But if you're still chasing memories of little square-edged carrot batons, there's a really easy way to cut them so that they're perfect for your own lunchbox. (You'll have to write the note ...

Several dozen hours of CAD later, [3DprintedLife] had themselves a crust-cutting robot that also chops ... Watch it remove crusts and chop a lot of carrots with faces after the break.

Preheat the oven to 200C/ 180C Fan/Gas 6. Trim the carrots and peel, if you prefer. Cut any particularly large carrots in half lengthways. Place on a large baking tray and pour over the olive oil.

Cut carrots into ¼-inch rounds, add to bowl with dressing, and toss to coat. Stir in mint, cilantro and dates, and refrigerate until ready to use. The salad will keep, covered, up to 5 days in ...

Find out how to make ahead in the tips section. Preheat the oven to 200C/180C Fan/Gas 6. Cut the carrots and parsnips in half lengthways and cut any particularly large pieces in half again.