What, you don’t reach for parsnips the second you get to the store? Not on your grocery list? Kids aren’t begging for them?

We hear you there. This is where we have to get creative – when it’s all said and done, parsnips are considered “the carrot alternative.” So much so, people actually can confuse them for carrots to this day. What sets parsnips apart? The color!

Carrots? Now we’re talking.

Parsnips are classified in the Apiaceae family, which includes carrots, dill, parsley, and the like. Parsnips are typically a lighter, beige like color but take form like a carrot. The flavor tends to err on the sweet side, which we love. These vegetables are documented back in ancient times and were cultivated by the Greeks and Romans. There was confusion for decades as many classified parsnips as carrots, so there isn’t as much historical information as one might expect.

Like many of us, when you think of parsnip, do you automatically think flavorless, healthy vegetable you don’t need? Check this out – parsnip is loaded with potassium, which is great for the heart all around. The fiber, folate, Vitamins C, and E – all benefit your body in different ways. The fiber aids in digestion and the folate aids in reduced chances of birth defects AND helps mothers with postpartum depression. This root vegetable is great for a healthy diet where you’re trying to eat more soluble foods, helping stop the hunger hormone from attacking so frequently. The Vitamins C, and E are a great help to the human immune system. We should always be on the lookout to find more ways to feed our bodies these vitamins to help go through and attack the white blood cells and free radicals, on their way to nothing but harm.

Let’s take it back to your grocery list. What does one do with parsnip?  They can be sliced and baked as a French fry alternative, roasted, fried to make a healthier hash brown, and are a great addition to soups.  If you plan on picking out and purchasing parsnip, be sure to collect ones that are firm, either small or medium in size. The larger the parsnip, the more fibrous it becomes, while the flavor is best in the smaller versions.

There you have it. Simple and to the point, just like parsnip itself.