Ina Garten Shares Why She Decided Not to Have Kids

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Ina Garten doesn’t want too many cooks in her kitchen. 

This is one of the reasons she and her husband, Jeffrey Garten, chose not to have children when they first got together.

It’s incredible to me that I made that choice at such a young age, and I’m so grateful Jeffrey was supportive of it,” Ina Garten told Amy Poehler on the November 25th episode of Good Hang with Amy Poehler. “I honestly can’t picture my life being any different. I’ve pursued what I wanted, and I’ve had a truly wonderful experience.”

In a conversation with Amy, Ina Garten, known as the Barefoot Contessa, shared that the best part of choosing not to have children is “not being responsible for them, and not having to deal with teenagers.”

Ina’s recent comments echo her previous statements to Hoda Kotb.

Ina Garten explained that she initially envisioned a conventional marriage with children. However, during her twenties, she questioned the idea of having children, feeling it might repeat negative patterns from her own upbringing, as she shared on Today in October 2024.

She continued, explaining that she’d always assumed everyone’s home life with kids was like hers. It hadn’t crossed her mind that other families might experience things differently, because that’s all she’d ever known.

Ina, 77, and Jeffrey, 79, are known for being open about their personal lives. The couple famously made news when Jeffrey mistakenly sent a risqué text message intended for his wife to her publicist instead.

Ina remembered that on The Drew Barrymore Show in 2022, she shared a story about someone telling another person, ‘You’re gonna be delicious tonight.’ The recipient was surprised and replied, ‘I don’t think this was meant for me,’ clearly misunderstanding the comment.

Ina Garten and Jeffrey Garten’s long relationship hasn’t always been easy, despite appearances. In her 2024 memoir, Be Ready When the Luck Happens, Ina shared that they faced a difficult time as her career started to gain momentum.

She explained in her book that even while handling all the cooking, cleaning, shopping, and her job at the store, she saw herself as a businesswoman, not a wife. She was so busy with her responsibilities that she didn’t have time to think about anything else. Because she was constantly working, there was no question of who would get home first or take on household tasks – she rarely got home at all!

But the pair, determined to make their marriage work, agreed to counseling. 

Ina remembered that they truly connected by talking, listening, and understanding each other’s worries. She felt they could build a relationship based on equality and mutual support. It wouldn’t be easy or quick, but by working together towards a common goal, they could create positive change.

Now nearly six decades into their marriage, the two are still smitten. 

I just… I can’t even explain her. It’s like my whole world revolves around my wife. I told them on 60 Minutes, she’s not just my wife of 56 years, she’s… everything. She’s the source of all the joy in my life, honestly. She is our home, the heart of it all, and she always has been. She’s just… everything to me.

For more candid confessions from the stars, read on. 

In June 2024, athlete Jason Kelce jokingly tweeted, “What kind of weirdo washes their feet…” after a fan commented that he appeared to not wash his legs or feet.

The retired Philadelphia Eagles player later doubled down on his comments.

On his podcast, New Heights with his brother Travis Kelce, Patrick Mahomes joked, ‘Who would wash your feet?’ He continued, saying he’d even scrub off any visible dirt.

More than ten years after telling a story about witnessing a clown’s death in a car explosion at the circus when he was a child, the actor known for Twilight has confessed that the story was made up.

Robert remembered telling The New York Times Style Magazine in December 2024 that he reacted with complete surprise, saying, “What on earth? Are you possessed?”

As for what he said during the 2011 Today interview promoting his film Water for Elephants?

He explained that one of the clowns had died in an accident. Their small car, a prop used in the show, unexpectedly exploded, causing everyone to panic and run for safety. It was a frightening experience.

Grandma knows best.

Kim Kardashian recently shared a personal story on her show, The Kardashians, about how her grandmother, Mary Jo “MJ” Campbell, unexpectedly played a role in a private moment she shared with Pete Davidson back in October 2022.

Kim Kardashian told MJ, Kris Jenner, and Khloe Kardashian that she and Pete Davidson were at the Beverly Hills Hotel last weekend. They were chatting by the fireplace for hours, and she remembered her grandmother saying that having sex in front of a fireplace is a way to truly enjoy life. Inspired by this, they decided to act on it as a tribute to Kris.

Grandma’s reaction? A nod of approval.

Kim found it unsettling to think about her grandmother before being intimate, and MJ responded by saying she understood, but she had been younger once herself.

Mila Kunis and Ashton Kutcher have a very close family, including their children, 8-year-old Wyatt and 6-year-old Dimitri, and their love for each other is limitless.

So much so, that the Black Swan actress revealed they keep an open-door policy at home.

