How to Store Carrots Like a Champ
How long do carrots last? Well, that depends on how you store carrots and where you store them, of course. While it feels like your produce is always on borrowed time, carrots can have a surprisingly long shelf-life. You’ll have to store your carrots in the refrigerator, but how you store them can actually make a difference.
Raw carrots, when properly stored will usually stay fresh for around 3 to 4 weeks in the fridge. If your carrots are sliced or chopped, you can store them in the fridge and they’ll last for about 2 to 3 weeks. But if your carrots are cooked, they’ll only last 3 to 5 days in the fridge, so make sure to eat that leftover stir fry this week.
Of course, all that being said, you can actually extend the shelf life of your carrots by storing them in plastic bags or a bowl covered in plastic wrap, such as Glad® Press’n Seal®, while in the fridge. Simply place your carrots in your storage method of choice, making sure to remove any excess air and seal everything up tight.
While baby carrots, sliced carrots and shredded carrots shouldn’t be a problem for your average food storage bag, whole carrots can be tricky. Luckily, food storage bags like Glad® FLEX'N SEAL™ can stretch to fit up to 30% more food and fit even your most awkward shaped items, helping to store your carrots so they last longer and helping you save some precious space.
How to Freeze Carrots
Do you own a carrot farm and need to keep bunches and bunches of carrots fresh for longer? Are you a big fan of carrot cake and want to stash your main ingredient for whenever the baking mood strikes? Or, maybe you’re just a food storage beginner looking to expand your horizons? Well, then you’ll definitely want to know about how to freeze carrots. To properly freeze carrots, you’ll have to blanch them first in order to prevent any harmful bacteria build-up. So follow these simple instruction for the ultimate Glad guide and you’ll be an expert on how to freeze carrots faster than you can say “carrot.”
1. Start by removing the tops of your carrots
2. Wash and peels the carrots under cold to lukewarm water, removing any dirt
3. Optional: Cut the carrots into your desired shape — cubed, sliced or stripped will all work
4. Then, boil some water and plunge the carrots into the pot — 5 minutes for whole carrots and 2 minutes for cut carrots. Chill the carrots in ice water immediately after.
How to Thaw Carrots
So you’ve put your expertise on how to freeze carrots to good use and now you’ve found the perfect carrot-based casserole or soup recipe. You’re ready to break out a bag from the freezer, but what comes next? Luckily, for many dishes, you can toss your frozen carrots right into whatever you’re cooking. So not much waiting around for that 5-star carrot dish. However, if you do need to defrost those carrots, you can do so a couple different ways that don’t involve a microwave, which will typically leave them mushy.
First, you can take your carrots from the freezer and place them into the refrigerator to thaw naturally. This could take up to several hours and is best done overnight.
If you’re looking for a quicker thaw, take your plastic freezer bag and submerge it in a bowl of cold water, changing the water every 30 minutes or so until the carrots are sufficiently thawed. If you choose this method, be sure to know that the USDA recommends not having slices carrots left out at temperatures above 40°F for more than 2 hours.
Whatever method of defrosting you choose, the Glad® FLEX'N SEAL™ will be a good way to allow your carrots to come up to room temperature while making sure none of the nature liquids the carrots will release get all over your fridge or countertop.
With knowledge of how to store carrots and how to freeze carrots, you’re ready to go out and make the most of your carrot stash. And with all that knowledge, your bound to make meals you’ll want to eat over and over again, so be sure you also know how to properly store leftovers to make sure you continue making the most of your delicious food.
