cheesedicers

Springtime is coming, and parents are already picking out items to put in Easter baskets. But this year is the perfect time to do something different and give your family fruit baskets instead of traditional Easter baskets.  Easter baskets are usually full of high calorie and high fat chocolates, sugary jelly beans and other candies that are bad for kids.  With the huge increase in the amount of obese children in the US giving traditional Easter baskets full of junk food is something that parents worry about because they make it difficult for parents to limit a child’s sugar intake.  Giving fruit baskets and instead of candy filled baskets is a smart way to give the kids delicious treats without giving them fat and calories they don’t need.

Even though fruit baskets are healthier than candy filled baskets some parents might have a tough time selling the idea of eating fruit instead of eating chocolate to their kids.  To make it easier to get your kids to accept fruit as a treat instead of a basket full of chocolate choose a fruit basket that some chocolates in it, or nuts, or even a limited amount of sugar jelly candies.  That way your child will still get some of the chocolate and candy that he or she associates with the Easter holiday but will also get some healthy fruit too.  And you won’t have to worry about regulating how much your child eats when your child is eating delicious oranges and tangerines because those fruits usually have less than one hundred calories and are packed with vitamins and minerals your kids need to stay healthy.

Hiding fruit baskets is actually easier than hiding chocolate baskets since fruit, especially hardy citrus fruit with a thick peel, will stand up well in any type of weather.  It doesn’t matter if Easter is cold or hot where you live you can hide fruit baskets outdoors instead of candy baskets and be sure that the fruit will look just as appetizing and delicious after three hours outside as it did when it first arrived.  You can also hide fruit baskets in sneaky spots that are not appropriate for chocolate, like in the oven or outdoors in a warm place. Your kids will be very surprised to see fruit baskets in the places that they used to find candy baskets. But giving them healthy citrus fruit instead of candy will help them stay healthy and make better food choices in life.

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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.

Instead of wasting money on decorations for outdoor events that will only wilt or fall apart use fruit baskets to decorate your next outdoor event. Fruit baskets are sturdy, pretty, and provide great healthy snacks for your guests.  Because there are so many different styles of fruit basket and so many different types of fruit available you can find fruit baskets that will enhance any occasion even if you don’t have a lot of money to spend on decorations. And, since fruit baskets are both decorations and food you are saving money.  Graduation parties, backyard barbecues, wedding receptions, baby or wedding showers, and birthdays are all great occasions where fruit baskets can be used as decorations.

One of the reasons  why fruit baskets are the smart choice for decorating outdoor events is because citrus fruit holds up exceptionally well in extreme weather. It doesn’t matter if the weather is hot or cold, the protective peels on citrus fruits will keep the fruit delicious and looking great even if the baskets are left outside for hours.  For winter weddings baskets of bright oranges packed with some Christmas greenery are beautiful centerpieces, and if you put one near the door of the reception hall it will look great all night no matter how many times the door is opened or closed.  For summer barbecues fruit baskets of fun citrus fruits placed strategically around the party area will give guests treats they love that will help them stay hydrated and full while they are waiting for burgers and hot dogs.

Fruit baskets are easy to customize, which makes them idea for corporate picnics, retreats, and other outdoor gatherings.  You can use ribbons in the company colors, or ribbons printed with your corporate name or logo on the basket to advertise your business and give clients and employees alike a great impression of your company.  If you’re planning a corporate event that clients will be invited to you can put out fruit baskets and your staff won’t have to constantly check them or replenish them the way they would have to do with flowers or other decorations.  That means your employees can spend more time paying attention to your customers, which will ultimately help your business.

Flowers are beautiful, but if you’re planning any kind of outdoor event fruit baskets are the event planners first choice for decorating.  Next time you’re planning an event buy some citrus fruit to decorate with and you and your friends and family will love the results.

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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

Gourmet experts say fruit baskets are the hot trend for Valentine’s Day this year.  Spending hundreds of dollars on roses and chocolates is simply not in the budget for many Americans this year. If you don’t have the budget for fresh flowers and overpriced candy send your family and friends fruit baskets this year.  Delicious fresh citrus fruit is always a great gift, and you can customize your gift with chocolate, candy, nuts, or other treats too.  Combining exotic and delicious citrus fruits with gourmet sweets is the perfect way to let your family and friends know you care without blowing your gift budget for the entire year. 

