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Florida oranges are well known around the world because they are so juicy and delicious. Even in countries that specialize in growing citrus fruits, like Spain, Florida oranges are well regarded. What makes Florida oranges so distinctive? More than one hundred years of citrus expertise make citrus fruits that come from Florida tasty treats that are in high demand all over the world.  Florida citrus fruits are often given as gifts because they are consistently high quality and people know that Florida oranges and grapefruits come from citrus experts.

Citrus fruit has been a major industry in Florida for more than one hundred and fifty years. Originally citrus trees were brought to Florida by explorers who came to Florida from the Caribbean. The tropical climate of Florida turned out to be the perfect climate to grow oranges and grapefruit and citrus farming became a solid industry.  The only real risk to the citrus groves was an occasional freeze in the Florida winter.  The tasty and delicious Florida oranges that were being grown by the grove owners were in demand from the very beginning. Initially, the greatest problem the growers faced was shipping the perishable fruit to the rest of the country before the citrus fruit spoiled. With the development of the railroad system, the grove owners were able to utilize this transportation to ship their citrus fruit across country and to major sports for international shipping. With modern technology and transportation, grove owners can ship their fruit and it reaches the consumer within days so the fruit always arrives at its peak of freshness.

Florida citrus fruit production also sets Florida oranges and grapefruits apart from the fruit shipped by growers in other states.  Because citrus farming is one of the biggest industries in Florida growers in the state work hard to stay on the cutting edge of advances in the industry. Organic farming, faster shipping methods, and exploring new variations of citrus breeds that are better adapted to dealing with the tropical climate of Florida are all areas that Florida citrus growers are making huge gains in everyday. If you want to give a gift that will impress your family, friends, and business associates with its quality giving a gift of Florida oranges or other citrus fruits is the perfect gift to give.

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Article contributed by Hale Groves, providing fresh fruit baskets, gift baskets and Florida oranges and citrus, including delicious navel oranges, honeybells, ruby red grapefruit, valencia oranges, tangerines and more! Visit HaleGroves.com for more information.

A great way to use up all of your Florida oranges before they spoil is to use them to make preserves. Orange marmalade is a tasty treat that everyone in the family can enjoy.  Orange jelly or marmalade is very versatile and can be spooned into yogurt, used as an ice cream topping, mixed with sorbet, served over bread or pancakes, or used in dozens of other ways.  Making preserves is easier than you might think, and it wasn’t that long ago that most people made their own fresh jams and jellies every year from fresh fruit.  The art of canning preserves is making a real comeback as more and more people try to save money and make more sustainable food choices.  This year you should order a box of Florida oranges and make your own orange preserves.

Don’t be intimidated if you’ve never made preserves before. Making preserves does not require hard to find ingredients or any type of special equipment. The ingredient that makes the preserves gel is Pectin. Pectin is found naturally in the orange peel, but you can also add pectin and sugar to make sure the preserves gel. When selecting the citrus fruit you are using for your preserves, research which citrus contains more pectin. For instance, Clementines naturally have higher amounts of pectin than Florida oranges so they are an easier fruit to make preserves with. You will also need canning jars and lids that have seals. It is important that the lids of the jars have seals. Make sure you read up on how to create a hot water seal before you start making the preserves. Having the right seal will allow the preserves to stay fresh for up to a year.  

The most important ingredient you need to make orange preserves is high quality Florida oranges.  The quality of the fruit that you use to make the preserves will play a large role in the taste of the finished product. Using oranges that have been shipped to commercial stores and have been treated with sugar and preservatives will result in jam that doesn’t taste exceptionally well because those fruits are already at an advanced stage of spoiling.  The best oranges to use to make marmalade or jelly are Florida oranges that are shipped directly from the grower.  Those oranges, along with grapefruits and tangerines, are shipped just after picking and will arrive at your house fresh, natural, and totally preservative free.  If you want to make stellar tasting jam and preserves use the highest quality fruit you can buy.

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Article contributed by Hale Groves, providing fresh fruit baskets, gift baskets and Florida oranges and citrus, including delicious navel oranges, honeybells, ruby red grapefruit, valencia oranges, tangerines and more! Visit HaleGroves.com for more information.

