Produce Spotlight on Carrots
Carrots, a member of parsley family, are a crunchy, sweet, and usually orange root vegetable eaten both raw and cooked. Carrots provide vitamins A and C and fiber.
Shopping for Carrots
Choose firm, smooth, and evenly shaped carrots with bright color. Avoid flabby, shriveled, or cracked carrots. Massachusetts-grown carrots are harvested between July and December and can be found at farmers’ markets and farmstands. Packaged, canned, and frozen orange carrots are available year-round.
Common Types
Orange – common all-purpose carrot; crunchy with mild flavor.
Yellow – light yellow all the way through; sweet, earthy taste.
Purple – dark violet to reddish purple carrot with an orange-yellow core; intensely sweet and sometimes peppery.
Red – sweeter than orange carrots.
White – mild, sweet flavor.
Baby-cut – fully grown orange carrots cut to small pieces; sold packaged.
Storage and Preparation
- Remove green tops. Refrigerate carrots in a perforated plastic bag away from apples and pears for up to 1 month. Store baby carrots or carrot sticks in a sealed container and refrigerate for up to 1 week.
- To prepare, scrub carrots under cool running water or thinly peel; remove ends.
- Refrigerate cooked carrots for up to 3 days or freeze for up to 9 months.
- To freeze raw carrots, blanch them, cool in water, and drain. Package in labeled freezer bags or containers and use within 12 months.
Serving Ideas
- Serve raw carrots with hummus, low-fat dressing, or dips for a healthy snack.
- Add shredded carrots to soups, stir-fries, and salads for a crunchy, sweet flavor.
- Use shredded or pureed carrots in baked goods, such as carrot bread or muffins.
- Toss washed and scrubbed carrots with oil and roast at 400º F for 20 to 30 minutes to bring out their sweet flavor.
Carrot Math
1 pound carrots =
3 cups =
2½ cups shredded =
2 to 2½ cups cooked
15-ounce can = 3½ cups
Using Locally Grown Produce
For recipes featuring fruits and vegetables, visit our website https://extension.umass.edu/nutrition/recipes/. To locate places to buy local produce, visit https://www.mass.gov/orgs/massachusetts-grownand-fresher.
Nutrition Facts
Serving size: 1 carrot; Calories: 30; Carbohydrates: 7 g; Fiber: 2 g; Fat: 0 g; Saturated fat: 0 g; Sodium: 60 mg
