Florida is area  everyone  calls the sunshine state, it is one of the  only  states in the United States that has lovely weather condition virtually the all year long.  Since this state does not have  deal with  freezing temperatures and mounds of snow in the wintertime, they can afford to grow some amazing crops that you simply cannot find anywhere.  Navel oranges for one, are basically sold out of the sunshine state and have a reputation for being the most scrumptious of all the citrus tree varieties.

Florida navel oranges are the most popular type of orange in the world, it is one of the state’s trademarks.  Ironically, they did not originate in Florida but rather from Brazil and were brought to Florida in 1835.  They  got  their name from the similarity of the bottom of the orange to a person’s navel from a very uncommon single mutation that produced the very first one of it’s kind back in Brazil fifteen years prior to being usually produced in Florida.  These oranges have this rare appearance of having most what appears to be a smaller twin oranges attached to the bottom of the orange and they also have no seeds.

Considering these navel oranges have not one seed in them  citrus growers  were at a loss for words trying to recreate the special   little citrus fruit for  major  cultivation.  They invented a cutting and grafting process that  helps  them to replant more of these navel orange trees that can produce many of this type of orange for several months.  The navel oranges are in season anywhere from October until April, and even May if weather permits.  Since they are only season a few months out of the year they have a habit of selling out of stock in many food market stores and farmers markets in the US.

The navel oranges are  ingredients  in  numerous recipes and  items   from jellies to even  tropcial smelling perfumes. Not only is the real fruit used, but also the rind  believe it or not. The rind  can be used as a natural repellent in gardens to keep slugs away or can be used to garnish foods.  Navel oranges are also utilized in  numerous household cleaning agents as they have more juice in them per orange than the others that many can use to keep their homes smelling fresh and clean.

Navel oranges are  incorporated  in many products for seasoning, but are also renowned for their  many dietary benefits. They are high in vitamin C, fiber and can side in fixing many illnesses  people suffer from everyday like heart disease and diabetes.  Not only are navel oranges delicious, but they are beneficial as well.  Keep that in mind the next time you pick up an orange, not only will you be enjoying a nutritious nosh, but a healthy future.

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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.

fruit · fruit baskets · navel oranges

Are you confused for a gift idea?  Bored   of purchasing   the same  old presents ? For a completely different idea, why not consider }  a fruit basket that can be chock full of edible goodies? Usually , fruit baskets are sent as holiday gifts and are definately  a welcome treat. Imagine  being  trapped   in a  fridgid   wintery town and  getting   a basket of fresh Florida  citrus . That’s a sure  way to bring a little sunshine  to anybody’s   life . though the holidays are the most popular  season   for sending a fruit basket, they can really work as the perfect gift for any  event . Look at it this way: does the person you might be  giving   this gift to like fresh fruit? If the answer is a resounding  “yes!” then you can’t go wrong with a fruit basket gift.

Fruit baskets can  be filled with   many tasty treats. One popular  choice   is an “all-citrus” fruit basket. This is where you can pack your basket with an assortment  of seasonal navel and temple oranges . These can be a  tasty   snack for anytime during  the day. For breakfast, you can be having a juicy ruby red grapefruit on hand. And if the person  you’re sending a fruit basket to is into juicing then adding some plump Valencia oranges will do the trick . They are the favorite of pro juicers  all over  ! You can also add  more citrus varieties such as sweet tasting tangerines, mandarins or clementines. Don’t let their small size fool you because these citrus fruits are loaded  with spectacular  flavors.

Of course there is no reason why you should stop  with a variety of citrus fruits when you are customizing  a fruit basket gift. You can add  in some tropic zest with a selection  of pineapples, mangos and  kiwi . Most people  have  had pineapple but some of those other exotic fruits could be the first time for  trying   them. Won’t that be a special treat? A fruit basket can also be loaded  with fresh seedless grapes ,  peaches   or strawberries . Just  think   what you’d like to have in the perfect fruit salad and that’s what you can put  in your fruit basket gift.

If you’re not sure  which are the best fruits to include, the customer service rep you’ll be dealing  with will have all the up to date information. Various  fruits  hit their peak at  various   times of the year but that doesn’t mean there is a  bad   time to order up  a fruit basket. No matter when you are calling in an order there will be an  variety   of choices to  fill   your basket. And just because you’re focused on the fruit doesn’t mean the basket will be taken for granted. There are many options available in baskets that can become a practical keepsake. Whether it’s for a birthday, graduation or anniversary a fruit basket is a healthy and fun way to go!

baskets · fruit baskets · gift baskets · gifts

March is generally  known as National Nutrition Month and what smarter  way to celebrate that then by presenting friends  the  present   of a fruit basket.  Although the nutritional numbers of each basket differs  going by  to what is in it, here is a list of the nutritional benefits of a few of the most common  fruit found in a fruit basket.