Valentine’s Day fruit baskets are designed by gift professionals to be romantic, sweet, and to convey your love and affection.  You can find a fruit basket that will fit into any budget, so even if you don’t have a lot of money to spend you’ll find the perfect gift for a spouse or loved one. If your butdget allows for it, spruce up the gift basket by adding some fun extras like gourmet chocolates, tasty preserves or an assortment of nuts. You don’t have to chose a fruit basket, the fruit can be presented in such things as vases, boxes or dishes. Another great plus is that the oranges, grapefruits and other delicious citrus in the basket will last a lot longer than flowers, so your Valentine can enjoy them for weeks.

The gift of citrus fruit is more appropriate when you are giving a gift to friends or extended family members or even someone you’re dating but not in a serious relationship with, instead of giving traditional flowers and candy. A citrus fruit gift basket is a nice gesture when you are in a new relationship. A beautiful fruit basket filled with tasty citrus fruit is a more relaxed gift that is perfect for new relationships or acquaintances.

If you plan an giving Valentine’s Day gifts to coworkers, fruit baskets are a great idea. Since it’s important to have a sense of decorum in the workplace and many people want to maintain professional but not necessarily friendly relationships with co workers fruit baskets are the perfect way to let your coworkers know you appreciate them without crossing any personal or professional boundaries.

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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.



If one of your New Year’s resolutions this year was to eat health you’re probably finding out right about now that eating healthy can be kind of boring, at least it’s boring when compared to the excitement of the holidays when you can eat almost anything you want. Eating healthy doesn’t have to be boring though. There are lots of ways that you make healthy eating fun, like using fruit baskets to get your snacks.  Fruit baskets filled with bright seasonal citrus fruit look like a present, and every time you choose a piece of fruit from the basket you’ll feel like you’re treating yourself to something special. And you are, really, since sweet oranges and delicious grapefruits are filled with vitamins and minerals that will help your body work more efficiently and make you feel great. Pretty fruit baskets can liven up your desk at work or be a great centerpiece on the kitchen table.  A fruit basket filled with oranges and assorted citrus fruits in the entryway by the door is a great reminder to grab a healthy snack on the way out the door and it looks pretty when guests come by.

It’s much easier to stay focused on a healthy eating plan when you make it fun to eat healthy. It can be a lot easier to select healthy food over junk food when you start to love the great taste of seasonal fresh fruit. Once you have added fresh fruit to your diet, you will look back and wonder how you ever chose processed, high fat and generally unhealthy food.  When you’re eating healthy the presentation of the food is part of the pleasure of eating, so indulge in a few gorgeous fruit baskets to keep at home and you’ll enjoy snacking on healthy citrus fruits.  Fruit baskets of exotic fruits like Honeybells and Clementines during the winter will seem like a huge treat to you and your family.

Fruit baskets aren’t as expensive as many people think, and it’s money that is well spent when you’re trying to eat healthy.  A great way to boost your spirits is having fresh fruit delivered to your door. It’s much better than having to look through the fruit at the market that has been sitting there a while. Fresh fruit will help you stay energized and has tons of added health benefits.

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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.

With over 74 million citrus trees on 550 thousand acres, the Florida citrus industry is enormous. The most popular fruit is the orange, which grows on about eighty percent of the trees.  Due to the state’s ideal citrus-growing weather, soil conditions and knowledge gleaned from more than 150 years of producing the perfect Florida orange, consumers across the nation enjoy the very best of America’s favorite citrus fruit.   In this article  we will discuss some of the most popular orange varieties in the Sunshine State.

Dream Navel

A sweet, juicy, less acidic orange variety, the Dream Navel was discovered in Orlando Florida in 1944. It is of medium size with a loose skin . Although this type of Florida orange has an oval shape, it gets its name from the distinct bellybutton dimple on the bottom of every orange . The Dream is one of the state’s most popular eating oranges.

Hamlin

Discovered in an orchard near Glenwood, Florida in the late 19th century, the Hamlin is one of Florida’s first orange varieties. It is also the second most widely grown orange in the state after the Valencia. The Hamlin is of small to medium size with a bright orange rind and a fleshy pulp. It is the second most popular juicing fruit, again, after the Valencia . 

