Easy baked
“Ace of Cakes” star Duff Goldman’s line of baking products includes essentials (pans, cake mixes), fondant and related tools to maneuver the sugary sheeting, plus tools to decorate your cake creations — think cake tattoos, sprinkles and textured tiles. We tested the fondant ($24.99 for a 2-pound tub) and premium cake mix in chocolate ($8.99), and found both to be quick and easy to work with, not to mention truly tasty. The mix produced a moist, light cake you could easily pass off as homemade.
Beary fruity
Take the bulk of the guilt out of indulging in a handful of gummy treats with Surf Sweets Sour Berry Bears. The chewy, vegan- and vegetarian-friendly fruit treats are made with organic sweeteners and fruit juice, plus lots of Vitamin C. Buy a 9-ounce bag for about $1 from navanfoods.com.
Cheesy and organic
If you (or your kids) love Cheez-It crackers — we, too, rejoice when we see that a serving size is more than 20 crackers — then give a shot to Late July’s organic take on the cheesy squares. Find a retailer close to you — or buy an “organic mini cheese sampler box” that includes the bite-size cheddar crackers (among other things) for about $25 — at shoplatejuly.com.