My son was transitioned to buying his own grub recently but thus far has been chowing down on what he started off with as if there was no worry about that. Then it finally happened:
Son: "We're out of milk."
Me: "You can buy some if you like, I don't use milk."
Son: . . . . . "I really, really want mac and cheese."
Me: "If you have some quarters you can get a box of mac and cheese for about 75 cents."
Son: . . . . . (makes a peanut butter sandwich from his remaining half jar of peanut butter for dinner)
The following morning he gathered his bag of cans to turn in, went to the store and returned excited because he'd gotten a half gallon of milk on sale. It seems like a small thing, but to me it was a tectonic shift - it's the first time he's grocery shopped for himself, entirely on his own impetus with entirely his own money. Those can refunds would have been used to purchase soda or pizza before - now he's excited that he has a singular box of mac-and-cheese. This is good!
Feel free to reply here or at DWth -
http://primsong.dreamwidth.org/198748.html .