Jaffa

The Jaffa is another older variety of Florida oranges. Introduced in the 1880s, it became a favorite with growers because it had a thicker skin, which helped it survive the frost. Its pleasant aroma and distinctive flavor also made it a popular fruit for local cooks. The Jaffa is also used as a juicing orange.

Navel

Originally discovered in Brazil in 1821, the Navel is one of the most popular varieties of non-local oranges in Florida. With its sweet and juicy flesh and loose rind, the Navel has become the top orange for eating in the United States.  The sweet rinds are also used in cooking and for making preserves. Though Florida’s navel orange crop is small, it is still one of the most popular oranges sold as fresh fruit.

Parson Brown

There have been Parson Brown orange trees growing in Florida since 1856. Named after the reverend that discovered them, the Parson Brown is a seedy variety that is used almost exclusively for juicing. The fruit is comparably small, but the pulp holds a amazing  amount of juice with low acidity and sugar levels. 

Rhode Red

Discovered in 1955 in Sebring, Florida, the Rhode Red is a variety of Valencia orange. While not nearly as popular as its predecessor, it does hold more juice and has less acidity than the Valencia. However, the tree was not widely planted until 1974 when it was accepted into the Citrus Registration Program. It is one of the fastest growing of the Florida orange varieties today.

Valencia

Valencias oranges actually got their start on the west coast but when it became more profitable to build houses then plant orange groves, the Valencia orange business picked up and move to Florida and they’ve been happy ever since! Valencias are often used for juicing because of their amazing nectar but they’re just as great as a treat. The best time to grab a Valencia is in March to May. The real question isn’t which is your favorite type of Florida orange but how can you just pick one?  

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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’s most famous and profitable agricultural product is the orange. As the top crop in a massive 9 billion-dollar citrus industry, it may surprise some to learn that the orange is not native to the Sunshine State. Spanish explorers are credited with planting the first citrus trees in Florida in the late 15th century.

Before long, oranges, lemons, limes, and tangerines were growing near seaport cities like St. Augustine and Tampa. The state’s second most profitable crop, the grapefruit, arrived in 1823, a few years before the commercial citrus industry got up and running. But it was not until the first railroad tracks were laid in the late 19th century that citrus fruits from Florida were sent out of state.

Early on, fresh fruit was a popular export. More fruit from Florida was consumed once it was discovered that citrus was an affordable and effective cure for scurvy. Up until the second World War, the demain for fresh citrus grew. With the war, packaging and transportation costs grew, which led to an increase in citrus fruit prices. 

Before this time, fruit juices were not particularly popular in America. Not only were they more expensive than fresh fruits, they were also hard to keep fresh. But with the help of pasteurization and freezing, juicing suddenly became a more practical and affordable alternative to fresh fruit. The American citrus industry is now dominated by juice. Although, the percentage of fresh fruit that is sent to the processing plants for juicing really does depend on the crop and the region.

With the growth in popularity of frozen orange juice during the war years, there was a shift in the Florida citrus industry that moved away from fresh fruit. Ninetyfive percent of Florida fresh oranges are now shipped processing plants  for juice production. In addition about fifty percent of grapefruits are also sent to the juice processing plants. 

Since Florida is responsible for over 70 percent of America’s citrus crops, most fruits are juiced rather than sold as fresh. The only problem with this established trend is that fruit juice is not nearly as healthy as fresh fruit. When they remove the pulp and the skin, juicers also remove the dietary fiber, beta carotene, and phytochemicals.

The one silver lining in an otherwise overcast sky is the growing popularity of fruit delivery companies on the internet. Though most of them are small sellers, these suppliers give shoppers the ability to purchase fresh fruits from Florida at competitive prices. This includes fruit baskets, boxes, crates, and trays.

What are the advantages of purchasing fruit from a fruit delivery company versus shopping at the local supermarket? One advantage is that more variety, such as rare and exotic fruits, are offered by fruit delivery companies versus what can be found at the local supermarket. Another advantage is that often times the fruit shipped by fruit delivery companies is fresher than the fruit found at local supermarkets because of the time it takes to ship the fruit to the supermarket.  

