The Truth About The Duggars' Weird Pickle Obsession
The Duggars have some pretty interesting traditions. They tend to get married early (there are already eight married Duggar kids in this young family), they have a lot of kids, they don't celebrate certain holidays (and when they do they get heavily criticized for it), and they really, really love pickles.
What's the big deal with pickles? According to the Duggar kids, it's all their mother Michelle's fault. "The Duggars love pickles," said Jessa in a 2016 episode of Counting On (via In Touch Weekly). "I think it probably started that when my mom is pregnant she craves pickles, that is the one thing. Every time we see her eating pickles we say 'Are you pregnant?'"
Pickles are a Duggar family tradition
The Duggars get started on eating pickles pretty young, and it seems that most of them love the food. The Duggars give their babies pickles and make sure to take plenty of pictures and videos in what appears to be a family tradition. "Any time a family member tries a pickle for the first time, we always go around and take videos and pictures and everyone comes around to watch their facial expression," said Joy-Anna.
Pickles are also a favorite road trip snack. "Our whole van smells like dill pickles, it's just so funny," said Michelle. She also said that they come in handy if someone gets carsick. "And for some reason, my kids said if they feel nauseous, the pickles seem to help them," she revealed.
Pickles even play a big part in the family's Christmas traditions. On Christmas Eve, all the Duggars get a gift bag with Pringles, beef jerky, and yes, a jar of pickles handpicked according to the giftee's pickle preferences. "Almost all of us like pickles, but each one likes a different kind," Michelle told Focus on the Family. "Same with the Pringles and the beef jerky. Christmas is the one time of year when every child gets their favorite flavor of each treat."
If you think pickles and Pringles are a weird combination, that's nothing compared to the pickle slices they put on their pizzas. "That's a Duggar thing, we just all love pickles," James said in a 2015 episode of 19 Kids and Counting (via People).