This winter Florida citrus can help you and your family stay strong and healthy. The holidays are over, and it’s the time of year when people tend to get sick.  In the letdown that occurs after the holidays people tend to get depressed and when they’re depressed their immune systems don’t work as efficiently.  That depression, combined with the germs and viruses that are swirling in the cold of winter make it more common for people to get sick.  However, eating plenty of Florida citrus will help your immune system stay strong enough to fight off colds and viruses so that you and your family don’t get sick.

Florida citrus fruits like oranges and grapefruits are full of Vitamin C, which has been proven throughout the decades to help boost the immune system. When your immune system is working the way it’s supposed to small colds, viruses and other illnesses don’t stand a chance.  Just one piece of citrus fruit per day can be enough to keep your immune system working in perfect order.  Fresh citrus juice can also help you stay healthy, but eating a piece of citrus fruit like an orange or grapefruit is better than drinking just some citrus fruit juice. However, if you’re someone who is always on the go and don’t have a lot of time you can get all the benefits of the vitamins and minerals in Florida citrus fruit by replacing the water in your morning smoothie with fresh orange or grapefruit juice.  You can also keep a few oranges in your desk at work to make sure that you get a healthy snack during the day.

In addition to Florida citrus keeping you healthy through boosting your immune system, they also help your body fight free radicals. Adding citrus fruit to your diet will help your body heal damaged tissues and muscles.  Improving your body’s overall health will help keep you healthy during cold and flu season. Citrus fruit also helps children fight off the germs they may encounter in the classroom. Make sure to add a piece of citrus fruit to your child’s lunch box, or put some in a brown paper bag in their backpack for snacks throughout the day. The vitamins and minerals they get from adding citrus fruit to their diet will help them avoid getting sick from the germs and viruses they come across at school.   

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Article contributed by Hale Groves, providing fresh fruit baskets, gift baskets and Florida oranges and citrus, including delicious navel oranges, honeybells, ruby red grapefruit, valencia oranges, tangerines and more! Visit HaleGroves.com for more information.



You don’t have to spend a lot of money on organic treats in order to eat healthy.  Florida oranges, grapefruits and other citrus fruits are healthy and sweet treats that won’t break your budget.  Economy size boxes of Florida oranges, or gift baskets full of assorted citrus fruit, are cost effective ways to keep fresh fruit in the house no matter how small your budget is.  If you store Florida oranges in a cool and dark place they will last for quite some time, so you can buy in bulk and save money. If you really want to save money get together with some friends or family members who also want to stock up on fresh citrus fruit and share a box of grapefruits or oranges.  Fresh Florida oranges cost just a fraction of what cookies, cakes and other sweet snacks that are full of refined sugar cost.

There is about one hundred calories in one Florida orange, which makes them a great snack for any family member. Children enjoy the sweet taste, and due to the low calorie count, kids will not gain extra pounds if they have more than one.  Since Florida oranges are high in Vitamin C, parents love the fruit because it helps keep both their children and them healthy by boosting immune systems. Children have a tendency to spread germs easily, having Florida oranges in the house helps keep their kids healthy and tastes great at the same time. Florida oranges are great any time of year, but they are especially beneficial during the winter months.

Switching to Florida oranges after the holidays is the perfect way to get the sweet snacks you crave after weeks of eating cookies and other sweets without breaking your New Year’s resolution to eat healthy. Kids especially can have trouble giving up the decadent and rich desserts that are so easily available during the holiday season but they will benefit the most from making the switch. Once you get used to eating healthy and sweet snacks you’ll find that when you do eat refined sugar snacks they taste flat and stale.  Showing your kids that they can eat healthy snacks that are also sweet and delicious will help them make better food choices throughout their lives, so order some Florida oranges today and get your kids started on a healthy diet that you can afford even if you’re buying groceries on a budget these days.

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Article contributed by Hale Groves, providing fresh fruit baskets, gift baskets and Florida oranges and citrus, including delicious navel oranges, honeybells, ruby red grapefruit, valencia oranges, tangerines and more! Visit HaleGroves.com for more information.

