'Cos I know that potatoes don't (boo!), and parsnips are of a very similar consistency (at least when roasted)...

As far as I know they do count, as do sweet potatoes, turnips etc.

The reason potatoes are excluded is because they are often used to replace the carbohydrate element in a meal (e.g. instead of pasta or rice). The other root vegetables are eaten as well as a different carbohydrate element.

That's the official version. Personally, I think they're excluded because otherwise some people would count chips and crisps etc in their daily veg count

Yes, parsnips count! I love them, I could eat just parsnips and gravy as my whole meal.

Good-o! Thanks for that! I've just eaten a load of them in gingerbread crumble from Sainsbury's - mmm! Highly recommended!

Parsnips in gingerbread crumble? WHAT? That's like my two favourite foods together! How does that work? Where will I find it?

Other five a day suggestions
-fruit gums
-vodka and orange
-toffee apple
-coffee beans
- mushroom pakora

You are also supposed to eat 5 golf-ball sized potatoes on top of your 5 fruit and veg per day. The only way to to manage it all is to get up for a special meal in the middle of the night.

Surely wine counts as one of your five a day .Well it is made from grape juice

I think it's a real shame that carrott cake doesn't count - then I'd have no problem

Has anyone tried Jane Grigson's parsnip soup recipe? I had it at a restaurant at Christmas and it was incredible. I can thoroughly recommend it.

The recipe is on the internet so I'm going to try and recreate it before the end of the parsnip season!

That looks a nice recipe jojo01. I used to make a parsnip and apple soup in one place i worked and that was really nice. Just got to make sure you get the nice sweet parsnips and that the stems have not gone all woody.This season seems really good for parsnips.

Root vegetable crisps?
Alan