Apples are the basic  fruit for a fruit basket.   Photographs  of cornucopias, traditional fruit baskets and even modern arrangement  choices   most always highlight  the royal reds and  bright greens of this awesome fruit.  Apples are good  carbohydrate choices very low in sodium, cholesterol and saturated fat but high in Vitamin C and dietary fiber.  With approximately 100 calories the biggest downfall to these healthy snacks is that  most  of the calories  are produced  from the natural sugars in the fruit.  Apples make perfect   treats   and of course are perfect for making pies, sauces and meals.  These versatile fruits are perfect for a fruit basket!

Pears are also very popular in fruit baskets.  Relative to the apple, these great  food  choices  can bring soft colors  to any arrangement along with a  good   buttery sweet flavor.  Like apples, these fruit can be shipped year round and have  about 100 calories  also .  They are a great  source of Vitamin C, K and copper as well as dietary fiber.  The riper this fruit is, the more antioxidants you will take in from.  Pears are great chopped up in salads, cooked with wintertime greens or poached.  This diversity of use makes them a great   choice   for your fruit basket as well.
Grapes add a great visual texture to your fruit basket selection  as well as nutrition.  One cup of these bit sized beauties is about 100 calories packed with Vitamin C and Vitamin K.  Like the two fruit above, grapes area also low in cholesterol, saturated fat and sodium but higher in sugar than the two above.  A quick and easy snack with no preparation, peeling or mess! 

Citrus fruits such as ortaniques, mandarins , tangerines, limes or lemons also almost always find a way into your typical  fruit basket.   Most medium sized citrus fruits tote  roughly  60-70 calories making them a  perfect snack alternative high in fiber.  Citrus fruits also contain Vitamins A,B1, B2, B6, C and E, Niacin, and Folate as well as  reasonable    amounts  of potassium, magnesium, copper and zinc.   Not only are citrus fruits common in baskets, they are also a symbolic representation of good luck and new starts .  This is a great fruit to add in congratulatory or holiday fruit baskets.
These primary fruits are only the tip of the iceberg of fruit basket nutrition.  Send some love and nutrition to your family  next time you need to give a gift!

apples · fruit · fruit baskets · nutrition

How many fresh fruit baskets have you sent to  business partners  and relatives over the years?  How many pounds of fresh oranges, tangerines, grapefruit, tangelos, pears and apples and all the treats that comes with it like nuts and chocolate have you had delivered to someone else?  Now how often have you given  yourself a fruit basket?

If you’re like many  people the reaction is  most likely  never. 

Christmas is the big season for fruit baskets.  There’s just something unique about getting fresh fruit when it’s  freezing,  icy and nasty outside.  It’s like getting a promise  that summer  is  on its way  .  Biting into a crispy  D’Anjou pear or peeling a tangerine and popping a sweet  piece  into your mouth almost seems decadent when the weather outside is wintry and barren.  That’s the big a peel (pun intended) of fresh fruit baskets as holiday treats  .

That’s the way most Americans see fruit baskets but not all of us.  Some  of us who are lucky enough to live in the half dozen states that produce citrus fruits are a bit more jaded.  While most Americans  have to settle   for the fruit they find in their grocery stores, which is at least  2 weeks old, those of us in fruit cultivating states want, and get, fresh fruit.  There is a world of difference between the two.

So back to you.  Why don’t you get  the same enjoyment  that you extend  to your friends ?  Why can’t you  treat  your taste buds on a fresh fruit  trip ?   Does it just seem too  much ?  Well isn’t that half the pleasure of getting a fruit basket delivered to your home ?

Okay let’s justify this so its a little less confusing .  You already know the imortant part about how scrumptious these fruits are, but did you know that citrus fruit has nutrients that can help  subside about a dozen different  forms of cancer?  All citrus fruit have, to one  way  or another, vitamins and enzymes that prevent the growth of abnormal cells. 

And then of course there is the boost to your immune system that vitamin C delivers .  How important is that with H1N1 floating around in the air.  This fruit basket that you are getting for yourself isn’t a personal  indulgence , it’s preventive healthcare!

