Turnip Facts

Q: How do turnips grow?

Turnips grow as a root vegetable from a seed, like carrots.

Q: What should you look for when buying turnips?

Turnips should be firm with no blemishes. Smaller turnips are often sweeter.

Learn fun turnip facts and general information about turnips. This page includes how turnips grow, how to choose and store them, nutrition facts, and easy recipe ideas.

Kids Cooking Activities Teaching Materials

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Fun Turnip Facts

Turnips are root vegetables.
They grow underground from seeds.
Turnips are often white with purple tops.
Smaller turnips are usually sweeter.
Turnips can be mashed or added to soups and stews.

How Turnips Grow, Buying Tips, and Storage

Turnips Are Available

Turnips are available in the autumn.

How Do Turnips Grow?

Plant a seed and turnips grow as a root vegetable just like carrots do.

What to Look for When Buying Turnips

Turnips should be firm with no blemishes. The smaller the turnip, the sweeter it often is. Turnips usually have white skin with purple tops.

Turnip Storage Tips

Store turnips in plastic bags in the refrigerator crisper drawer.

Kid Tip: Smaller turnips are often a good choice for trying turnips for the first time.

How to Cook Turnips

How to Use Turnips

Wash the turnips well and peel if needed.
Dice them for soups or stews.
Boil and mash them for a simple side dish.

Cooking Tip: Turnips work well mixed with other root vegetables in soups and stews.

Turnips vs. Potatoes

Turnips have a firmer texture and a stronger flavor.

Potatoes are milder and starchier.

Both can be mashed or cooked in soups, but turnips bring a slightly different taste to the dish.

Food Science: Why Smaller Turnips Taste Sweeter

Why Are Smaller Turnips Often Sweeter?

Smaller turnips are usually younger and more tender. As turnips grow larger, they can become stronger in flavor.

That is why smaller turnips are often easier for kids to enjoy.

Mini Activity

Turnip Color Check

Look at the outside of a turnip and notice the white and purple colors.
Cut it open with adult help.
Compare the outside colors to the inside color.
Talk about how some vegetables look different on the outside than on the inside.

This activity helps kids observe color and compare different parts of a vegetable.

Turnip Nutrition Facts

Turnips are high in fiber, vitamin C, calcium, and potassium.

Turnips contain fiber.
They are a source of vitamin C.
They also provide calcium and potassium.
Turnips are a nutritious root vegetable choice.

More Food Fact Resources

Turnip Recipes

Vegetable and Beef Stew

A crock pot stew made with beef, turnips, carrots, potatoes, onion, and celery.

Category: Main Dish
Prep: 20 minutes
Cook: 4 to 10 hours
Yield: Varies

Ingredients

1-2 lbs. beef stew meat, cubed
1/4 cup flour
Salt and pepper
6-8 cups beef broth
1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
1 clove garlic
1/2 teaspoon paprika
2 teaspoons seasoned salt
2 teaspoons brown sugar
2 small turnips, diced
3 carrots, sliced
3 potatoes, diced
1 onion, chopped
1 stalk celery

Directions

Stir flour, salt, and pepper together and toss with beef stew meat to coat. Place in crock pot.
In a large measuring cup or bowl stir together beef broth, Worcestershire sauce, garlic, paprika, seasoned salt, and brown sugar.
Pour over meat.
Chop vegetables and add turnips, carrots, potatoes, onion, and celery.
Cook in crock pot on low 8 to 10 hours or high 4 to 6 hours.

Serving Tip: This stew is a warm way to try turnips with other familiar vegetables.

Classroom Turnip Tasting Idea

Kids Love Raw Turnip... Read On

By Marie (Calgary, Alberta, Canada)

Marie shared that her Kindergarten students loved the chance to eat raw turnip chunks, watch each other like scientists, and then vote on whether they thought classmates liked or disliked the turnip.

Students were reminded to eat silently and observe carefully without saying things like “Mmmm” or “yuck,” so everyone could make their own guesses.

She found that only one child out of 14 did not like the turnip, and she had seen similar results with older students too.

After the tasting, she read a shorter version of The Enormous Turnip.