It’s that time of year again – the time when everyone wants to lose those holiday pounds and get ready for summer.  Eating Florida citrus fruit can help you be ready for bathing suit season in no time.  Low calorie Florida citrus fruits are full of fiber that will help you stay full and curb your appetite.  The natural sugars in the fruit are easy for your body to break down and use for energy so those sugars won’t get stored as fat the way that refined sugars are.  Natural citrus fruits like oranges and grapefruit will also give you energy and keep you exercising and active which will help you build muscle and lose weight.

Adding grapefruit to your daily diet is a good weigh to lose weight. When combined with a low calorie diet, studies have shown that by eating a half grapefruit with each meal helps you to double the amount of weight you lose. With many Florida citrus fruits at about one hundred calories a fruit, this makes a great snack, especially to help with those sweet cravings. An added benefit is that having a Florida citrus fruit for a snack can help you lost those holiday pounds.

It is not necessary to starve yourself in order to lose weight. Being smart and eating low calorie, healthy foods instead of high calorie foods is the way to start. Vegetables and fresh fruit, like Florida citrus fruit, are very low in calories and have a lot of the vitamins and minerals that you need to stay healthy.  You also need to use healthy fats, like olive oil, instead of butter, cream, mayonnaise and other fats. A large green salad with fresh grapefruit or orange juice and vinegar dressing and fruit segments has very few calories even though it’s a lot of food. It is very possible to lose weight and still eat a satisfying amount of food, you just have to make sure you eat the right kinds of food.

Exercise is also important to losing weight. Cardio exercise will help you burn calories, and muscle building exercises will help you lose weight too because the more muscle you have the more calories you will burn.  Drinking some fresh orange juice before you work out will give you a boost of natural energy that will help you last through a whole workout.  Drinking some Florida citrus fruit juice after a workout will give your body the vitamins and minerals necessary to heal damaged tissues and promote muscle growth.

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Article contributed by Hale Groves, providing fresh fruit baskets, gift baskets and Florida oranges and citrus, including delicious navel oranges, honeybells, ruby red grapefruit, valencia oranges, tangerines and more! Visit HaleGroves.com for more information.

Summer is the perfect time for cool and refreshing Florida citrus treats.  After a long day of playing by the pool or sitting in the sun ices, frozen yogurts, sorbets and other chilly citrus treats are sure to please everyone in your household, especially the kids.  Many of these simple desserts are so easy to make that kids can make them on their own. Older children can get even set up a small stand and sell some of them to make some extra pocket money. All you need to make these delicious treats are real Florida citrus fruits like oranges and grapefruits, some granulated sugar, and other simple ingredients.  Make sure to have plenty of fresh Florida citrus fruit on hand for those warm, summer, evening parties. You can even use some of these unusual treats for wedding receptions or baby showers.

Citrus ice – Ices are incredibly simple to make and really showcase the bright flavor of Florida citrus fruit.  To make a mixed citrus fruit ice you will need several types of grapefruit, oranges, some sugar and some water.  Half the grapefruits and remove all the flesh. The rinds will be the cups that the ice is served in. Wash the rinds and make sure you remove all the pith.  Chill the rinds in the freezer while you make the ice.  Juice the rest of the grapefruits and the oranges and pour the juices together. In a saucepan mix the juice and about a cup of sugar. Boil the juice and sugar to make a simple syrup. If the mixture is too runny add more sugar. Once the mixture becomes a syrup add some grated grapefruit peel and orange peel. Let the mixture cool to room temperature and then pour it into the halved grapefruit rinds.  Return the mixture to the freezer and let it chill. Eat and serve.

Citrus ice cream topping – Natural vanilla ice cream is a summer treat everyone loves, but you can make this treat even more refreshing with a sweet citrus topping. All you need to do is peel a few Florida citrus fruits. Chop up the segments and mix them with some fresh orange juice. Make sure the mixture is a bit chunky.  Boil the mixture with some sugar until it has a syrupy consistency and serve warm over the ice cream. Your family and friends will love the rich sweetness of the Florida citrus fruit combined with the cool refreshing flavor of the vanilla.

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Article contributed by Hale Groves, providing fresh fruit baskets, gift baskets and Florida oranges and citrus, including delicious navel oranges, honeybells, ruby red grapefruit, valencia oranges, tangerines and more! Visit HaleGroves.com for more information.

