HOW TO FREEZE CARROTS

Freezing carrots is a great way to store food that you can enjoy throughout the cold winter months. Learn how easy it is to freeze carrots today.

When I was given a large bag of fresh carrots, about five pounds or so, I was happy to begin the yearly process of stocking the freezer. It is a frugal way to stretch your food through leaner times when some foods are not abundant, tasty or are out of season. Foraging to Supplement your Food Budget is another way to stretch your food supply. You can read more about that here.

Preserving foods using the freezer method is simple. It doesn’t heat up the kitchen nor require a huge quantity of produce or expensive equipment to get started.

I prefer to freeze most vegetables over canning them because the nutritional profile is higher. When food is canned it goes through a heating and cooking process sometimes for long periods of time. As a result, nutrients are lost.

Line a cookie sheet or baking pan that has sides with parchment or wax paper. Set aside.

Gather the amount of carrots you want to freeze.

Wash them thoroughly to clean off any dirt and debris. Pat dry.

Peel and cut to desired size. I like dicing mine the best as they are more versatile that way.

Place cut or diced carrots in a single layer on the baking sheet.

Place baking sheet in freezer for a few hours. They will need to be frozen long enough so that when they are bagged, they will not stick together. The time will vary depending on how large the carrot pieces are.

Put desired amount in quart Ziploc bags. Using the freezer bags will give you a thicker plastic to prolong shelf life and limit freezer burning.

If you have a large amount of carrots to freeze, you may opt for the freezer gallon bags instead.

Spending a little time now is a great way to put food in your freezer for when you want or need it. During the colder fall and winter months using some frozen carrots in your favorite soup recipe is quick and convenient.