VEGAN TO VELVEETA: GEN Z FOOD-CHOICE AUTONOMY.

• Position: YOUR LIFE - Brief article

With the oldest just entering their 20s, Gen Z members are young and, with their parents working, these kids are left alone at home, often after school, to face a daily dilemma: what to eat?

"Busy household schedules mean that teens do much of their own food prep and often eat alone," says Laurie Demeritt, CEO of The Hartman Group, Bellevue, Wash., which studies and advises on all aspects of food and beverage culture. "Because of these circumstances, today's teens have a lot of sway over what they eat within their own homes."

A practical generation, Gen Z views cooking as an accessible life skill available to anyone with an Internet connection. Today's teens often put together their own breakfasts, select their own lunches...