Butternut , acorn and other winter squashes are hearty and healthy, and perfect comfort foods for cold weather months. But these squashes can be a pain to prep. They have thick skins, irregular shapes and firm flesh, making them tough to peel and chop.

Its definitely a lot easier to just leave the skin on a common practice when youre cooking squash to scoop out the flesh to eat. But is the skin actually safe to eat? And, beyond that, is it pleasant to eat?

Some well-known chefs are proponents of leaving the skins on winter squashes. Jamie Oliver , for example, advocates eating the skin of butternut squash.

You can eat the skin, so theres no need to peel it, Olivers website says. Simply halve it, scoop out the seeds and chop it into chunks, then roast it and add it to a warm winter salad or throw it into curries, stews or soups. You can also roast the seeds and eat them as a snack or sprinkled over a finished dish.

Others say the tough skin of most winter squashes isnt very palatable.

Im always in the camp of using the whole product when possible, and squashes can be great for this, Colin Mills , senior recipe developer at HelloFresh , told HuffPost. There is a big difference, though, between edible and tasty when it comes to squash skin. For those you should eat, it can provide a huge nutritional boost of fiber and vitamin A.

So, which winter squash skin can you eat? We asked chiefs to weigh in.

Is winter squash skin safe to eat?

All winter squash skin is technically edible (and when we refer to winter squash, were contrasting it to soft summer squashes, like yellow squash and zucchini).

All the skins are just fiber and completely safe to eat, said Ann Ziata , a chef at the Institute of Culinary Education . The skin can look pretty while adding color and texture to a dish. Youll also save a lot of time by skipping all that pesky peeling.

Squashes with deep orange or yellow flesh, skin and all, offer numerous health benefits. They are great sources of vitamin A, vitamin C, vitamin B6, protein, fiber, magnesium, and potassium, according to the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health .

Is winter squash skin palatable?

Whether youll enjoy eating the skin depends on the type of squash and how thick the skin is, Ziata said. Some are better prepared when peeled.

The thicker the skin, the greater the chance it will remain tough to chew, even after its cooked, said Isaac Toups, owner of Toups Meatery in New Orleans and developer of the spice line Spiceology . But, if you treat them just right, you can get them crispy and tasty, even the thicker skins.