Replace energy drinks with Florida oranges and get a healthy energy boost whenever you need one.  Energy drinks are expensive, especially compared to the cost of fresh and tasty Florida citrus fruit.  Buying citrus fruit directly from the grower can result in huge savings, especially when you buy in bulk. With less than one hundred calories per piece of fruit oranges are a healthy alternative to high calorie, sugar packed energy drinks. Energy drinks are not healthy for you over a long period of time. One of the biggest problems with energy drinks is that they are packed with refined sugar and caffeine. Both of these substances will stimulate you and keep you awake, but neither one can be effectively processed by the body. 

When your body has trouble breaking those substances down you’ll experience a spike of intense energy followed by a hard crash with fatigue, lethargy and a foggy feeling as the substances leave your body.  That crash can send you reaching for another energy drink, which just perpetuates an unhealthy cycle. To get the energy that you need without resorting to drinking refined sugar and caffeine try eating Florida oranges and grapefruits.  Both Florida oranges and grapefruits contain the vitamins and minerals that you need to get energy naturally. Eating oranges and other types of citrus fruits regularly will help you focus and think more clearly. Adding Florida oranges to your diet will help you be your best mentally and physically and are better for you than energy drinks. 

When you eat Florida oranges for energy your body easily processes the natural sugars in the fruit and turns those natural sugars into natural energy. Your energy level will rise without spiking, and it won’t drop off suddenly.  You will have more energy and you’ll feel energetic for a longer period of time when you eat oranges instead of drinking energy drinks.  Instead of going for that energy drink when you hit that mid morning slump, have a Florida orange, it will keep you going until lunch time. Since oranges have fiber, they will give you a fuller feeling stomach and you may not feel the eat as much lunch. For those who have mid-afternoon slumps, eating a Florida orange will give you that boost of energy you need to get you through the rest of the day. You can also enjoy a Florida orange in  the evening instead of reaching for that bag of chips. Florida oranges can be enjoyed any time of day.

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Article contributed by Hale Groves, providing fresh fruit baskets, gift baskets and Florida oranges and citrus, including delicious navel oranges, honeybells, ruby red grapefruit, valencia oranges, tangerines and more! Visit HaleGroves.com for more information.

Adding Florida oranges to your daily diet and your family’s diet can make it easier for your kids to focus. Many parents struggle trying to keep their focused on schoolwork, on hobbies, and on other activities.  Some kids require medications to help them stay calm, focus, and keep their attention on one thing for more than a few minutes at a time. But millions of other kids whose problems aren’t serious enough to require medication still need a little help when it comes to staying energized and focused throughout the day.  Kids who have school and then lots of activities like sports, clubs and other interests often need a pick me up by the end of the day.

Diet and exercise can play a huge role in helping your kids focus. Natural Florida oranges, which are packed with vitamins and minerals, give kids the healthy boost of energy they need as well as the nutrients they need to keep their minds sharp and their bodies functioning well.  Giving your kids Florida oranges or grapefruit in the morning will help them get their day off to the right start by stimulating their brains and giving them the natural energy to stay interested and focused on their schoolwork until lunchtime.  Florida oranges eaten as snacks will help them get through the afternoon and homework without fading. 

Kids can learn to eat healthy early on in their lives and they will continue to have healthy eating habits into adulthood. Showing kids that eating Florida oranges and other citrus fruit is the perfect way to jump start their energy and help keep them focused will help them avoid reaching for those energy drinks as they get older. There are so many benefits of adding citrus fruit to your child’s diet, focus and energy are just one part of the advantages. Since the average piece of fruit has less than one hundred calories, but a lot of fiber, snacking on citrus keeps kids healthy but also helps keep them feeling fuller. The natural sugars in oranges and other citrus fruits are easy for the body to break down so they won’t cause the same kind of stomach upset or other discomforts that soda and other foods usually given to kids to give them an energy boost can cause. 

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Article contributed by Hale Groves, providing fresh fruit baskets, gift baskets and Florida oranges and citrus, including delicious navel oranges, honeybells, ruby red grapefruit, valencia oranges, tangerines and more! Visit HaleGroves.com for more information.