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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 can get your family to healthy fruit instead of sugary snacks by using decorative fruit baskets.  One of the reasons why people are drawn to sugary, high calorie and high fat snacks is the packaging. The packaging of these snacks and treats is designed to make these items look like little gifts, little presents to yourself when you’ve had a bad day or want to treat yourself.  Fruit baskets package healthy, low calorie citrus fruit the same way.  Would you rather have oranges or grapefruit plucked out of a box or a bowl on the table or from a decorative basket packaged with other citrus fruits, nuts, and other treats? Most people, especially kids, would choose to pick a fruit out of the decorative basket.  Fruit baskets placed around your home as decoration, or on a kitchen counter, will be far more attractive to you and your family than boxed fruit or citrus fruit from the market.

The fact is that fruit baskets are one of the popular gifts for occasions like Christmas or anniversaries. Not many people think to buy fresh fruit baskets to decorate their own home. If you have fruit baskets around the house, you will find that you and your family members will grab a piece of fruit for a snack. Fruit baskets can be placed in your dining room, living room, kitchen or office because they are so versatile. You can put fruit baskets just about any where because they do well in both warm and cold climates.  Baskets are easy to transport and store fruit neatly so they are great for your desk at the office or the car.

If you want to get your family to eat healthy fruit instead of unhealthy high fat snacks and you’ve never really had any luck convincing them to choose citrus fruit over chips or cookies or other snacks try ordering some fruit baskets of seasonal citrus fruit to change their minds.  You can spend as little or as much as you want, and choose simple baskets full of oranges or huge baskets full of a rich fruit assortment depending on what your family likes.  No matter which type of basket you choose you’ll be amazed to see how quickly your family will start to embrace eating healthy citrus fruit over unhealthy snacks when you change the presentation of the fruit.

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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.

Instead of spending a fortune decorating your wedding reception with sprays of flowers or expensive centerpieces decorate with fruit baskets.  You can customize the fruit baskets with ribbons in the color of the wedding to tie them into the other wedding reception decorations. Since there is such a variety of fruit baskets, it doesn’t matter when the reception is held, there are fruits in season throughout the year. Not only does the citrus fruit basket serve as a beautiful wedding decoration, it also serves as a snack for the guests. Fruit baskets are great for any group event or large party.

Another reason why fruit baskets are the perfect wedding reception decorations is that fruit baskets can hold up well in any weather.  If you are having an outdoor spring or summer wedding flowers can wilt from the heat or die in the cold very quickly, leaving your reception looking awful.  Tasteful fruit baskets with pretty ribbons will look bright and cheerful no matter what the weather is like, because the peel on the citrus fruit protects the fruit and keeps it looking fresh.  The vivid colors of the seasonal fruit are beautiful decorations for weddings with natural or earthy themes, and look wonderful at beach or garden theme weddings as well. Bright oranges, Ruby red grapefruits, and color saturated tangerines all can create a stunning colorscape for your reception.

If you’re worried that simple citrus fruit won’t fit into the fancy theme that you want for the reception you can easily add custom elements to up the wow factor of the baskets.  One way to make the fruit basket more elegant is to include gourmet chocolates with foil wrappers that fit the color scheme of the reception. You can make the citrus fruit more artistic by creating fruit gift towers presented in boxes tied with ribbon in the wedding colors. When the reception is over you can give the gift baskets away as wedding favors. If cost is a concern, set up  a large fruit basket at the exit and let people know to take a piece of fruit as a wedding favor. One idea is to have a stamp made with the bride and grooms name and each piece of fruit can  be personalized. Fruit baskets are a fun, pretty and economical way to decorate your wedding reception.

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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.

America has always been a nation of extremes: politically, socially, and economically. Huge gaps in income have resulted in unequal treatment for many of her citizens. In recent years, the healthcare debate has taken center stage. Why are we talking about this now?

There are many reasons. To begin with, Americans have grown increasingly unhealthy over the past thirty years. Even as doctors continue to make strides in cancer and cardiac research, it seems that we have discovered new ways to destroy ourselves. The latest one is gluttony. 
 
As you may have heard, Americans are now the fattest people on the face of the earth. One in three is officially obese, and two out of three are overweight. Both conditions increase the risk of heart disease, type II diabetes, and certain types of cancer. Unfortunately, in America, deaths related to obesity have been on the rise.

