Since you don't frequently eat meat in your house already, for a milk substitute I'd recommend soy or almond milk. It sounds like you have already made dietary changes, and you might find that you like the change. For a "noob" to alternative milk (seriously, no disrespect) I'd recommend the Silk brand, as they are fairly palatable to someone trying plant "milk." If you do try any, the plain, unsweetened, works best with cooking, but if your main use is for cereal, etc., then the sweetened, or vanilla may be good options. For cooking only (if I don't use homemade) I use WestSoy plain, as it doesn't have any fillers that affect recipes, but I prefer Silk if I want it for cereal or straight drinking.