Ina Garten Shares How Her Husband Jeffrey Prioritized Her Happiness Over Having Kids

Ina Garten Says Husband Jeffrey Would Have 'Loved' to Have Kids but Wanted Her to Be Happy

Ina Garten and Jeffrey Garten. Alberto E. Rodriguez/Getty Images for Disney

Marriages often involve making compromises, and Ina Garten recently shared a major compromise that her husband, Jeffrey Garten, made early in their relationship.

During an episode of Julia Louis-Dreyfus’ podcast "Wiser Than Me" on April 17th, Ina, 76, revealed that Jeffrey was open to the idea of being a parent. However, he ultimately prioritized Ina's happiness over his desire to have children, showing his selflessness and love for her.

Ina never struggled with the decision not to have children. She had a difficult childhood and did not want to recreate that experience. Looking back now, she can see the joy that children bring to her friends, but at 20, she had no interest in it.

As a child, Ina had no control over her life. As an adult, she made sure to use her power to make her own choices.

Ina shared her strong opinions about the power of marriage earlier in a podcast episode, just like her stance on having kids. She expressed that contrary to popular belief, being in a marriage is not confining but rather liberating. In her words, it's like a big anchor or stake in the middle of her life. This anchor gives her a sense of security and freedom, knowing she can always come back to it for support.

In 1963, Ina met Jeffrey while visiting her brother at college. Five years later, they tied the knot. Reflecting on her marriage and other life choices, Ina has written an upcoming memoir titled "Be Ready When the Luck Happens." The book is set to be released on October 1st and delves into her experiences and lessons learned throughout her life journey.

Ina Garten Says Husband Jeffrey Would Have 'Loved' to Have Kids but Wanted Her to Be Happy

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Ina shared with Louis-Dreyfus that she found it fascinating to see the consistent threads running through her life. She mentioned that one of these threads was the act of taking risks, which ultimately boosted her self-confidence. Writing about her experiences made her realize the underlying consistency in her life, a realization that brought her joy.

During a recent appearance on Today, Ina expressed her admiration for her husband, Jeffrey. She revealed that he wrote to her every day while he was in college and during his time in the military. Ina kept all of the letters in a box, cherishing them as a special record of their relationship. She described the gesture as truly remarkable.

The Barefoot Contessa host shared that she ran her memoir by Jeffrey before sending it to her publisher. According to her, Jeffrey sat down at 1:30 in the afternoon to read it and didn't get up until he finished at 7:30 that night. She jokingly added that she brought him snacks so he wouldn't starve.

Ina also mentioned that rediscovering their letters helped her remember details about her and Jeffrey's relationship. She stated that it made them realize, "Oh yeah, that's right. That did happen."

Editor's P/S:

Ina Garten's revelation about her husband's selfless act highlights the profound significance of compromise in marriage. Jeffrey's willingness to prioritize Ina's happiness over his own