A GROUP of British carrot growers is launching a national push to celebrate the crop’s value to diets and farm businesses, with British Carrot Day 2025 set for Friday, October 3.
Leading nutritionist Dr Laura Wyness has backed the farmer-led campaign, arguing that carrots are “one of our nation’s most versatile yet underappreciated foods”.
Dr Wyness, a Scot with two decades’ experience in public health nutrition, said everyday staples risk being overlooked: “When a food falls into the category of ‘common staple’ there’s a real risk its nutritional value is forgotten. Going back to basics, it’s important to ‘eat the rainbow’ — and this is where carrots come into their own. They’re hugely nutritious in their own right, and their colour can make other healthy foods more appealing.”
The awareness day has been organised by members of the British Carrot Growers Association, who have pooled funds to kick-start what they hope will become an annual celebration of buying, cooking and eating British carrots.
Association chair Rodger Hobson, an eighth-generation carrot grower near York, said the campaign is about telling the farm story behind a low-cost staple: “Because they’re relatively cheap, people don’t realise how difficult carrots are to grow. They wilt in heat — this year’s heatwaves have been a nightmare — and they go mouldy when it’s too wet. We swaddle them in straw to protect from winter frosts, and a bout of carrot fly can wipe out a crop.
They’re terribly fussy about soil, too — I leave fields a full ten years before replanting with carrots. If Carrot Day persuades shoppers to pick up an extra bag and try a new recipe, the effort will be worthwhile.”
Mr Hobson added a wider point for shoppers concerned about food miles: “If people want British produce on shelves for their children and grandchildren, they need to support it now.”
Dr Wyness highlights beta-carotene, the pigment that gives carrots their bright colour: the body converts it to vitamin A, supporting vision, skin health and immune function. Carrots also provide dietary fibre — something most UK adults fall short on.
“A medium carrot has around 2g of fibre,” she said. “Paired with hummus or yoghurt, carrot batons make a satisfying snack that combines produce and protein.”
Hobson’s own favourites are honey-glazed carrots with a Sunday roast, or raw batons with hummus. Dr Wyness swears by grated carrot in overnight oats to add colour, texture and nutrients.
