“The eggs had been cooked in a factory in Minnesota,” Ed Bruske writes, “then shipped frozen in six-pound plastic bags to the District of Columbia. Getting them to the breakfast line where they could be served to the approximately 150 students who participate in the school’s breakfast program was a simple matter of dumping the frozen eggs out of their bags and into stainless pans, then heating them in the kitchen’s commercial steamer.” The excerpt is from grist.org, the second installment in a six-part feature on D.C. school lunches and what “fresh cooked” really means. Bruske describes food that is often pre-cooked and shipped from far away. (Another interesting article from a few years back, this one on attempted reform of school lunches in Berkeley, is available at The New Yorker, but a subscription is required.) Do your kids eat school food? What is it like? — Mary T.

The MoMA Store is a treasure trove of great jewelry and stationery, but I never thought it would be my new go-to for cool kitchen accessories! I love these polypropylene Index Chopping Boards by Damian Evans ($85 for nonmembers, $76.50 for members). Their artful design smartly helps you avoid cross-contamination by color coding, and they tuck away in a slim folder that leaves plenty of counter space open. — Katie D.

Related: Epicurean cutting boards

So we’re well into January, but we can’t pass up a look at Manhattan interior designer Christopher Hyland’s predictions for decorating trends for 2010. Here’s his list as we received it:

1. An increasingly creative use of seemingly incongruous elements such as sheets of studded metal over plastic or in tandem with silk damask as wall panels
2. Metal tubing in lieu of turned wood as feet, legs and arms of furniture
3. Sculptural forms inspired by nature such as tree trunks and the human body reinterpreted as abstract plaster shapes that may be used for architectural/sculptural effect, perhaps dividing a room, diverting traffic, providing lighting or a meeting point
4. A shift in perception — smaller rooms are just as desirable as wide open spaces
5. Couches with higher backs
6. A good, long look at African style, colors, artifacts and art
7. Painted furniture rather than the ubiquitous, heavy and ponderous brown furniture, however modern the form might be
8. Materials traditionally used on the exterior of a home now being used on the interior
9. A re-discovery of moldings
10. Frosted glass
11. Family memorials, plaques, quotes, etc. as decoration and works of art in both residential and public spaces
12. 18th Century Gustavian design
13. “Millennium” (beyond modern) incorporates the cutting edge with the rustic, rural and country
14. Alternative energy: i.e. solar, thermal, wind
15. Vegetable gardens

What do you think? To be honest, we’re not entirely sure we understand all of it. (”Beyond modern”? Vegetable gardens = decor?) Number 9 intrigues us, though, because we noticed that folks who discussed the TV show V on Twitter kept mentioning the wonderful moldings at the home of characters played by Morris Chestnut and Lourdes Benedicto, above (direct your attention to the walls behind them). We’ve also just noticed this article on solar shingles. As for number 4, well, that’s fortunate for most of us!

Gustavian sofa via 1stdibs.com; V photos via IMDB

This past Halloween, like every year, my daughters picked out all the Almond Joys and Mounds from their candy score and gladly handed them over to me. So when my mother-in-law invited them to help her make cookies from an old, kid-friendly recipe — one that calls for both coconut and nuts — I figured they’d have fun but turn up their little noses at first taste. I couldn’t have been more wrong! We’ve already made these at home, and my youngest is begging for more. Seems like an old favorite is destined to become our new favorite. — Sarah L.

Sprinkle Cookie Bars

1 stick margarine (this was written “Oleo” in my mother-in-law’s recipe; told you it was old)
1 cup graham cracker crumbs
13 1/2 oz. coconut flakes
6 oz. chocolate chips
6 oz. butterscotch chips
3/4 cup chopped pecans
1 can sweetened condensed milk

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Melt margarine in 9″x13″ pan. (I just put the margarine and pan in the oven while it preheats to melt it.) Sprinkle graham cracker crumbs over the melted margazine, followed by remaining ingredients, sprinkled in layers. Drizzle sweetened condensed milk over the top. Bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes. Let cool, then cut into 1.5” squares. (It’s like six layers of sugar on top of margarine. Trust me, a small square is plenty. And if not, there’s always seconds.) Store in tightly covered container.

I try to take little steps each day toward living a greener life. Original Spaghetti Scrub by Goodbye Detergent! is going to be my next step. The eco-friendly scrubber consists of natural abrasives made from corn cobs and peach pits that reduce the need for harsh detergents. Plus, they dry quickly and completely so there’s never a stinky or moldy sponge in your sink. Pick up a package of two for $8.95 at Crate and Barrel. — Erica P.

This is what I consider eye candy: the gorgeous colors and fantastical scenes painted by Apak Studio, the collaborative art of Aaron and Ayumi Piland. Sometimes you just want art to make you feel good. From their Forest Friends Custom Kokeshi, $400, to notecards in the $4-5 range, Apak Studio art always delivers. See everything in their Etsy shop right here. — Mary T.

Two weeks ago, Erica asked for suggestions on how to display the target her boyfriend brought home from the shooting range. When Donna K posted a link to a lightbox she’d made from a similar target, we wanted to see more. The lightboxes you see here are completely her creations.

Donna says:

The lightboxes are made out of plywood that I cut and hammered together to make a box with one open side. (I stained the box to make it look nicer/match the decor of where it’ll end up.) I wired a socket to some wire which I ran through a hole I drilled in the top of the box, and then ran the wire to a plug. I used brass thumbtacks to put the target on the box because I like to change them out, but gluing it down would probably have better results! I was thinking of ways to make it easier and came up with using an already-existing box that you take the front off of, and then use those lamp kits they sell at the hardware store for the guts.

Donna, we love these lightboxes! And if you’re not up to constructing your own wooden box, try IKEA — we’ve seen wooden storage containers and drawers similar to these used as lightboxes at craft shows. To see more of Donna K’s artistic endeavors, visit Gravity Was Everywhere Back Then or read more about her at I Want to Wear It. — Mary T.

It’s official: America is still mad about Mad Men. The AMC series took home its third consecutive Golden Globe for Best Television Series (Drama) Sunday, so what better way to celebrate than by adding more Draper to your decor? The Mad Men pillow by regansbrain may be just the thing. Made with pinstripe suit fabric, recycled felt and cotton, this is the closest I’ll get to snuggling with Don every night. At just $42.50, I’ll take it. — Sarah C.

Two very different houses for two very different tastes caught our eye this weekend. The first is a somewhat amazing barn-to-home conversion located on Bainbridge Island, a short ferry ride from Seattle. We love the orange accents on the outside of the house, and talk about high ceilings!

The second is a listing for a Nashville home that a friend shared. She was being slightly tongue-in-cheek, but the truth is, for those into retro style, this one is a little 1970s time capsule. Some of the decor would definitely go, but there is a sunken living room, people — our grown-up Mary Tyler Moore Show dream!

Placemats are hard to get right. The market is flooded with floral prints, boring woven varieties, and kitschy quilted disasters. On the other hand, these gorgeous wood veneer placemats, found on A+R Store, hit all the right notes — they look like high-end art pieces with the delicate feel of lace. Designer Sarah Finn brought a century-old German woodworking business into modern times with laser cutting techniques. The placemats are available in blonde maple or red mahogany veneer for $25 each. — Katie D.