I was thinning carrots this morning and pulled out a couple of little guys. They kind of looked like baby carrots–which made me think, I can’t remember the last time I saw someone pull out a full sized carrot and munch on it. Everyone eats bagged baby carrots. I started to wonder where did the idea for baby carrots start?
Apparently, the whole bagged baby carrot game started when a California farmer named Mark Yurosek wanted to find a way to salvage all of the twisted ugly carrots that were edible, but that grocery stores would not accept. He decided to cut, peel, and trim carrots down to 2″ inches long–shaving off the undesirable and keeping only cute little uniform carrots. {He actually started with 1″ pieces that he called “bunny balls”, but they never really caught on, so he moved to the 2″.} Obviously the 2″ caught on, though, because “baby carrots” pretty much transformed the carrot industry and significantly cut down on carrots that would have been otherwise tossed or fed to animals.
You probably already know this, but I can’t stand wasted food. It bugs me. It really makes me like baby carrots even more. Waste not, want not. Way to go Mr. Yurosek. Way to go.
~Mavis
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Jerry f says
I did some research on this myself since my hubby refuse to even buy “real carrots” as he called them. The process in making baby carrots is quite bad for you. Ending in a bleach soaked carrot nub.
Beth says
I dislike baby carrots. They turn sllimy so fast in the fridge. I’m a real carrot buyer who peels and cuts them to suit our family!
Krista says
We don’t like the baby carrots at all….they have a funky taste, are often slimy or dried out and are just all around disgusting. We only buy the tops on organic carrots. Expensive, yeah, but they actually TASTE like a carrot.
Holly Tartaglia says
Mavis! The story about the baby carrots is SO cool. My Dad was a produce broker in S. Florida for over 40 years…but he worked summer markets in other parts of the country…he used to sell carrots for Mike Yurosek…many many moons ago! Bunny Luv was one of the brands he sold. What is REALLY cool is that I spent a day with his two grandsons, Derek and Daren, at a theme park in Michigan one summer…it was just a family outing…and I remember them both being really great boys….Daren had a brain tumor when he was little, which caused some physical disabilities…but was great in keeping up with us! I had totally forgotten that day until I read your blog today…I think I was 12 or 13…almost 30 years ago. It must have been around the time they were marketing the baby carrots and that’s why they were in town…who knows. I just read that Daren died recently. He wasn’t supposed to live beyond infancy, but grew into adulthood. Anyway, I had no idea that these people I met once and heard my Dad speak of on numerous occasions was the founder of baby carrots! I guess we didn’t have baby carrots 30 years ago…it’s one of those things you don’t realize haven’t always been there! I am going to start looking for pictures we took on the day at the theme park. I had no idea that Daren had passed. This was a great post which took me on an unexpected walk down memory lane and caused me to look this family up! Thank you! Also, as a side note, I remember seeing fields outside of the packing house where my dad worked that were piled high with tons of carrots. I remember asking my Dad why they were throwing them away. He responded by telling me it was because “they aren’t pretty and the American housewife won’t buy them”….is it any wonder why companies have so genetically modified our food to make them look or taste as certain way? because we, as consumers, have been so picky about stuff like that. I remember thinking what a waste it was that they were thrown out because of the way they looked.
Mavis Butterfield says
Wow! Thank you for leaving your comment. What a great story. 🙂
Holly Tartaglia says
I like baby carrots and like even more that they are not wasted when over half the world is starving!
carol says
Since I like to grow my own carrots, I guess I don’t mind the ugly ones. I don’t like the taste of the bagged “baby carrots.” I know they peel quite a bit away and soak them in some type of solution to keep them “fresh.” I, too, don’t like food waste, but I do like tasty, nutritious food. Not sure those little, bagged carrots are really that good for you.
Cassie says
When I was thinning my carrots out the other day I was wondering if we can eat those little ones? What do you think?
Cynthia Skelton says
Those carrot thinnings are edible. I plant mine a little too close, then thin out every other one and eat the thinnings while allowing the other carrots to grow bigger.
Holly Tartaglia says
Correction…Daren wasn’t supposed to live 6 months past his diagnosis…not infancy…sorry. Had that mixed up.
Martha says
We have a non-profit organization here that takes all those kinds of reject produce and we clean them, chop them, commercially dry and package them and send them to underdeveloped countries. I think this is an amazing solution to the not-so-perfect looking produce that would normally be plowed under. Check it out: http://ontariogleaners.org/
Linda says
Hi I just wanted to let you know that I knew Mark, he’s passed on and I am very good friends with his son Gary!!! Thanks for lovely memories and letting everyone know where baby carrots came from!!!