What is a carrot?
Carrots are a root vegetable that grow in the ground. They belong to the Apiaceae family which also includes parsley, celery. and parsnips. Carrots at the grocery store can come in many varieties from large whole carrots with no stems, to smaller and sometimes rainbow carrot bunches with the stems still on them. Carrots are also commonly available packaged in bags as baby carrots, shreds, or slices. The pre cut options are great at saving time in the kitchen! Pro Tip: Store in water to maintain their crunch!
What do they taste like?
Carrots are very neutral in flavor especially the varieties found in the grocery store with a slightly sweet and earthy flavor and a very crisp texture. Taste can vary depending on the variety, growing conditions, and freshness. I find fresh garden carrots have much more flavor than the ones found in the grocery store.
What to look for when buying?
Look for carrots with a bright vibrant color and a firm texture. Avoid carrots with soft spots or bruising.
How to best prepare carrots?
Carrots are such a versatile produce item depending on what form you purchase them they can be used in almost anything. From raw, to roasted, to soups, sautés and even used in cakes! The options are endless! Here are a few ideas I like to use each common form of carrots found at the store.
1. Shreds are great for salads, spring rolls, bowls, slaws, and carrot cake.
2. Baby carrots are easy and great for snacking or eating with a dip like hummus or using on a charcuterie or snacking board.
3. I love to buy small whole carrots typically sold with the stems still attached and often available in orange or rainbow varieties to roast whole. These have a great presentation too!
4. I also love to roast the large carrots by cutting into bite sized pieces before roasting and of course dicing and using in soups.
To peel or not to peel carrots?
I grew up ALWAYS peeling carrots before using them. Why? I don't know, it was just something I thought we had to do. Maybe carrots back then had tougher skins? I'm not sure, but now, I usually don't peel my carrot skins unless they are particularly rough. Did you know there is a concentrated amount of nutrients in the skin? Yet another reason to not peel your carrots. I just give them a good wash and use them without peeling. An in-between step is to take an abrasive scrubber and rinse your carrots giving them a light scrub.
How to best store at home?
Carrots have a fairly long shelf life and are best stored in the fridge. If you have purchased carrots with the green stems still attached, use them quickly or remove the stems as they can suck up moisture and cause the carrots to go soft quicker. If carrots start to go soft but no other signs of rot or bruising you can revive them by storing in a container submerged with water in the fridge. This will help restore moisture back into the carrot causing it to firm up. In fact, storing your carrots especially cut carrots in water will help preserve them for MUCH longer. Just be sure to switch out the water every few days or so.
What is the best season?
Carrots are readily available year round in the store and grow fairly easily year round in most climates. Typically carrots are harvested in late summer through to fall. However, I have personally planted carrots (Zone 9B) in October and harvested throughout winter and early spring.
Nutritional Benefits
Carrots are rich in vitamin A and an excellent source of antioxidants. In fact, just one large carrot serves as one whole serving of veggies! They are also low in calories, fat free, cholesterol free, and low in sodium. All of this makes carrots a great choice to incorporate into your diet if you are trying to eat more veggies!
