MAGGIE RYAN
Social Media Editor
ISABELLA ONG
Trending News Editor
DELILAH GRAY
Commerce Editor
KRISTINE FELLIZAR
Commerce Writer
JACQUELYN GREENFIELD
Entertainment Writer
GIOVANNA GELHOREN
Parenting Writer
REBECCA RAKOWITZ
Lifestyle Writer
JUSTINA HUDDLESTON
MEDIA
Chief Content Officer
CRISTINA VELOCCI
VP, Video
RESHMA GOPALDAS
Commerce Director
GINA VAYNSHTEYN
Senior Video Editor
ALLISON O'CONNELL
Video Editor
SARAH WALLACE
back to the top
Back
to
School
starring
the
Back-to-School
issue
starring
JoAnna Garcia Swisher
go to cover story