Jennifer Garner Just Shared Her Favorite Ina Garten Soup Recipes, and They’re Cozy Classics

At EatingWell, we love all things Jennifer Garner. Whether it’s the latest installment of her “Pretend Cooking Show” or a new release with her kid-friendly snack brand Once Upon a Farm, we’re always tuned in to see what the actor has been up to.

Speaking of Once Upon a Farm, the company just launched their newest line of products: no-sugar-added Refrigerated Oat Bars. The three flavors—Strawberry, Banana Chocolate and Apple Cinnamon—focus on real fruits, vegetables and whole-grain oats in their ingredient lists and are available now to try out.

At the launch party last week in Brooklyn, I had the opportunity to talk to Garner in-person all about the new product—plus some curiosity questions for good measure. Read on to find out more about the bars, Garner’s ideal last meal, the Ina Garten recipe she’s making next and more in this exclusive interview.

EatingWell: What would you request for your last meal?

Garner: Oh gosh, pizza, really great pizza. Roast chicken, a big salad, roasted sweet potatoes or delicata squash. A basic Sunday night dinner, plus pizza! I’ve got to cover that base!

EatingWell: Do you have a favorite pair of sneakers or walking shoes?

Garner: I have a few, but right now I’ve been wearing a lot of Brooks.

EatingWell: If you could have dinner with anyone, who would it be?

Garner: I’m always pretty happy to have my parents.

EatingWell: Do you have a favorite comforting Ina Garten recipe you’re looking forward to making as the weather cools down?

Garner: I love a couple of her tomato soups that I make in the fall. I love her Roasted Tomato Soup, it’s from The Barefoot Contessa Cookbook. And I love the one from Modern Comfort Food where she made it with grilled cheese. At some point, she made grilled cheese croutons, so that is a favorite at my house: a big tomato soup and then you make grilled cheese and cut it into little squares to put in the soup. That’s what I will be having soon—you’re making me hungry!

EatingWell: With this new product on the market, how does it feel to expand the brand?

Garner: It feels so good! We’re nervous because we worked on this for so long, I can’t even. Somebody asked how many iterations of this refrigerated oat bar I’ve tried, and there’s no way I could tell you. There was a refrigerated box showing up at my house several times a week with something delicious in there. My kids were always trying to poach it from me, I had to be like, “No! It’s my job to try that!” Anyway, yes, we’re just thrilled. You know what makes me just happy and proud? Even just being out and about in New York City this week and in Brooklyn today, I see kids in their strollers or walking with their parents who are having Once Upon a Farm. Parents will stop me and tell me that they rely on our brand. So now that this bar is coming out, I know we have moms’ trust, we have parents’ trust, and kids want to reach for what we offer them. We are ready with a bar that makes it easy on mom and that kids are going to love, and that just feels good! It feels good being able to give them what they have been waiting for.

EatingWell: Could you describe each oat bar flavor using one word for each?

Garner: Strawberry is “bright,” Apple Cinnamon is “cozy” and Banana Chocolate is “decadent.”

EatingWell: Do your kids have a favorite flavor?

Garner: Everybody has a different favorite, so I have all three covered!