”Jaha, då har jag blivit vegetarian”

: Tonåringars ändrade kostval ur ett föräldraperspektiv

Abstract

Introduction Sweden has a strong tradition regarding meat, as it has been the most important part of a meal. At the same time, the population of young people choosing to remove meat from their diet has increased in later years. But, when a young person that still lives with their family makes this choice, it not only affects their own life but also the whole family, especially the parents. Purpose To analyze how a teenager’s vegetarian food choice affected the family meal process and how the parents experienced the possible changes. Background The research background used for the study was food culture and communication, foods, as well as nutrition and health - why do we eat as we do, what is included in the meal process, and how do our choices affect our wellbeing? Material and method Semi-structured interviews in group and by phone with qualitative content analysis according to Graneheim and Lundman. Results The parents expressed the same initial concern for their children's nutrition and their own ignorance when it comes to vegetarian food. At the same time, they felt their responsibility and made sure to help the children solve it by finding out more for themselves. Although the families previously had similar meal patterns, there was a difference regarding how extensive the changes were. The parents experienced that their teenagers became more involved and better at cooking. Conclusion Based on current research, this study shows that extensive change in diet choices can affect several factors in the family meal process, but also that more research on the subject must be done to get better understanding.