Today's lunchboxes reveal a Middle Eastern influence for Walker's and Addie's lunches. There's stuck-pot rice (it's simple: basmati, yogurt, curry powder, and lime juice), a celery and Israeli cucumber salad (remember, Walker loves cucumbers!), and Fage yogurt with honey.

What are you having for lunch?

"When I don't have much inspiration or if I have a more challenging ingredient, cream cheese is my secret weapon. Kids love cream cheese so it can help soften the blow of flavors like radish or pickled ramps. That's just what I packed here, along with fresh strawberries from the Union Square Greenmarket."
- Amanda

We hope Walker and Addie packed enough to share, because their lunch looks fantastic. What are you having?

This week's peek into Walker's and Addie's lunchboxes is as easy as 1, 2, 3: liverwurst over ricotta on one slice of bread, another slice sprinkled with garlic oil to top them, and container of clementine sections for dessert.

Raise your hand if you're having a liverwurst sandwich for lunch, too. Nobody?

I happened to have a conversation with Addie after she and Walker took this to school for lunch, and I can report that she really enjoyed it! Virginia ham, cucumbers, and MissGinsu's recipe for Sweet and Spicy Pickled Ramps make a wonderful sandwich on brioche bound together with a swipe of mayo, plus a Cara Cara orange for dessert.

The pickles were leftovers from Amanda's Friday night dinner party, but it was more than just efficiency that prompted her to put them in the sandwiches. She says, "My kids love pickles and cucumbers so I try to find ways to tuck them into their lunches."

What's in your lunchbox?

It looks like both Amanda and Merrill are fans of lemon vinaigrette these days (A for her kids and M for weeknight meals with her husband -- Clara's still too small for such things). Here, Amanda explains how she actually prefers salads to sandwiches for Walker's and Addie's lunch:

"I'm trying to make my kids more all-in-one salads like this tuna couscous salad. They're easy for my kids to eat -- actually easier than a sandwich -- and you can pile in lots of good flavors. Here, I blended oil-packed tuna, Israeli couscous, haricots verts, olives, capers, sliced baby garlic, and a lemon vinaigrette. Then for some crunch, I packed a few carrot sticks. And for a treat, a slice of City Bakery's mammoth chocolate chip cookies."

What's in your lunchbox?

Lots of green in Walker and Addie's lunches these days. Amanda describes one of her warm-weather standards:

My springtime cheat: artichokes, asparagus, and peas. I use frozen artichoke hearts and peas, mix them in a saucepan with lots of olive oil, thyme, a smashed garlic clove, and salt, then cook them, covered, over medium high heat, just until heated through and any liquid is cooked off. Then I take the lid off, let them cool until just warm, and fold in thinly sliced asparagus. It stays a little crunchy, which I like.

I make a bunch and keep this in the fridge all week, adding lemon juice or sherry vinegar, plus more oil, when serving. Here, I paired it with Moonlight Chaource from The Amazing Real Live Food Co., and triple chocolate espresso cookies for dessert.

7 puddings that bring back memories of school lunches, of elegant dinner parties, of restaurants and meals both humble and grand.