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Registered dietitian Lauren Manaker weighs in on the food and drinks you should ditch once you hit the age of 30.
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Manaker names things like energy drinks, alcohol, and high-sugar candies as items to avoid.
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She says that “your 30-something body isn’t as forgiving” when it comes to processing these ingredients.
I totally get the whole ~age is just a number~ argument. In fact, for the most part, I live by it—and even occasionally fib about my actual birth year just to feel young again. Sue me, a functional health analysis gave me a biological age of 23, and I’m sticking with it. Government records be damned! But (you knew it was coming) there is one area of my life I choose to accept fact—i.e. my birth certificate that reads February 10, 1996—and that is when it comes to diet.
It’s unrealistic to keep eating like we did in high school, college, and even early grad life with the expectation that our bodies will feel the same. Now, when I drink too much, I feel the hangover for days; overly processed foods make my joints ache; and dairy just doesn’t sit right like it did at 21 when I was pounding pizza slices at 2 a.m. And that’s just the immediate effects. There are a lot of long-term consequences related to diet!
So, I tapped an expert on the subject, registered dietitian Lauren Manaker, to help me round up the food and drinks that no one (not me, you, your parents, your besties, anyone!) should be eating after the age of 30—minus, of course, a few caveats and the understanding that most things in moderation are okay* from time to time!
*You can pry the Diet Coke from my cold, dead hands!
Here are six things you should stop buying, eating, and drinking once you hit the big 3-0.
Cheap Alcohol
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I’m not saying you have to bow out of happy hours the second you turn 30 (I really mean that as someone just a year away from that age milestone), but you might want to invest in higher quality bottles—if anything, just to ward off the worsening hangovers.
Manaker also points out that it’s a good age to start reevaluating your relationship with alcohol and potentially cutting back. “Sure a glass of wine or a cocktail here and there can be part of a balanced lifestyle, but as we age, our bodies process alcohol less efficiently,” she tells Delish. “This means those hangovers hit harder and last longer (ugh). Alcohol can also negatively impact sleep, which can impact mood, focus, and more. Moderation is key if you choose to drink alcohol. Your liver (and your morning self) will thank you.”
Energy Drinks
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Even if you’ve graduated from late-night study sessions fueled by Red Bull to workouts motivated by Alani, as Manaker points out, “your 30-something body isn’t as forgiving” when it comes to processing these ingredients. These drinks are packed with caffeine and sugar, and aren’t nearly as beneficial as they might seem.
They can “spike your energy temporarily but leave you crashing hard later. Over time, they can mess with your heart health, blood pressure, and even your sleep quality,” she explains. “If you need a pick-me-up, try a cup of tea instead; it’s gentler on your system. Or if you like the idea of a canned energy drink sans the loads of added sugar, plus some extra benefits, an option like Bloom Nutrition Sparkling Energy is a nice choice.”
Gummy Bears (& Other Sugary Candies)
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Like with alcohol, moderation is key when it comes to sweets, but candies like gummy bears are just a bad idea in general. As Manaker puts it, they’re “pure sugar.”
“While gummy bears might have been a fun snack in your teens, they’re not doing your 30-something self any favors. Excess sugar can lead to energy crashes, weight gain, and more,” she says. “Plus, gummy bears don’t offer any real nutrients, so they’re just taking up space that could be filled with something more nourishing.”
A dietitian-approved alternative? Fresh fruit or a square of dark chocolate. If you really can’t shake the gummy bear craving, try something with less added sugar and gut health-supporting fiber like Smartsweets.
Artificial Sweeteners
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While what I’m about to say isn’t a free pass to go wild on actual sugar, artificial sweeteners aren’t the holy grail solution you probably thought once upon a time—in fact, you should steer clear as best you can. They can impact your gut health and more!
According to a study presented at Nutrition 2025, an annual meeting of the American Society for Nutrition, there is a significant link between drinking artificially sweetened beverages and an increased risk of diabetes. The whole study took place over a 30-year time period and found that those who consumed diet bevvys and drinks sweetened by saccharin were more than twice as likely to develop type 2. Since you probably haven’t been throwing back diet sodas and eating sugar-free pudding since birth, now is the perfect time to reevaluate your relationship with artificial sweeteners—ya know, before you hit that 30-year mark yourself.
Diet Sodas
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As a Diet Coke stan, this one hurts. “Don’t hate me,” Manaker jokes. “But if you’re focused on bone health, drinking tons of [Diet Coke] might not be doing you any favors.” She explains that sodas, in particular, are made with phosphoric acid, which can actually interfere with your calcium absorption and might even weaken your bones. It also has zero nutritional value.
“To tame my Diet Coke cravings, I drink OLIPOP Vintage Cola,” she adds. “It is free from phosphoric acid and contains nothing artificial. Plus, it contains prebiotic fiber to help support gut health—OG Diet Coke could never!”
Frozen Meals
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Frozen meals are the GOAT in college and fresh out of school because they’re easy and cheap, but let’s face it, they’re not healthy—even if the packaging is convincing to the contrary. While there are some decent frozen options out there, the vast majority of the frozen aisle contains products with high sodium and little nutritional value. If you’re really craving pizza rolls that badly, it might be time to go all Nara Smith and make your own from scratch.
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