10/20/2026
🍽️ THE GREAT FOOD REVERSAL: ARE WE EATING OUR WAY BACK TO TODDLERHOOD? 😂
By Donna Lee | Savvy65
I’ve come to a rather amusing conclusion about aging.
Life is one long, slow march back to toddlerhood!
Think about it. We start out taking naps, eating tiny portions, needing help with our shoes, and occasionally forgetting why we walked into a room.
We spend the next several decades becoming independent, raising families, building careers, and eating meals large enough to feed a small army.
Then, somewhere along the way, the whole process starts running in reverse.
Especially when it comes to food!
🍟 OH, HOW THE TABLES HAVE TURNED!
When my boys were little, I’d prepare a perfectly respectable dinner, only to have one eat three bites, the other suddenly decide he hated something he’d loved yesterday, and both announce they were full.
Naturally, being a practical mother who couldn’t stand wasting good food, I’d finish whatever was left on their plates.
A few chicken nuggets here. Half a grilled cheese there. A handful of French fries.
And somehow, mysteriously, I kept gaining weight!
I couldn’t understand it. I wasn’t eating that much!
Well, except for my dinner. And their dinner. And the occasional leftover dessert.
Fast-forward a few decades, and the tables have turned.
These days, I sit down to a meal, eat half of it, push my plate away, and announce, “I’m full.”
My grown sons look at my plate and inevitably ask, “Are you going to finish that?”
Now THEY finish MY leftovers. And now THEY complain about gaining weight! 😂
I believe this is what scientists call the circle of life.
Or possibly revenge.
🔬 THERE’S ACTUAL SCIENCE BEHIND THIS!
Researchers have a name for the more pronounced decline in appetite that can occur as we age: the anorexia of aging.
A 2025 review published in Age and Ageing, examining more than 80,000 older adults, estimated that approximately 29% experienced poor appetite or appetite loss.
That’s nearly THREE out of every TEN older adults!
Why does this happen?
✅ Our bodies often need fewer calories as metabolism, muscle mass, and activity levels change.
✅ Changes in digestion and hunger hormones may make us feel full sooner.
✅ Our senses of taste and smell can change, making food less appealing.
✅ Certain medications can also affect appetite.
According to the National Institute on Aging, a woman over 60 who is not very physically active may need approximately 1,600 calories daily, although individual needs vary.
That’s not much room for appetizers, dinner, dessert, and three bites of somebody else’s cheesecake!
👶 WE’VE OFFICIALLY COME FULL CIRCLE!
The similarities don’t stop with food.
As toddlers, we fought naps. Now we look forward to them.
As toddlers, we were picky eaters. Now we look at restaurant menus and decide nothing sounds appealing.
As toddlers, we needed reminders to drink water. Now we carry enormous water bottles and still forget to drink.
And as toddlers, we sometimes needed help putting on our shoes.
Let’s just say I’ve developed a whole new appreciation for slip-ons!
❤️ ONE IMPORTANT THING TO REMEMBER
While needing fewer calories as we age can be normal, we still need plenty of nutrition!
Protein, vitamins, minerals, and adequate fluids become especially important. And persistent appetite loss or unexplained weight loss should always be discussed with a healthcare professional.
After all, there’s a difference between being satisfied with half a sandwich and suddenly losing interest in eating altogether.
😊 A LITTLE FOOD FOR THOUGHT
For years, I cooked for my children, cleaned up after them, worried about whether they were eating enough, and consumed enough leftovers to qualify as a second dinner.
Now they’re grown, and the roles have reversed.
They finish my meals, wonder how I can possibly be full after six bites, and complain about their expanding waistlines.
And I’ve decided there’s something rather wonderful about that.
We’ve spent decades taking care of our families. If the next generation wants to take over the responsibility of finishing our French fries, who am I to argue?
Besides, after all those years of eating their leftovers, I figure they owe me a few thousand calories!
And judging by their complaints about gaining weight, they’re well on their way to paying me back.
Here’s to growing older, eating a little less, laughing a little more, and finally letting somebody else clean their plate! ❤️
Warmly,
Donna Lee
Savvy65 | Complete Medicare Solutions
Helping Seniors Since 2006
📚 Sources: National Institute on Aging; Age and Ageing (2025), systematic review on appetite loss among older adults.
Now I’m curious: Have you noticed your appetite getting smaller as you’ve gotten older? Or are you still proudly a member of the clean plate club? 😂
