How Long Do Carrots Last?: Carrots have become one of the essential ingredients in human life as they have many health advantages. People consume raw carrots and use them in making juice, cake, and cooking.
So, everyone buys large quantities of carrots from the store. If you haven’t used them regularly, then you are searching for how long carrots last, and do carrots go bad.
Obtain the actual answer to your questions regarding the carrot’s shelf life in the following sections of this page. Along with this, you can also check the signs of spoilage of carrots, and a simple guide on freezing steps.
- Can Carrots Go Bad?
- How Long Do Carrots Last?
- Baby Carrots Shelf Life
- How to Tell If Carrots Are Spoiled?
- Tips to Store Carrots Longer
- Can You Freeze Carrots?
- Fun Facts About Carrots
- How long do carrots last out of the fridge?
- How to store carrots without refrigeration?
- How long can you keep carrots before they go bad?
- How do you know if carrots have gone bad?
Can Carrots Go Bad?
Yes, carrots go bad. Carrot is a delicious and healthy vegetable which is good for your eyes. Carrots don’t have an expiration date, but they will spoil over a period of time. The carrots will last for 3 to 5 days in the pantry and more days in the fridge. Also, know the freezing process and spoilage signs of carrots in the following sections.
How Long Do Carrots Last?
Usually, carrots can stay fresh for weeks if you store them properly. In bad storage conditions, they can spoil quickly. It is advised not to store carrots near ethylene-rich fruits such as apples, and bananas, because they will go bad quicker.
The shelf life of carrots is different at their different stage such as raw, sliced, cooked, baby, and dehydrated. We have given a table that represents the carrot’s shelf life when stored in the pantry, fridge, and freezer. The raw or baby carrots will last fresh for 3 to 5 days in the pantry, 3 to 4 weeks in the fridge, and 6 to 9 months in the freezer.
It is better to store the cooked or sliced carrots in the fridge or freezer to store for later usage. Dehydrated carrots will last for 1 year in the pantry.
| Carrots | Pantry | Fridge | Freezer |
| Raw whole | 3 to 5 days | 4 to 5 weeks | 6 to 9 months |
| Sliced, in water | Unsafe | 6 to 8 weeks | Not recommended |
| Cooked | Unsafe | 1 week | 6 to 9 months |
| Baby carrots | 3 to 5 days | 3 to 4 weeks | 6 to 9 months |
| Dehydrated | Up to one year | Unsafe | Not recommended |
Baby Carrots Shelf Life
Raw or baby carrots will have a higher life span when compared to others. You can use baby carrots that are placed on the counter for 3 to 5 days. To enjoy the carrots for more days, you have to store them in the fridge. The baby carrots will stay fresh for 3 to 4 weeks in the refrigerator. To use them for more days i.e 6 to 9 months, you have to place them in the freezer. But, you can’t enjoy the fresh quality carrots in the freezer.
How to Tell If Carrots Are Spoiled?
In general, large carrot pieces go bad slower than baby carrots. Because the carrot peel helps it from drying out. All vegetables lose moisture over time and become flabby and gummy. Here we are giving the 5 signs to tell that carrots have gone spoiled.
- Smell: If your carrots smell pungent and unpleasant, then it has gone bad. It is not suggested to eat them and discard them. The fresh carrots don’t have any smell.
- White Spots: If you observe any white spots on the carrots, then it is time to throw them outside. It is an indication that they have started losing moisture and they become tasteless.
- Dried Greens: If you have not removed green leaves from the carrots, they are getting dried over the days in the pantry. They extract moisture from the roots of the vegetable and make it hard.
- Texture: Carrots become dry, and lose their firmness over time. Once you peel the skin, the chunks will start falling off along with the bark. Just trash them.
- Mold: Rotten carrots may have black mold spots on them. Mold carrots can cause health problems. The best choice is to throw them.
Tips to Store Carrots Longer
Here we are giving the best ideas to store carrots for a longer time.
In most cases, carrots bought from the market have green leaves on the top. You have to cut the green leaves before storing them as it speeds up the spoilage. Remember that those green leaves have vitamins which are the best combination for soups and other dishes. If you want to use them in future, then store them in a separate utensil.
You can store the carrots in the pantry or even in the kitchen cabinet for a couple of days. It is better to choose a dark and dry environment and away from other fresh foods that can speed up rot.
Baby carrots should be stored in plastic bags as the air dries them out easily. Always store veggies in plastic bags or containers to keep them moist. You can wrap carrots in a damp paper towel to keep them moist for a longer period.
If you want to store cut carrot pieces, then you have to place them in water. Otherwise, they will dry in the fridge after a few days. Don’t forget to change the water regularly.
People used to store vegetables in basements before the fridge was invented during winters. You can store the carrots by placing them in a wooden box packed with sand.
It is a popular method of preserving vegetables. Peel the carrots, slice them and place them in the clean jars. Pour boiling water into the jars and process them in a pressure canner for 25 minutes.
Store carrots in a jar for about 1 year after dehydrating them. Set a food dehydrator to 125 F, place the carrot pieces and wait for a few hours.
Also, Read
Can You Freeze Carrots?
Yes, you can freeze carrots. Storing raw vegetables in the freezer is not recommended as the low temperatures can cause carrots to crack or damage their structure. So, you have to blanch them and place the carrot slices in an airtight container. Freeze the carrots by placing them in the freezer. Get the guide on how to freeze carrots.
Fun Facts About Carrots
Here we are giving the fun facts about carrots.
- Carrots were first grown as medicine for an assortment of ailments.
- A carrot is not a vegetable.
- Carrots are the second most popular vegetable in the world after potatoes.
- You can plant an actual carrot in the ground and it will make seeds.
- Carrot seeds are so small that about 2,000 seeds can fit in a teaspoon.
- The root is not the only edible part of a carrot.
- Carrots are one of the best plants for pollinators.
FAQs on How Long Do Carrots Last
1. How long do carrots last out of the fridge?
Carrots will last for 2 to 4 days at room temperature.
2. How to store carrots without refrigeration?
You can store carrots in the pantry or in a cellar without refrigeration. To store them in the cellar, you have to place the raw carrots in a wooden box having sand.
3. How long can you keep carrots before they go bad?
You can keep carrots for 3 to 5 days in the pantry and 2 to 4 weeks in the fridge before they go bad.
4. How do you know if carrots have gone bad?
Carrots can go floppy, and soft when they have gone bad. Other signs of spoilage are a rotten smell, dried green, mold, and white spots on the surface.
Conclusion
We think the data written by our content team regarding How Long Do Carrots Last satisfied you all to use the product. When you are freezing the carrots then store them in airtight boxes and keep them safe for a long time. Keep visiting our site for more such articles on Food.