This study explores how families with adolescents (aged 15-20) in Denmark negotiate and act upon public recommendations to reduce meat consumption for health and climate benefits. Using qualitative methods, including in-depth interviews and a visual sorting task, the research reveals that maintaining family harmony and cohesion is a key driver and barrier to reducing meat consumption. The study identifies gendered work in planning sustainable meals and highlights the role of adolescents in facilitating or hindering these changes. Adolescents' preferences and the desire to satisfy them often lead to adaptations that maintain family cohesion, while their influence on introducing new, more sustainable foods can drive change. The findings suggest that successful transitions to sustainable diets involve collaborative efforts where older children initiate changes, and parents, particularly mothers, implement them. The study also notes a disproportionate distribution of planning tasks, with women often bearing more of the "invisible" work. Implications for social marketers, policymakers, and educational institutions are discussed, emphasizing the importance of family dynamics and social relationships in promoting sustainable eating behaviors.This study explores how families with adolescents (aged 15-20) in Denmark negotiate and act upon public recommendations to reduce meat consumption for health and climate benefits. Using qualitative methods, including in-depth interviews and a visual sorting task, the research reveals that maintaining family harmony and cohesion is a key driver and barrier to reducing meat consumption. The study identifies gendered work in planning sustainable meals and highlights the role of adolescents in facilitating or hindering these changes. Adolescents' preferences and the desire to satisfy them often lead to adaptations that maintain family cohesion, while their influence on introducing new, more sustainable foods can drive change. The findings suggest that successful transitions to sustainable diets involve collaborative efforts where older children initiate changes, and parents, particularly mothers, implement them. The study also notes a disproportionate distribution of planning tasks, with women often bearing more of the "invisible" work. Implications for social marketers, policymakers, and educational institutions are discussed, emphasizing the importance of family dynamics and social relationships in promoting sustainable eating behaviors.