Vegetarian/Vegan Families

He helps if he wants to, often helps more in getting the table set (condiments, utensils, etc). He has input on the grocery list and often goes with me to the co-op we shop at most of the time (vegetarian grocery store basically). If I say I'm going shopping, he'll ask where - standard grocery store is usually no thanks but co-op is often a Yes.

DH and I discuss nutrition between ourselves and DS 'overhears' it. We also have a great wall chart that we got several years ago from greenleafy.org that shows all sorts of nutrients (vitamins, minerals, protein, fat) and where they come from in a vegetarian diet. Colorful and fun. We still refer to it when we're talking about something specific - like what foods help the immune system (since we're heading into cold and flu season), stuff like C, E, etc.

Since we use almond milk instead of cow milk, we've experimented with other milks as well (soy and rice specifically) and DS was in on that.

We also spend time discussing food labels and nutrition info there. One time I sent him down the aisle to get pasta sauce expecting that he'd get the familiar label one. He came back empty handed because he couldn't find one with low enough sodium level (DH is hypertensive; I'm type 2 diabetic, so nutrition info is key for both of us). I went with him and we checked EVERY label until we found one that fit ... turned out to be 20 cents cheaper too! What a kid :-)

He likes the tofu in miso soup (we still love sushi but it's expensive so it's a rare treat) and knows about tofu, soy, and other "alternative" type foods and grains (quinoa, for example).

We also make most of our food from ingredients rather than packages and he's developed a distinct preference for 'real' food (as he'd say) than for other stuff. One time, in a hotel, it was pouring rain and nasty outside so I offered to order a pizza rather than go out for dinner (or go back to the rather boring hotel restaurant menu). He said he'd rather do the hotel restaurant yet again because the only pizza he likes is DH's home made pizza with freshly ground whole wheat crust. And he prefers my homemade chocolate chip cookies (I use evaporated cane juice and molasses instead of processed white/brown sugar).

DH and I comment to ourselves occasionally about what it might look like when he's old enough to want to date given the various 'outside the norm' ideas he's already got (he's never been to school, never 'schooled' at home, prefers whole vegetarian type foods, etc).

--Deb R