Fast food, technology, and an increasingly sedentary lifestyle are all likely culprits for our newfound corpulence. Snack food has really become the downfall of many American’s diets. About twenty percent of a person’s daily calories comes from snack foods. This is something that was not experienced in the past. 

For more than sixty years now, fast food, soda and television have been a part of the American culture. As previously mentioned, not until around 1980 did Americans start to pack on the pounds. Obesity rates have doubled in the last three decades. An even scarier statistic is that obesity in children has tripled!

Is snack food alone to blame? No, it is not. But the growing popularity of high-calorie snack foods has increased the average American’s daily caloric intake. What can we do about it?

There is no easy answer. Obviously, we aren’t going to stop snacking overnight. Consuming salty snacks and sugary treats has become an American tradition. The best we can hope for is healthier snacks. That is where fruit delivery companies come in.
 
Though is also used in cooking and in beverages, fruit has always been considered a snack food first.  The perfect solution to America’s wayward snacking habits is the simple piece of fruit with its low calories and abundance of vitamins and minerals.

When compared to the average serving of chips, a piece of fresh fruit contains fewer calories and more nutrients. An orange, for example, has a full serving of vitamin C, dietary fiber, calcium, and potassium. Not to mention the fact that it will actually fill you up. The bag of chips, on the other hand, has a full serving of empty calories that can be enjoyed until you finish the bag and open another one.

Fruit delivery companies ship fresh fruit baskets, trays, and boxes to customers in the United States.   They also sell exotic and rare fruit varieties and specialty items, like dried fruit baskets and fruitcake. Online fruit delivery companies also offer express shipping and gift baskets for special occasions.

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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.

Most people feel one or another regarding grapefruits and the nutritional value they contain. They either adore the taste of them, or they are not exactly fond of them at all. Grapefruit nutrition is much more prevalent than some of the other fruit choices currently available today at your local market, in fact if people were aware of all the amazing health benefits you get with grapefruit, they wouldn’t be kept on the produce shelves .

Grapefruit nutrition can come in the form of juices or freshly sliced citrus enjoyment.  Their tart taste is something that tends to steer some people away, especially children as they are not accustomed to eating such sweet or sour foods.  Many people find that they can still consume all the benefits of grapefruit nutrition by sprinkling a tiny bit of sugar all over the sliced pieces of grapefruit as it takes away from the tangy taste for those that need it.  Vitamin C is crucial to stay healthy and continue having a strong immunity that does not come with many cases of the common cold or flu.  Grapefruit nutrition can provide this type of healthy immunity by consuming just one every other day in your daily diet plan.  They also contain a large amount of fiber, which is needed for healthy cholesterol levels and it can also prevent certain forms of cancer such as colon cancer.  Other fruits, like peaches and plums, can provide health benefits, but they do not compare to the advantages the grapefruit can provide if you add them to your daily diet  .

Grapefruit nutrition is also very good for controlling your weight and keeping you in good physical shape  .  Many people have had great success with the infamous grapefruit diet which instructs the dieter to consume many grapefruits all day long and in doing so the citric acid in the fruits have the ability to break down your foods easier and also help you burn fat very quickly.  Grapefruit nutrition can also provide someone with additional help when they are already sick.  For example, if you have a congestion issue in your lungs or throat, if you choose to eat a grapefruit you can help clear those passageways with ease and also skip the harsh cough syrups you most likely do not enjoy taking either. 

Some suggestions for getting more grapefruits into your diet are by enjoying freshly squeezed juice in the mornings, or by creating recipes with them as well .  Many enjoy a grapefruit with oatmeal or along with their favorite morning cereals. Taking grapefruits as long with you to work for an afternoon snack with some zest to it is another great idea.  Just find the recipes that you enjoy and mix it up a bit. to ignore the benefits of grapefruit nutrition is a silly thing to do when you could be living a very healthy lifestyle by incorporating them . 

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Pittman & Davis is a leading fresh fruit gift shipper, providing texas citrus, including ruby red grapefruit, oranges, fresh citrus, and baked goods. Visit http://www.pittmandavis.com/ for more information.