Florida citrus is known around the world for being some of the highest quality fruit produced anywhere in the world.  The unique soil and the tropical climate of Florida are the ideal growing conditions for oranges and grapefruits, and those unique conditions create some of the tastiest citrus fruit that you can find.  Even though today citrus production is one of the main industries in Florida and brings in more money than any other industry it took a long time for oranges, grapefruits, tangerines and other citrus fruits to become cash crops for the state.  The first citrus trees were brought to Florida by early Spanish explorers like Ponce de Leon, but Florida citrus fruits weren’t commercially grown for about four hundred years after that.

One of the reasons why citrus fruit production remained relatively small scale for so many hundreds of years was because shipping the fruit out of the state was difficult and expensive.  Citrus fruit stays fresh for a very long time but before the invention of mass transit and engine powered vehicles it took too long to get the fruit out to consumers.  Once an infrastructure of railroad tracks were built in the state, in the 1800′s, it became much easier for growers to get their products out to the consumers who were eagerly awaiting the chance to buy fresh Florida citrus fruit. As vehicles and technology became more sophisticated it became possible for Florida citrus growers to get oranges, grapefruits, and tangerines shipped to consumers within days of those fruits being picked.  The fresher the fruit is when it’s shipped the longer it will last for consumers and the better it will taste when it arrives at their homes.

Although there are other states that grow citrus fruit, none have the reputation for the best citrus fruit than Florida does. One of the reasons that Florida has the best fruit is the distinctive growing conditions. Another reason given, is that since the original citrus fruit trees were planted in Florida by the Spanish, Florida citrus became the best quality citrus. The exact reason may never be known, but one thing is true, when people shop for the best quality, most delicious fruit, they buy Florida citrus. Nothing beats the terrific citrus fruit produced by Florida growers.  

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Article contributed by Hale Groves, providing fresh fruit baskets, gift baskets and Florida oranges and citrus, including delicious navel oranges, honeybells, ruby red grapefruit, valencia oranges, tangerines and more! Visit HaleGroves.com for more information.

The health benefits of eating Florida citrus have been proven in many different medical studies.  Eating Florida citrus fruits like oranges and grapefruits can help you lose weight, help you stay healthy, and help you stay focused and energized.  Oranges and grapefruits are inexpensive and can be eaten by anyone, even people on restricted diets.  Since thousands of families are trying to cut back on their grocery bills and stay healthier to avoid expensive trips to the doctor families are rediscovering the power of Florida citrus fruit.  Best of all, Florida oranges and grapefruits are so delicious that your family will love to eat them and you’ll love being able to replace unhealthy snacks made with refined sugar with healthy oranges and other citrus fruits.

Fresh Florida citrus fruits are packed with vitamins and minerals that your body needs in order to health soft tissue, heal damaged muscle, fight off sickness and disease, and they can even help you lose weight.  Grapefruit, a popular Florida citrus fruit, has been proven in medical studies to help with weight loss when eaten as a part of a healthy diet.  There are several natural enzymes in grapefruit that help your body burn stored fat for fuel, getting rid of excess fat and helping your body process food more efficiently. Grapefruit comes in several different varieties ranging from tart to sweet so if you’ve avoided eating grapefruit thinking that grapefruit is bitter or sour don’t avoid it any longer. Simply choose a sweeter type of grapefruit and keep your kitchen well stocked.

Florida citrus fruit is versatile and can be incorporated into your daily life in dozens of different ways so that you can get a daily boost of healthy vitamins and minerals.  Use fresh citrus juice in smoothies or salad dressings instead of water to provide flavor and extra vitamins.  Use fruit juice and grated peel in sauces and stuffing to add a citrus twist to your favorite savory dishes. Replacing refined sugar snacks with citrus treats like compote, citrus ice cream, orange jam, popsicles made from orange or grapefruit juice, and other Florida citrus treats if you want to keep your family happy.  You and your family can enjoy the sweet taste that you all want without having to sacrifice your health. And since Florida citrus is shipped directly from the growers you will get fruit that has no preservatives and is shipped fresh from the grove.

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Article contributed by Hale Groves, providing fresh fruit baskets, gift baskets and Florida oranges and citrus, including delicious navel oranges, honeybells, ruby red grapefruit, valencia oranges, tangerines and more! Visit HaleGroves.com for more information.