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We peel our carrots because our dog loves to eat that part! So the peels never go to waste. :)

I buy organic and scrub the veg, unless its something like celery root which I do peel. If I am in a bind and buy non-organic from the deli, I will usually peel it. I heard all the vitamins are in the skins!

We have two little garbarators to feed at our house (guinea pigs), we peel everything that they'll eat, to give to them just so they stop squealing at us everytime we walk by my daughter's room!

I just recently purchased a grater (newly married, slowing stocking kitchen with necessary supplies) and I'm using it more than I thought. Peelers are different than graters but but I find grating can be faster and easier with certain foods. The other day I grated (after I peeled and cored) apples to make a cinnamon applesauce in my rice cooker. I do not own a hand mixer or blender and I knew I wouldn't be able to smooth the applesauce after finished in the cooker so I wanted to get the apples in the smallest parts possible. And it worked! The sauce is chunky of course but it's delicious.

Although I buy organic carrots, I peel them. I guess it's because of all the food safety problems, even with veggies. In the past, I scrubbed them. I think it's faster to peel too.

I've never thought NOT to peel carrots. For the cukes-it depends on whether or not they are in season (because yes, I do cave and buy produce from far away lands) and if it is the thin-skinned variety. Eggplant-never.

I don't peel. I just scrub. I always heard that most of the nutrients are in the peel, so I figured I had better eat it!

I peel, but it depends on the quality of what the veggie is going into.
For Fancier stuff, ala Boeuf Bourguignon, I'll always peel.
Rustic chicken soup? veggies just get a scrub.

I almost always peel cucumbers, since they can be waxed to make them last longer, and I doon't want to eat the wax.
I rarely peel potatoes, because my very irish mother told me too often "the nutrients are in the skin". I don't know if she's right, but I just can't seem to get her out of my head.

I peel depending on the quality of the vegetable (fresh summer carrots don't get peeled, but tough winter ones do).

Veggie peels and ends always wind up in broth, though, so they don't go to waste, and the broth tastes much better because of it!

I stopped peeling carrots a few years ago and have never looked back. I don't notice the difference, and my ultra-texture-picky husband hasn't even noticed.

I only peel carrots if I'm making a dish for a "fancy" occasion... say, Thanksgiving (where appearance might matter). Otherwise, I give 'em a good scrub and call it a day. In our house, they're typically just being added to a dish - can't really tell.

It depends where the carrots are destined to go. If they are getting sliced for crudites they usually don't get peeled as there will only be skin on 1/4 and people can suck it up. Likewise if they are getting grated into a salad or sliced into rounds for some sort of soup.

However, when I made my grandmother's chicken soup which requires whole carrots, I just tossed them in with the skin on. The skin got all weird and wrinkly. It was kind of traumatic. So now whole carrots for soup are the only kind that get peeled around here.

IMHO, too many vegetables are peeled. Some that I never peel: apples, carrots, potatoes, sweet potatoes, tomatoes, eggplant, butternut squash. Cucumbers with waxed skin I peel, but not English (hothouse) cucumbers.

OTOH, I always peel avocados, bananas, onions, oranges, shallots, garlic, and other vegetables whose skin is simply inedible.

I never peel!!! The peels add fibre, nutrients, and flavor -- and not eating them is just plain wasteful. This goes for carrots, parsnips, apples, peaches, and even kiwis! Just give'em a good wash and munch away.

i guess we peel. i know that we don't necessarily need to (organic usually), but its a way that my daughter can contribute during prep time until she gets better with knives.

I peel cukes, eggplants, carrots, potatoes and sweet potatoes. The skins have a bitter component that give me stomach aches. I never peel zucchini or summer squash. I prefer my peaches, apples, papaya and pears peeled. The skin feels like it cuts the inside of my stomach and the flavor of the fruit is better without the skin. The peels are wonderful compost and not wasted.

It depends on what I'm making, but I tend not to peel. Unless my husband is in the room, then I have to peel. He would freak out if he knew he was eating non peeled carrots ALL THE TIME.

And the dog loves the carrot peelings.

I rarely peel anything unless appearance really matters or the peel is really tough.

I peel carrots, some potatoes, but the most important a good peeler.

I always peel carrots and feed the scraps to the dog, who eyes me like a hawk the entire time, waiting for the goodies. I wouldn't want to deprive her. Apple peels and cores are her other favorite treat.