So when that fruit basket of succulent golden goodness arrives and your spouse asks how much did it cost, you can respond “Don’t worry dearest, I just saved us the cost of chemo” and not be telling an entirely untrue fabrication.  

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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 

Citrus · fruit · fruit baskets

The fruit basket market is expansive with thousands of combinations and build it yourself options.   The most usual of fruit baskets come with select fruits such as pears, apples, oranges, grapes, and bananas. 
Those are the typical base fruits found in fruit baskets, but you can also find baskets that have more delicate fruits such as strawberries, nectarines, peaches, bananas, cherries or plums or even tropical fruits such as papayas, star fruits, pineapples, guava, kiwi, mango or passion fruit.  Mediterranean fruit baskets may even have fresh olives and avocados, sometimes even tomatoes or sundried tomatoes. 
Many people do not think about the hundreds of choices of “baskets” there are to choose from.  This is almost as important as the fruit themselves.  The last thing you want to see is at the next holiday party someone re-gifting the actual fruit basket you gave them!  It is for this reason you want to be sure that you are picking out the right “basket” as well as the right fruit mixtures.  There are a wide variety of wicker baskets, boxes, crates, bowls, platters or china to choose from.  You can even have fruit arrangements delivered in the shell of a watermelon seasonally!    Make sure you remember the recipient’s style before you choose a Mediterranean themed basket!
 Building the perfect fruit basket should be a fun job, not a boring job.  No matter what you give someone they should be grateful, so do not over think it.  For those that can not find the perfect easy pre-made fruit basket for their needs, can customize and build their own basket.   Perhaps you want a tropical theme for your friend you do happy hour with.  You can always purchase a small crate with two martini glasses and a shaker.  From here think of the exotic martinis you have tried together at your local spot and purchase those fruits.  Perhaps some star fruit, pomegranates, mango and papayas would be great options to mix in the crate.  With a little bit of decorative grass, straw or sand, this is bound to be a huge hit with your friend!
 The options are endless, but in reality, the traditional fruit basket is still the number one selection.  The life span of the fruit is longer then with tropical fruits and there is always something homey about a traditional basket of fruit.  So if all else fails, search for the most basic of packages- these have worked for centuries and it is sure to be a hit with your friend, family member or co-worker you send it to.

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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.

fruit · fruit baskets · gift

The most common New Year’s resolutions have to do with people wanting to get into better shape. That’s why there is always a increase in gym memberships around the 1st of January. Along with starting up new exercise routines , folks also vow to “eat better.” As anyone can tell you, eating better meals elminiating sweets and adding more fruits and vegetables. There is one perfect method for motivating a friend or loved one who is starting a new wellness regime : send them a fruit basket!

A fruit basket is a healthy natural selection for a gift. You might not want to be sending a fruit basket on Valentine’s Day but any other time of the year, having a variety of fresh fruit choices would be a welcome treat . We’ve always been taught that an “apple a day will keep the doctor away” but we’re educated to have numerous servings of fruit each day. How can a fruit basket help with setting up that type of new eating habits ? Start with a couple of juicy grapefruits for breakfast. Whether these will be pink or ruby red, a grapefruit is a perfect way to start any day. These can be the “anchors” of your fruit basket gift.

Later on, your lucky relative who has received the fruit basket can reach in for a fresh Florida orange. Whether it’s a navel orange or Valencia orange these will be a better choice for a lunch time snack then a candy bar . For a mid afternoon snack, the fruit basket can contain a variety of grapes or apples . There are also many sweet varieties of citrus like tangerines and clementines which can make for a healthier alternative then another a vending machine pick .

The other benefit about receiving a fruit basket is that it can be shared . If you send a fruit basket gift to someone who works in an office, you’ll be providing a bunch of great treats that beat the standard “office birthday cake.” Often people don’t even consider a fruit snack simply because they don’t have any fruit within reach . But a fruit basket gift can certainly change those attitudes . Just think; you’re single fruit basket gift could inspire a whole bunch of people to get fit .

Fruit baskets can easily be ordered on-line. You’ll be able to see precisely what you’re acquiring ordering . Most on-line stores have knowledgeable staff waiting to help you arrange your fruit basket gift. Or you can pick through a selection of pre-designed fruit baskets. And don’t forget to include a special card to make sure you get the much deserved kudos for such an unique gift.

apples · fruit baskets · fruits · gifts