Jinger Vuolo Opens Up About Food Scarcity Growing Up; Duggar Family Followers Saw Clues Years Ago
The Duggar family rose to fame in the early 2000s. With that fame came money. The Duggar family is considered fairly comfortable these days; with a net worth in the millions, they can buy plenty of food. Still, it wasn’t always that way. Before TLC came calling, the Duggar family struggled to make ends meet. Family followers have long suspected the family’s oldest children contended with food scarcity. Jim Bob and Michelle Duggar’s sixth child, Jinger Vuolo, recently revealed a food-related anecdote that points to food insecurity within the Duggar household.
Jinger Vuolo reveals that her siblings hid their food in the bathroom
Jinger Vuolo is sharing more about growing up in the Duggar family than ever before. With a new book slated to be released early next year, she’s sharing tidbits of her past with podcast listeners, but it’s not all happy. The mother of two recently revealed some of her siblings’ “disgusting” habits.
On The Jinger & Jeremy Podcast, Jinger Vuolo revealed that some of her siblings would take their food in the bathroom to prevent others from eating it. She said their mother, Michelle Duggar, was aware of the behavior and tried to break the habit. Still, her siblings feared being left without a meal.
Jinger insisted that her siblings had no reason to hide food, especially in the bathroom. She told her husband that Michelle Duggar made “plenty” of food. Still, she was coy about whether there were enough snacks to keep active and busy kids feeling full and comfortable all day long.
Other Duggar family members have hinted about food insecurity before
While Jinger insisted there was no reason for her siblings to hide food as her mother made “plenty,” Duggar family followers don’t buy it. It is far from the first time that one of the Duggar kids has hinted at food scarcity through their words or actions.
Jill Dillard is the Duggar offspring who addressed the issue the most upfront. In her memoir, Counting the Cost, Jill recalled the first time the TV crew accompanied her family to the store. Jill remembered the trip as a “treat.” Because the production team was footing the bill, they were allowed to add foods they were never allowed to get. Jill said they were excited to add Lucky Charms and frozen pizza to their carts. Jill wrote that they all left with smiles, knowing they would not have to deal with another week of tater tot casserole and bean sandwiches. While Jill didn’t say she grew up dealing with food insecurity, the anecdote paints a vivid picture.
Some behavior seen on Counting On had Duggar family followers questioning how much food the kids had to eat growing up. In 2017, Kendra Caldwell and Joseph Duggar married. Upon their return from their honeymoon, Kendra noted that she had to tell Joseph he shouldn’t lick his plate clean. While Kendra and Joseph passed it off as a quirky habit, Reddit users believe there is more to it. They think it is a habit related to the food insecurity Joseph may have experienced as a youngster.
