Gwyneth Paltrow has maintained her sense of humour after fans expressed disgust over her unconventional dairy substitute in cooking. On Wednesday's episode of the Today Show, the Oscar-winning actress revealed she uses finely diced arugula instead of milk. By Friday, she responded to the backlash with a witty video on Instagram Stories, showing a basket of greens with the caption: 'Milked fresh from my garden.'
The Arugula Revelation
During a cooking segment on the Today Show, Paltrow demonstrated making turkey meatballs and shared her dairy-free trick. 'If you want to avoid dairy, one trick that I do is I dice up arugula and I put it in,' she said. 'It sounds weird, but it kind of adds, like, a nice texture to it. And it's delicious.' Host Savannah Guthrie acknowledged the suggestion seemed 'weird,' but Paltrow stood by her method.
Fan Reactions
Fans were perplexed and some disgusted by the idea. One Reddit user commented, 'Let's never ask her for a recipe again. Please.' Another added, 'Oh Gwyneth, why are you so darn weird.' The backlash prompted Paltrow to double down with her Instagram video, which featured arugula alongside dill, broccoli, celery, and pea pods.
Paltrow's Dietary History
The actress has long made headlines for her eating habits. She followed a strict Paleo diet for years but abandoned it last year. On her Goop podcast in April 2025, she said, 'I went into hardcore macrobiotic... Lots of fish, vegetables, rice, no dairy, no sugar.' She cited inflammation as a reason for going Paleo with her husband Brad Falchuk. However, she grew tired of the diet and is now reintroducing foods like sourdough bread, cheese, and pasta.
Paltrow also practices intermittent fasting and has promoted bone broth for lunch. Her dietary choices often spark debate, but she remains unapologetic.
Goop Kitchen Expansion
On the Today Show, Paltrow discussed the expansion of her Goop Kitchen brand, which offers takeout, pickup, and delivery. After successful locations in California, the company has moved into New York City. 'It's takeout and pickup and delivery only,' she explained. 'We engineered the packaging... to make sure it arrived still tasting great.' She emphasised that the food is gluten-free, peanut-free, and allergen-free, with vegan and dairy-free options.
Family Life
Paltrow also spoke about her children, Apple Martin, 22, and Moses Martin, 20, who are transitioning to independent lives. Apple recently graduated from Vanderbilt University, while Moses studies music at Brown University. Paltrow admitted struggling with an empty nest but acknowledged it's what she hoped for her children.
Goop's Journey
Founded in 2008 as a newsletter, Goop has grown into a wellness empire selling everything from vibrators to socks. The company faced criticism for the 2020 Netflix documentary The Goop Lab, which explored controversial wellness topics. In 2021, Paltrow launched Goop Kitchen in Santa Monica, with plans for nationwide expansion. However, the company recently faced backlash over staff layoffs in May, citing a 'pivot to AI workflow.'
