The kitchen may be the heart of the home, but these days it’s the stage for mealtime meltdowns. Pack one more PB&J for lunch and Junior’s threatening a hunger strike.

Broker a deal with chef Kelly Boyer’s Paleta Kids, a mini version of the popular organic meal delivery service. Simply sign up, answer questions about dietary goals, allergies, and no-I-will-not-eat-that-ever foods, then sit back and relax as kid-size meals arrive on your doorstep.

With locally sourced ingredients each item on the ever-changing menu packs a veggie punch (only mom will know there’s spinach in that brownie). Whimsical details like smiley face oatmeal cookies and a BLT-on-a-stick will have them licking their lips in anticipation.

Plus, food comes packed in a reusable cooler ready to send off to school. Love note from mom not included.

Available online at paleta.com, $5-$11 per meal, including delivery.

PLAY
Mr. Bones Pumpkin Patch
What: More than just a place to pick your gourd, this fest features a straw maze, bouncy house, superslide, and petting zoo.
Why: Halloween fun in the heart of the city.
When: Thru Oct. 30. Mon., Thurs.-Sun., 9 a.m.-8 p.m.
Where: Mr. Bones Pumpkin Patch, 702 N. Doheny Dr., at Harland Ave. (310-276-9827). Weekdays: free; weekends: adults, $4; children, $2.

BUG OUT
Spider Pavilion
What: Observe our creepy, crawly friends as they spin spectacular webs.
Why: Flashlight tours available for the brave.
When: Daily, 10 a.m.-5 p.m.
Where: Natural History Museum, 900 Exposition Blvd., b/t Vermont Ave. & Figueroa St. (213-763-3466). Adults, $3; children, $1 with museum admission.

MEET
Kindergarten Diaries Book Signing
What: Take the scare out of the first day of school with a signed copy of Antoinette Portis’s sweet new book.
Why: Big girls don’t cry.
When: Sat., 10:30-11:30 a.m.
Where: Vroman’s Bookstore, 695 E. Colorado Blvd., b/t N. El Molino & N. Oak Knoll Aves., Pasadena (626-449-5320).

Photo: Courtesy of Paleta

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