As for parsnips, I don't think I've ever seen any that weren't heavily dipped in wax, so they always require peeling. Where are the unwaxed ones hiding? Do I have to grow them myself?

Leisureguy - you don't peel butternut squash?

I was working with one yesterday and the peel was like wood.

I might need to research this because I love butternut squash, but abhor peeling it.

I don't really peel carrots, unless I'm having them just alone boiled. But in a stew I just chop and throw them in. It's partly laziness and partly not wanting to waste anything! Hehe. I don't know how you could not peel a butternut squash unless you were roasting it, but in a soup wouldn't the skin be too tough to blend? I don't know.

I don't peel but I do usually get organic carrots.

I generally peel carrots (and save the peels in the freezer for stock), though I guess it's largely out of habit. And I peel apples if I'm putting them in a pie or making apple butter, though not if I'm just eating them out of hand. Fruits and vegetables with inedible peels get peeled.

Potatoes, sweet potatoes, peaches, tomatoes, etc. - these are all way too much work to bother to peel!

I peel depending on what I'm making; I find peeled fruit and veggies taste different than the unpeeled kind. If I am cooking with strong flavors or want a more rustic or earthy taste, I'll leave the peel in; if I am making something with more delicate flavors, or where I think the peel will cause a texture problem, I peel.

I peel because its faster than getting all the dirt off.

I hardly ever peel carrots, because 1. I grow my own and they're organic, 2. I'm lazy, 3. There are vitamins in the peel.
But if it's important to the recipe I will peel them.

Several people have put in this in the context of organic versus standard, and I'm curious why? Organic isn't necessarily "cleaner", just chemical free. One could argue that organic is more likely to have e coli and other bio-hazards.

Regardless, I brush, not peel.

My dad has a low immune system due to a lung transplant, and we went to classes to learn how to cook for him. I was amazed at how much dirt is on everything, even if you scrub for ten minutes. I am sure my immune system can handle it, but I still peel carrots and potatoes.

We peel everything now that we have a 1-year-old, who can't yet handle the texture of skin. I forgot how luxurious and elegant skinned mashed-potatoes and braised carrots could be! I might be converted.

I usually peel carrots, but not much else...I guess I peel carrots out of habit (will have to stop!). @ Mid-C Frank organic vs. non-organic peeling is referring to those chemicals that may be absorbed on the surface of non-organic foods, not necessarily dirt. The interior flesh is purported to be protected from the chemcials by the skin, so peeling will eliminate most of the chemicals whereas washing won't.

I don't really peel much of anything, but it depends on what I'm cooking. I generally do a more rustic style of cooking and unpeeled veg is not an issue but sometimes I will!

Wow, I never thought of not peeling carrots. I had roast unpeeled carrots at a relative's house once, and chalked it up to his lack of culinary knowledge (which he was known for).

As for potatoes, it depends on what I'm using them for. But sweet potatoes, cucumbers, apples, never. Wax won't kill you.

ABreadADay.com

I used to leave peel on everything - I love unpeeled carrots in stew.

But since I'm living in Peru... I just worry about what might be on them. Sure, I can wash them, but I'm a busy working mom, and peeling is a lot faster. And I give the peels and tops to the rabbit, so they aren't being wasted anyway.

Organic vegetables are far more dangerous than conventionally raised ones. Manure vs synthetic fertilizer - synthetics are not going to be a source of malevolent bacteria while manure can be.

Whatever your ridiculous, illogical fears of science are, do try to keep them somewhat plausible.

@preppycuisine Manure is hardly the only concern for people in choosing between organically and conventionally grown produce.

And wow, the attacks are kind of unnecessary, don't you think? Keep it civil, people.

I never peel carrots. I tried to do it once in the presence of my mom and she said "we don't peel carrots" so I just don't do it. No idea why.

Oh, and cashba re: butternut squash i love it too but I hate peeling it. So i buy it pre-cubed and pre-peeled. I have found no difference in flavor.

In Melbourne, I picked up the habit of not peeling kiwi. The first time it's a bit weird. Then it isn't.

When I was growing up we didn't peel anything. I remember the first time I saw a peeled cucumber - it was very strange to me. I think washing is the way to go - much faster and less mess to clean up!

Scrub, don't peel. The good stuff is in the peel. :9

I also leave poatoes in their jackets, even when I make mash. The only thing I peel is eggplant.

I buy organic and scrub too

Scrubbing is better.