I seem to gravitate towards buying smaller vegetables because they seem easier to clean, prepare, cook, and eat. I buy baby bok choy instead of full blown, or baby spinach, baby arugula, baby lettuces etc.

Can anyone speak of the difference in nutritional value? I'd hate to sabotage ourselves nutritionally by not getting more bang for our buck in that way.

Mapiva there is no difference in the nut. value that I am aware of. It is nice to have young tender produce and you should coninue to enjoy it with out worry, nutrition is there from the fist stages of development throughout complete maturity. Keep in mind I am not an expert and just going on my limited knowledge.

Cathy, you are correct so far as the veggies Mapiva ticked off. Greens maintain their nutritional values from the time the first true leaves appear.

Similarly, roots contain the same nutritional value young as old. But nothing compares to the tenderness and flavor of baby carrots, baby turnips, baby beets.

This is not true, however, with veggies whose fruits we eat. Tomatoes, for instance, and peppers, cukes, squashes, eggplants, etc. For them, nutritional values change as the fruit ripens.