With a can of tomatoes -- or a stack of them -- the pantry can be a place of exploration: an easy path to a burden-free dinner, just as exciting as one after a trip to the market.

Here's Amanda with the latest from Brooklyn's most well-fed first graders -- those tomatoes totally do look like fish scales:

Bacon, lettuce, and semi-green tomatoes, sliced super thin so they lay on the bread like scales on a fish. (I made one big sandwich and split it in two for the kids.) Our nanny made apple pie with Walker and Addie; thought they should take their creation to school.

It's a cross between summer and Meatless Monday in the twins' lunchboxes today -- although those apples are an omen of fall! We'll let Amanda explain:

There were still peppers and corn in the market so I decided it was time for a stew of them. That was the main course, just glistening sweet pepper stew. On the side, yogurt, and an apple. I figured they could get meat or fish at dinner.

What's in your lunchbox?

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Sliced tomato salad takes a dip in hot, nutty butter.