Annette Bening Reveals Her Mom's Two Unexpected Diet Staples At 97 — And It Deserves A Co-Sign

Annette Bening has shared how her mother, Shirley Bening, is not letting rigid rules stop her from having a good time. Speaking to People in July 2026, the "Dutton Ranch" actor opened up about how she decompressed after a long day of work, saying, "I go home, watch baseball with my mom, who's 97 and has a martini at 5:30." Additionally, during a March 2026 appearance on "Late Night with Seth Meyers," Annette said that while her mother would prefer having two martinis, she stepped in to make sure she stuck to one. She also revealed that another of Shirley's diet staples was potato chips, and she usually had a bowl or two of her favorite snack with her drink. 

Now, some may frown at her dietary choices and question her decision to indulge in what they perceive as "unhealthy food." After all, everyone is aware of the real effects that alcohol has on our bodies as well as what happens to our bodies when we eat too many chips. However, one can safely argue that a healthy diet can absolutely include fun foods like martinis and potato chips. Chatting with Healthline, therapist, dietitian, and Certified Body Trust provider Aleta Storch, RDN, MHC, explained that giving in to your cravings could actually help heal your relationship with food. According to Storch, when we give ourselves permission to honor our cravings, we give our nervous system a signal that its nutritional needs will always be met. Storch believes that we can find "peace, confidence, and freedom around food" if we just allow ourselves to enjoy food that diet culture deems "bad."

Those who critique Annette Bening's mother's dietary staples could also benefit from knowing that following a rigid diet isn't necessarily a surefire way to achieve well-being. A 1999 study published in Appetite found that people who practiced rigid diet rules were more likely to experience weight gain and be prone to overeating. Additionally, another study published in Nutrition Journal in 2019 concluded that people who adhered to strict dieting guidelines over the weekend were more likely to experience weight gain than those who gave themselves food freedom. Meanwhile, a 2002 study published in Appetite found that people who followed rigid diets were more likely to practice disordered eating and experience anxiety and depression. 

With all this in mind, it seems that including your favorite food in your diet in moderation, as Shirley Bening has done, is the solution. According to Mayo Clinic, there are numerous ways to have a balanced diet that leaves room for fun foods. You could start by practicing portion control. Instead of eating food straight from the packaging, which could encourage mindless munching, you could serve yourself the food on a plate or in a bowl and gauge your fullness levels before reaching for another serving. If you're trying to honor a craving, you could benefit from savoring the food slowly rather than eating it fast because the former method could help you feel more satisfied. If you're worried about going overboard, you could also pair your favorite foods with high-fiber vegetables that help boost satiety.