Do Carrots Go Bad? And How to Store Them The Right Ways

I have not had any rotten carrots at home. I do not mind the expiry dates because it never lasts that long at home. We love to eat carrots, so when my kids see one, it disappears in a bit. Carrots are not expensive, convenient, delicious, nutritious, and they have a longer shelf life. It’s perfect snacks for my kids.

I never store my carrots in the fridge. Hence, when do carrots go bad? How long will they last if I do not cook them right away?

Table of Contents

do carrots go bad?

Yes, of course, they do! Just like other vegetables, carrots deteriorate soon after the harvest. But, among other vegetables, carrots have a longer shelf life. Do you know that carrots can last for 8 months?

Yeah, depending on how you store them, and other factors, it can last that long. You will see that carrots go bad in different stages. You should learn the manifestations of deterioration. It starts from becoming soft and soggy, to the extent of having a rotten odor.

Horse eat carrot on pasture - Photo By Alexas_Fotos

how long can I keep my carrots?

Carrots are one of the most popular and nutritious vegetables that you can easily buy. So, it’s essential to eat them as part of your diet. However, it would be best to be aware of its shelf life.

Take note of the shelf life below, and make this as a reference on the number of carrots you want to buy. I recommend buying what you only need for a particular timeframe.

May you like: How long can you keep your broccoli in the fridge?

Freshly picked carrots stored in room temperature can last up to one week.
Cut and baby carrots that you store in the fridge will last for a month.
Storing whole carrots in the fridge will make them fresh for six weeks.
Blanched and cooked carrots can remain fresh for only a week.
In the freezer, cut and baby carrots last for a year.
Blanched or cooked carrots, however, will last at least eight months in the freezer.

how to store carrots?

I believe that it’s best to eat carrots when it’s fresh. I love to eat it raw, turn it to carrot sticks, and enjoy the crunchy and sweet taste. Give it another few days, and it won’t be that crunchy anymore.

Carrots for sale at supermarket - Via Wikimedia.org

The fact that I live in a cool place, maybe the reason why it’s okay that I don’t place them in the fridge. When you put carrots in a humid environment, they quickly lost their freshness, and worse, molds may grow on them. It’s also a rule not to mix carrots with other fruits and vegetables that produce ethylene gas like bananas and apples. The gas will quicken the ripening process and carrots will go bad fast.

1. Storing Carrots In The Freezer

When you find yourself with too many carrots on hand, then the freezer should be your best friend. However, NEVER include whole carrots in this method if you don’t want to speed up spoilage. Freezing is suitable for cut and baby carrots, or blanched and cooked ones. I suggest to always keeping a freezer-friendly container for times like these

2. Storing Carrots At Room Temperature

Is it okay to store carrots in the pantry? Yes, it is. As I’ve said, I don’t store mine in the fridge. I just brush off the dirt from my freshly picked carrots; get rid of the stem and the leaves, then off they go for storage at my little root cellar.

But you mustn’t include baby carrots (especially from the grocery) and already cut carrots at the cellar or room temperature. They will spoil faster than the regular ones.

3. Storing Carrots In The Fridge

Keep all types of carrots like peeled, cut, blanched, cooked, and baby in the fridge. The regulated temperature of the refrigerator is ideal for maintaining the quality of the carrots for a longer time. Of all the types, the cut and baby carrots are the most critical since they don’t have peels anymore. Without the peel, they spoil faster.

Place open packs of baby carrots inside a tightly sealed container before storing. Do you know that submerging baby or cut carrots in water before placing them in an airtight container will help retain its crunchiness? Using ice water is more effective than tap water. This is only applicable when you plan to use the carrots within two days and not more than that.

On the other hand, the whole raw carrots are okay to be stored directly inside the fridge’s vegetable rack. Although carrots will last for weeks inside the fridge, wrapping them with a paper towel will extend their shelf life even more. Meanwhile, you can place cooked or blanched carrots in an airtight container or a Ziploc bag.

how do I know when my carrots have gone bad?

Are you familiar with the bright orange color of the carrots when freshly picked? How about the mild, green aroma that you smell along with it? Those are fresh carrots for you. However, when it starts to appear with dark spots, it’s a sign that the vegetable is beginning to rot.

Carrots Produce - Photo By ShireShy

Remember when baby carrots become slimy, it’s no longer safe to eat. Thoroughly check your carrots before using. When you notice molds growing on them, it’s definitely spoiled. It’s the same thing with carrots that have white or bluish dots all over and gooey consistency.

Take note that: When you see that your carrots have those white dots, they’re called white blush. It just affects the smoothness and the exterior of the vegetable, but the inside is still safe to eat. White blush is a sign of dehydration.

CONCLUSION

Do carrots go bad? Although carrots have a longer shelf life like other vegetables, they do go bad. It could go bad, sooner or later, depending on how you store them. Hence, make sure to remember how to store them and how long they will last.

Did you find this article helpful? Feel free to share this with your friends who love to cook and eat carrots!

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