Did You Know?

Back to School With British Carrots

The bell has rung on summer and it’s time to get back into the school routine.  For many busy mums that means the dreaded dilemma of the lunch box – how to pack the necessary nutrition into something that the kids will actually eat.  The simple carrot could just be mum’s magic ingredient!

As the nation’s favourite vegetable¹ consumers crunch their way through an amazing 700,000 tonnes of carrot a year – that’s around 100 carrots per person.  Fortunately, their popularity extends to children, with many citing it as their favourite vegetable.  However, for any awkward little darlings who refuse to eat carrot, the promise of the power of night vision might just sway it!  There is scientific proof supporting the old wives’ tale that carrots help you to see in the dark.  Carrots are packed with Beta-carotene which is converted into vitamin A in the body. Vitamin A is vital for healthy vision as it is transformed into a purple pigment called rhodopsin in the retina, and this pigment is essential for vision in dim light.

Many of Britain’s children are actually deficient in Vitamin A; the National Diet and Nutrition Survey of Young People revealed that 13 per cent of 11-14 year old boys and 20 per cent of 11-14 year old girls have vitamin A intakes below the minimum amount needed for good health.² This is worrying as vitamin A is not only necessary for healthy vision but it aids the growth of healthy bones and teeth and is essential for the proper functioning of the immune system.

In addition, carrots are packed with fibre, which helps to keep the digestive system healthy, they balance blood glucose (sugar) levels and keep your child feeling fuller for longer, making carrots a fantastic, healthy snack.

There are so many delicious ways to include carrot in a child’s packed lunch and just half a medium sized carrot counts as one of their 5-A-DAY.

Carrot sticks are the obvious accompaniment to your child’s favourite dip and are equally delicious grated into a sandwich to bolster their usual filling of houmous, cheese or tuna mayo but other scrumptious ideas to get your kids eating more carrots are:

Fill jacket potatoes with a mixture of grated carrot and Red Leicester cheese.

Add grated carrots to salad and toss with all the other ingredients.

Add grated carrots into pasta sauce and serve for lunch as a cold pasta salad.

If coleslaw is a hit, add extra grated carrot to your regular brand and pot up for lunch.

Mix mashed carrots with mashed potato, then use to top cottage pie or fish pie.

 

Try some of the delicious, healthy lunchbox ideas below or check out www.britishcarrots.co.uk for more ideas.

 

Houmous and Carrot Sandwiches

Half a pot of fresh Houmous dip

1 large carrot

Multigrain bread

 

Spread multigrain or wholemeal bread with houmous (reduced fat if you’re feeling extra good!) then top with crunchy grated carrot. Perfect for everyone’s packed lunch box.

 

Roasted Carrot and Houmous Dip

This makes a tasty change to traditional houmous and is a perfect for lunchtime accompaniment or break time snack. Plus all the veg help your little ones on their way to 5-a-day.

 

Preparation time: 10mins Cooking time: 15mins Serves: 4

Per serving: 181 calories, 8g fat, 1.2g saturates, 11.7g sugars, 0.6g salt

 

350g carrots, washed, trimmed and cut into 2cm chunks

3 cloves garlic, unpeeled

2tsp cumin seeds

2tbsp olive oil

1 (410g) can of chick peas in water, drained

juice of 1 lemon

salt and freshly ground black pepper

 

For the crudités:

1 carrot, peeled and cut into batons

1 green pepper, cut into batons

10 cherry tomatoes

10 button mushrooms

 

Preheat the oven to 220ºC/Fan 200C/400ºF/Gas Mark 6. Place the carrots in a small roasting tin, add the garlic, cumin and 1tbsp of the olive oil, then toss to mix – tuck the garlic under the carrots. Roast for 15-20mins or until the carrots are lightly charred and tender.

Add the chick peas to the roasting tin and stir well to capture all the cooking juices. Slip the garlic from their papery skin – discard the skin. Transfer to a food processor, add the remaining oil and lemon juice and then whiz on the pulse setting to form a creamy puree. Season to taste with salt and ground black pepper.

Transfer to a tuperware pot and pack for lunch with vegetable crudités.

 

Fun carrot facts:

The World’s Longest Carrot was grown by Joe Atheron from Mansfield Woodhouse, Nottinghamshire in 2007. The carrot was measured in at 5.84 metres, over 19 foot long.

If you laid all the carrots grown in the this country in one year end to end they would reach 2.3 million kilometres – that’s two and a half return trips to the moon.

The orange colour of carrots is caused by pigments called carotenoids, which is where the carrot gets its name. But carrots were not always orange, in 2000 BC the vegetable appeared in a variety of hues including purple, white, red, green, yellow and even black. It wasn’t until the 15^th century that the orange carrot was first harvested.

When taken on a regular basis, beta-carotene can help to protect your skin from excessive ultra-violet (UV) radiation and sunburn. That’s not to say you should ditch your sunscreen if you eat a lot of carrots! You should still follow sun safety advice and cover up during the hottest part of the day, wear a hat and regularly slather on sun screen with a high SPF.

Notes to Editor:

1. 1.     Mintel May 2001.
2. 2.     National Diet and Nutrition Survey: Young People Aged 4-18 Years. 2000.