Carrots yield: how much is usable after prep (AP to EP %)
Carrots: about 82% usable going whole (without tops) to peeled, with a published range of 58–93%. That is a cost factor of 1.22: for every kilo you need ready to use, buy 1.22 kg as purchased.
Yield by preparation stage
| Stage | Average | Range | What is lost | USDA item |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Without tops → scraped or peeled by hand | 82% | 58–93% | Scrapings | 481 |
| Without tops → machine scraped | 83% | 68–89% | Scrapings | 482 |
| With full tops → hand scraped | 59% | — | Tops and scrapings | 479 |
| Scraped → boiled | 92% | 88–97% | Water lost in cooking | 484 |
Bunched carrots with full tops cost you over 40% in tops before the peeler comes out. Price them per kilo of root, not per bunch.
Prep notes
A Y-peeler and a light hand take less than a scraper or a turning knife; for stock and long braises, scrub and skip peeling altogether. Turned or barrel-shaped carrots look smart but can lose a further 20–30% of the peeled weight, so price that garnish separately.
What the yield does to the cost
Large carrots, 10 kg at £7.49 (JJ Foodservice, 10 Oct 2026) is £0.75 a kilo as purchased. At 82% usable that is £0.91 per usable kilo.
Worked example: a 120 g portion of roast carrots needs 146 g as purchased, costing 11p. Costed on the bought weight it would read 9p, so the costing would be 18% light: 2p a portion, or £1.97 over 100 portions.
| Usable carrots needed | Buy (as purchased) at 82% |
|---|---|
| 1 kg | 1.22 kg |
| 5 kg | 6.1 kg |
| 10 kg | 12.2 kg |
Use 82% in the yield calculator →
Typical uses
Roast and glazed carrots for Sunday dinners, mirepoix, carrot and coriander soup, coleslaw, carrot cake and crudités.
Storage and the trim
Refrigerate in the bag they came in, dry; damp carrots go soft and slimy fast. Peeled carrots keep two to three days in a lidded tub with a damp cloth over them. Peelings and tops go to stock; carrot tops also make a pesto if you have the time.
Yield source: USDA Agriculture Handbook No. 102, Food Yields Summarized by Different Stages of Preparation (Matthews and Garrison, USDA Agricultural Research Service, 1975), Table 1, items 481, 482, 479, 484 (US samples of carrots without tops). Prices as stated, read on 10 Oct 2026. Your own case is the real number: weigh it in the yield calculator.
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