Ina Garten & Martha Stewart Fighting About Alcohol Is a Feud We Weren't Expecting

Well, here’s a celebrity feud we weren’t expecting: Martha Stewart versus Ina Garten. It’s not about an apple tart recipe either — it’s about alcohol consumption during a pandemic.

Let’s take you back to where is all started with an early January post by Reese Witherspoon, who was talking about starting good habits for 2022. She asked her followers, “Are there any that have improved your daily life?” Garten chimed in the comments with a cheeky answer, “To quote @reesewitherspoon – that sounds great but I’m probably not doing any of those things! LOL!! My formula is easier to follow: 1. Drink more large cosmos 2. Stay up late watching addictive streaming series, 3. Stay in bed in the morning playing Sudoku instead of reading a good book. 4. Spend more time (safely) with people you love. In a pandemic, I do what I can!” Obviously, Garten was just tossing out a few silly answers to Witherspoon’s more serious question, but Stewart didn’t appreciate her answer.

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When asked about the Barefoot Contessa’s new year’s list by People, the lifestyle guru responded, ‘”I do not agree about taking to drink to cope with things like the pandemic. To me that’s not charming.” Ouch! Well, Stewart isn’t wrong about the issue of drinking during the pandemic — alcohol usage increased by 14% over the last two years for adults over the age of 30 — with women showing a 41% increase in heavy consumption, according to a September 2020 RAND Corporation study. So she’s noting that many people are struggling with the emotional repercussions of the last two years. And as someone who is “not a big drinker,” she wanted to draw attention to Garten’s comment.

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But we also have to remember that Garten is also reminding us to make sure to indulge in the lighter side of life — puzzles, binge-watching TV, spending quality time with family — in addition to a refreshing cocktail. She certainly wasn’t suggesting that people, who are having issues with alcohol, consume more during this delicate time. The good news is that Stewart agrees with Garten’s suggestion of a Netflix-and-chill evening. She’s been busy watching Yellowstone and noted, “Kevin Costner never looked better.” So we will call this feud a draw — Garten was just offering up some light-hearted advice, but Stewart isn’t wrong to point out that we’ve all felt the effects of the long pandemic.

Before you go, click here to see celebrities who have struggled with drug or alcohol addiction.

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