Turnip
Turnips have a strong flavour and distinctive purple-white colouring. Large turnips were once used to carve Jack-O-Lanterns prior to the pumpkin.
Nutrition
The bulb part of turnips is a source of vitamin C to support our immune system with the green parts containing folate, calcium and vitamin E.
Shopping Guide
Try to pick up turnips that feel heavy for their size and are on the smaller side as these are typically sweeter.
Serving Suggestions
Raw turnips grated into a slaw or salad will be a completely different flavour to ones roasted and seasoned with salt, pepper and lemon juice, or mashed with sweet potatoes and butter.
Storage
Store your turnips in a cool area, this could be your fridge. Put them in a container and ensure the lid is left slightly open to allow for airflow or put them in a perforated bag which will keep good moisture levels.
Seasonality
Buying veg in season is not only great for the planet, it can be good for your wallet, too! Seasonal veg are often cheaper and frequently taste better, so can be a better time to try with a child as the often sweeter, riper taste is more enjoyable.
At Its Best:
October - February
Engage
Here are some of our favourite ways to engage kids with turnips:
Arts & Crafts
Start simple with some non-food based engagement. This is especially helpful for a fussier child or those with sensitivities around food.
DOWNLOADS:
For turnips, why not try making a turnip face mask by printing out our carrot face mask and colouring with turnip colours instead?
Sensory
Sensory exploration can be a wonderful introduction to physically interacting with veg. Turn it into a positive, pressure-free experience by starting off with the golden rules of “You don’t need to try and you don’t need to like.” Reassuring a child that, while they have a chance to taste a veg, they don’t have to, and are not expected to like it if they do, can make them more happy to engage with it.
Explore the look and feel of a turnip. What does it look like? What colours do you see? What does it remind you of? What does it feel like? Is it bumpy, smooth, soft, hard, rough? How would you describe it to someone who had never seen one before?
Kids in the Kitchen
Children who help to prep and cook veg are more likely to eat it. If you feel your child is ready to help and could benefit from it, keep the stress and mess to a minimum by choosing one simple task for them to do as part of the prep, meaning they can be involved and feel like the recipe is in part ‘theirs’, but also not make the process too much longer or more complicated.
For a younger child, why not give them a bowl with some chopped turnips that they can toss in oil and salt and lay out on a tray ready for roasting. Get them to set a timer for you, and maybe even show them how to set the oven temperature to preheat.
For an older child, it could be a great opportunity to teach some essential knife skills. Show them how to safely chop the turnip using the bridge and claw grips.
DOWNLOADS:
Use our Kitchen Ninja chart and videos to find simple ways for kids to help in the kitchen.
Your Food
Find your go-to meals in our family favourites section and see what veggies work best with them.
Find out how to add more veg to your suppers here.
Recipes
Serving
The moments before food is offered can be a perfect opportunity for engagement that can help make it more likely a child will eat it!
The first thing to do is remove the pressure. If the veg doesn’t get eaten, it’s not the end of the world. There will be other days, other dinners, other chances. Fun is key here – try not to worry about mess, perfect table manners, or playing with food. Instead, focus on making the process of getting the food to the plates, readying the table, and the actual eating relaxed.
The best principles for success here are the Three Rs (role modelling, rewarding, re-offering) which you can read about here.
But there is one more way you can serve for success, and that is giving your child a role. You don’t have to do this every time, just encourage them in their strengths through it when you can.
Here are some of our favourite ideas:
Design a menu
Come up with a silly name or story for a dish
Help with making a meal plan and choosing veg for dinners or snacks
Help to serve up the meal on dishes, lay the table or create a centrepiece to be involved in the physical ‘serving up’ process
The Wonderful World of Veg
Check out our vegepedia. When to buy in-season. How to store them to keep for longer. How to engage children with each veg, and simple ideas of how to prepare and cook them for maximum taste and minimum waste. Select a veg…