She told TopMob News in September 2022 that this also extends to the bathroom. She explained it’s become normal for her family and kids to openly discuss and accept natural bodily functions.

Mila explained she finally gave in after her family repeatedly asked to come inside. She said she just decided to leave the door open rather than continue trying to keep them out.

Pre-kids, she might not have imagined she’d flush that particular boundary away.

She said she never imagined she’d be comfortable enough to use the restroom with the door open.

Ghouls just want to have fun.

During an October 2022 episode of The View, while discussing a woman who claimed her home was haunted by “sexual ghosts,” Sara Haines posed a surprising question to her co-hosts: “Is it possible to get pregnant from a ghost?”

Luckily, Joy Behar, her co-host, chimed in with a humorous response: “I’ve had encounters with ghosts and haven’t gotten pregnant.”

“I’m going to leave that comment as is,” Whoopi Goldberg responded. “I’m not sure everyone heard what Joy said, but I’m choosing not to address it further.”

Jenna Bush Hager and Hoda Kotb are very close friends, but Hoda recently learned something surprising about her “Today” co-host. While preparing for an episode of “Today with Hoda and Jenna,” Hoda found out that Jenna never wears underwear.

Hoda Kotb recounted a funny moment on Today with Hoda and Jenna from November 2022. She explained that they both needed to quickly change outfits and had to return to the dressing room. While there, Hoda realized Jenna Bush Hager doesn’t wear underwear.

Jenna’s rationale? Well, no underwear might just be more convenient to her.

She explained that the style creates a more flattering shape and also simplifies packing. She added that there are many other benefits as well.

Looks like someone hasn’t been keeping up.

Britney Spears related to a popular line from Keke Palmer – “He could be walking down the street, I wouldn’t know a thing” – and confessed she wasn’t familiar with Pete Davidson or Scott Disick.

Britney Spears shared a funny video from March on Instagram, showing Pete Davidson and Scott Disick (Kourtney Kardashian’s ex) having a night out together. She said the video had her laughing a lot.

Britney explained she was resharing the video, saying she didn’t know the people in it, but it had made her laugh a lot.

Before Chris Evans became famous as Captain America and was named People’s Sexiest Man Alive in 2022, Jana Kramer dated him and thought he was a charming and attractive guy.

The singer shared on her podcast, Whine Down with Jana Kramer, that this happened over ten years ago. While she doesn’t remember exactly how many times they went out, she clearly remembers their final meeting.

Jana, who was around 26 at the time, said Chris asked her to come over when he had some friends visiting from Boston.

Jana recalled that the last thing she remembered was her partner going to the bathroom right after she’d eaten asparagus, which changes the smell of urine. They didn’t end up intimate that night; he stayed up late with friends, and the next morning she left his house feeling embarrassed – what she jokingly called the ‘asparagus walk of shame’.

She added, “I never heard from him again.”

Not all of these confessions are amusing.

In December, television writer Elisabeth Finch confessed that she had fabricated a story about having a rare bone cancer. She had originally shared this false diagnosis with ELLE magazine eight years prior, and it even became the basis for a plotline on Grey’s Anatomy.

Elisabeth recently shared with The Ankler newsletter that a lie she told at age 34 was the biggest regret of her life. She explained that the lie grew over time, becoming a heavy burden she carried for years. She also clarified that she has never been diagnosed with cancer.

Finch, who was temporarily removed from his role on the ABC medical show before ultimately quitting, admitted, “I messed up badly. It was completely unacceptable, and I take full responsibility.”

Beauty is pain, but Kim Kardashian might be able to stomach it.

The reality star told The New York Times she’d consider almost any procedure to look younger, joking that she was open to trying anything.

She admitted in June that she’d even consider something extreme – like eating something disgusting daily – if it meant she could look younger. She emphasized she was seriously considering it.

In a July 2022 interview with Allure, Kim explained she was mostly joking when she made the comment, but admitted it wasn’t a completely awful idea.

Kim thought for a moment and then said, ‘Honestly, I’d probably eat something awful if I was told it would make me look younger – even if it meant eating a bowl of poop every day.’

She wondered how much she could possibly eat. “Perhaps just a small bite,” she said. “I definitely couldn’t manage a whole bowl.”

Jelly Roll could’ve used some saving from himself.

During an April 2025 interview on The Jennifer Hudson Show, the singer of “Save Me” shared a particularly embarrassing story, and he didn’t hesitate to tell all the details.

“I pooped myself one time,” he admitted. “I did, I’m sorry.”

To be clear, Jelly Roll (born Jason Bradley DeFord) didn’t intend to cause such serious harm.

He firmly believed it was just a harmless prank. “I sincerely apologize,” he said. “I saw the audience turn from supportive to completely against me.”

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2025-11-26 00:50