Having twins while being vegan created an interesting dynamic at home. My wife and I decided early on they'd be vegetarian - a middle ground between our different food choices.
It wasn't about forcing my views on them. I've always believed they can make their own choices when they're older. But just like any parent shapes their kids' early experiences, this was part of ours.
What's fascinating is how naturally they've taken to it. They genuinely dislike the idea of eating animals - not because I've preached about it, but simply because that's their normal. The same way other kids might find the idea of eating insects strange.
Being ten now, they're starting to ask more questions. About why I don't eat dairy when they do. About why their mum eats meat. About why their school friends have different food choices.
These conversations are far more nuanced than my old evangelical vegan days. There's no right or wrong, just different choices based on different values.
What excites me most is that by the time they're making their own food decisions, cultivated meat will likely be commonplace. They won't face the same ethical dilemmas I did. Their choices won't be between taste and ethics.
They'll grow up in a world where eating meat doesn't have to mean animal suffering. And that's a much simpler conversation to have with your kids.
