Ina Garten Says “Store-Bought Is NOT Fine” for This

If you’re a fan of Ina Garten, you definitely know that her top slogans are “How easy is that?,” “Jeffrey’s gonna love this,” and, most practically, “Store-bought is fine.” Some things aren’t worth the hassle to make from scratch, and in Garten’s opinion, this includes pie crust, vanilla ice cream and some of your favorite Thanksgiving staples.

In a recent video on Williams Sonoma’s Instagram, the Barefoot Contessa shared what you should and shouldn’t buy pre-made from the grocery store this season. Her top two picks for “store-bought is fine” are frozen mashed potatoes and pumpkin puree—which she claims to be better than trying to scoop out a pumpkin yourself.

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But there’s a surprising food that Garten wants you to start making at home for multiple reasons. Hint: you may pair it with your favorite slice of pie. Here’s what she had to say.

When it comes to whipped cream, Garten says that “store-bought is not fine.” She explains why.

“Whipped cream is so easy to make yourself, don’t buy it store-bought in a can,” she pleads. “I have no idea what’s in there.” 

Canned whipped creams are likely more expensive than making a batch of whipped cream at home. And the cans may contain unnecessary ingredients like corn starch, additives and artificial flavors, but making fresh whip at home requires just 3 things.

“It’s just heavy cream, you whip it until [there’s] soft peaks, add some sugar [and] vanilla, it’s so much better,” Garten says. Plus, you can control the amount of sugar that you add to your whipped cream so it’s not too sweet when used to top your pumpkin pie.

We can definitely see when canned whipped cream has a time in place. It’s easy to store, is more shelf-stable and promises a decorative presentation with its handy nozzle. But if you’re looking to impress guests, the simple things—like homemade whipped cream—will have them swooning. Take it up a notch with our Bourbon Whipped Cream recipe, or go plant-based with this highly-rated Coconut Whipped Cream.