Ina Garten Reveals Why She Never Wanted Kids & Says Jeffrey Would Have Made A 'Great Parent' (2024)

Ina Garten Reveals Why She Never Wanted Kids & Says Jeffrey Would Have Made A 'Great Parent' (1)Ina Garten Reveals Why She Never Wanted Kids & Says Jeffrey Would Have Made A 'Great Parent' (2)

In anticipation of Ina Garten's upcoming memoir debut, the Barefoot Contessa has been increasingly candid about her life and marriage. And while she's previously opened up about her decision to not have children, the cookbook author is revealing new details about what led to that choice—and whether Jeffrey was onboard.

In a new interview for Julia Louis-Dreyfus' podcast, Wiser Than Me, Garten admitted that it "wasn't a struggle at all" to decide against having children.

"I had no interest in having children," she told Louis-Dreyfus. "I had a terrible childhood, and it was nothing I wanted to recreate. I think now looking back, I see my friends with their children and I understand what it could be, but when I was 20, I didn't want anything to do with it ... Maybe because when I was a kid, I didn't have any choices. Somebody else made all my choices. So once I had the power, I really used it."

Despite feeling confident about her decision, Garten says her husband Jeffrey "would have been a great parent."

"He would have really loved having children, but he wanted to make me happy and it was okay with him," she revealed.

Jeffrey has also been a supportive partner in more ways than one. Garten's longtime husband was actually a driving force behind her culinary career path.

"As soon as I got married, I remember looking around going, for the first time, I have nobody criticizing me, nobody telling me what to do. I can do whatever I want, and I just wanted to have parties. So I just started teaching myself how to cook," she said.

The television personality admits that she "was never allowed to cook" when she was a child, so she had never connected with it as a hobby in the past. It took advice from Jeffrey to finally pursue the passion.

"When I was a kid, I didn't even know I would do anything. I was kind of the generation that thought, 'Well, I'm gonna go to college and then I'll get married and that's that," she said. "It was Jeffrey who's like, you're not going to be happy.' And I was like, 'Woah.' It never even occurred to me...I totally credit him with that."

This isn't the first time Garten has opened up about her relationship—or choice to forgo motherhood. And it certainly won't be her last. Much of her upcoming memoir looks back at her childhood, which she did not want to "repeat" with kids of her own.

"I'm always looking forward to look back realized a lot of my decisions were based on my childhood. And so I think that was the motivating factor," she said late last year, adding that her and Jeffrey have always been "just so happy together" as is.

Advertisem*nt - Continue Reading Below

Ina Garten Reveals Why She Never Wanted Kids & Says Jeffrey Would Have Made A 'Great Parent' (2024)

FAQs

What ethnicity is Jeffrey Garten? ›

Garten was born to a Jewish family. He is the son of Ruth (née Engelman) and Melvin Garten. His father fought in World War II, the Korean War, and Vietnam; and was awarded the Distinguished Service Cross in 1953 for his heroism in Korea's Battle of Pork Chop Hill.

Did Ina Garten refuse a make a wish request? ›

Ina Garten, chef and host of the Food Network show “Barefoot Contessa,” has been taking heat for twice rejecting a child's Make-a-Wish request. The child's wish was to meet Garten because he would watch her show from his sickbed.

What ethnicity is Ina Garten? ›

Born Ina Rosenberg to a Jewish family in Brooklyn, New York City and grew up in Stamford, Connecticut, Garten was one of two children born to Charles H. Rosenberg, a surgeon specializing in otolaryngology, and his wife, Florence (née Rich), a dietitian.

Is it normal to not like kids? ›

Whatever the reason, it's important to remember that there's nothing wrong with disliking kids – it doesn't make you a bad person. Although, there is no such recommendation on whether to like kids or not. It is completely up to an individual whether he/she wants to be around kids or not.

Why did Ina and Jeffrey Garten not have children? ›

"I just had a terrible childhood, and it was nothing I wanted to recreate," she explained, saying her decision "wasn't a struggle at all." "I think Jeffrey would have been a great parent," she continued. "He would have really loved having children. But, he wanted me to be happy, and it was OK with him."

Did Ina and Jeffrey get divorced? ›

The Food Network star and her husband have been married for over 50 years. Ina Garten, 76, has called her husband Jeffrey Garten the "love of my life" — and he seems to feel the exact same way.

Is Ina Garten Religious? ›

Garten is Jewish by birth and heritage, as is her husband, but rarely refers to her religion and ethnicity, though they are showcased through the inclusion of classic Jewish cooking in her television show and cookbooks, when she makes such dishes as rugelach, challah, and brisket.

What is the Make-A-Wish Foundation scandal? ›

CEO of Make-A-Wish chapter admits embezzling from sick children's charity. The former CEO of a Make-A-Wish chapter in Iowa has pleaded guilty to charges of embezzling tens of thousands of dollars from the charity that supports sick children and their families.

Are Bobby Flay and Ina Garten friends? ›

Flay and Garten have been friends and colleagues for decades, so it's no surprise that Flay has such respect for her person and her cooking. And Garten has returned that love in kind. In an interview with the Food Network, Garten waxed impressed about the staggering achievements and stamina of Flay.

What is Ina Garten's favorite meal? ›

Instead of a chicken pot pie, Ina Garten likes to make a chicken stew and top it with flaky biscuits. She names it as one of her all-time favorite comfort foods, and we can easily see why. We think she would approve of this soup version on a cold night.

Does Ina Garten have a college degree? ›

Ina Garten once worked in the White House and worked her way up, which eventually put her in charge of writing the nuclear budget for the United States. She also managed to earn her MBA from George Washington University at the same time. Despite her success, she decided she wanted a different life.

Did Jeffrey Garten serve in Vietnam? ›

Garten attended Dartmouth College on an ROTC scholarship before serving in Thailand during the Vietnam War. “I never saw myself working in government as a career,” Garten said. “I decided to go to Wall Street because I was fascinated by people who had moved back and forth between Wall Street and Washington.

Is it wrong to not want kids? ›

It's completely normal that some people, both men and women, won't desire children in their lifetime, Ambardar says. Even if this life choice is still viewed as unconventional in society, it's important that people who are contemplating a child-free life avoid conforming just to fit in.

Is it selfish to not have kids? ›

Proponents of childfreeness posit that choosing not to have children is no more or less selfish than choosing to have children. Choosing to have children may be the more selfish choice, especially when poor parenting risks creating many long-term problems for both the children themselves and society at large.

What is it called when someone doesn't like kids? ›

Fear of children, or occasionally called paedophobia, is fear triggered by the presence or thinking of children or infants. It is an emotional state of fear, disdain, aversion, or prejudice toward children or youth. Paedophobia is in some usages identical to ephebiphobia.

What nationality is Barefoot Contessa? ›

Ina Rosenberg Garten, 78, born February 2, 1948 is an American author, host of the Food Network program Barefoot Contessa, and a former staff member of the White House Office of Management and Budget.

Is Ina Garten religious? ›

Garten is Jewish by birth and heritage, as is her husband, but rarely refers to her religion and ethnicity, though they are showcased through the inclusion of classic Jewish cooking in her television show and cookbooks, when she makes such dishes as rugelach, challah, and brisket.

Was Jeffrey Garten in the military? ›

Currently, Jeffrey serves as the Dean Emeritus at the Yale School of Management and teaches courses on the global economy. According to his faculty page, prior to joining Yale, he worked for multiple White House administrations, served in the U.S. Army Special Forces and was a managing director on Wall Street.

Top Articles
Latest Posts
Article information

Author: Dr. Pierre Goyette

Last Updated:

Views: 6289

Rating: 5 / 5 (50 voted)

Reviews: 81% of readers found this page helpful

Author information

Name: Dr. Pierre Goyette

Birthday: 1998-01-29

Address: Apt. 611 3357 Yong Plain, West Audra, IL 70053

Phone: +5819954278378

Job: Construction Director

Hobby: Embroidery, Creative writing, Shopping, Driving, Stand-up comedy, Coffee roasting, Scrapbooking

Introduction: My name is Dr. Pierre Goyette, I am a enchanting, powerful, jolly, rich, graceful, colorful, zany person who loves writing and wants to share my knowledge and understanding with you.