Tips for Picking the Best Citrus Fruit

Picking the best citrus fruit is not that difficult once you know what to look for. The better the quality of the citrus fruit that you buy is the better that citrus fruit will taste and the longer it will last. High quality citrus fruits do not last more than a week or so at room temperature but can be refrigerated and kept for six to eight weeks and still be delicious. Sometimes you can pick up the fruit and visually inspect it for flaws, but sometimes that is not possible. Even when you cannot visually inspect the fruit you can still buy great quality citrus fruit if you follow these tips:

Buy from a reputable grower – Look at the customer reviews of any grower that you buy from. Other consumers are the most reliable source of information when it comes to the quality of the produce that a particular grower produces. Growers who get top marks from their customers consistently can be trusted to provide great Florida oranges, grapefruits and other citrus fruits.

Inspect the fruit when it arrives – High quality citrus fruits usually will have a thin peel that encases lots of sweet juicy fruit. There will always be a few pieces of fruit that have a thick peel, but if most of the product that you ordered comes with very thick peels that is a warning sign that the fruit might not be great quality. You should also look for soft spots, bruises, or early stages of mold. Any damage or disease on the fruit indicates that the fruit was not stored or shipped properly.

Look at the color – Citrus fruits almost always have a bright, brilliant colored peel. Pieces of fruit that do not have a deep color may not be ripe, or may be unhealthy, or they may be just fine. The best way to tell if a pale of citrus fruit is healthy is to check the peel for bumps, lumps, discoloration or other signs of disease. If the peel is pale but seems smooth and has a uniform texture then the fruit is most likely fine.

It is important to check your citrus fruit for signs of disease once you receive it because one or two citrus fruits that are unhealthy can ruin the whole box. Wash your citrus fruit in a vegetable wash or with hot water when you get it and then store it in a cool, dry place.

Taste the Sunshine with Hale Groves

At Hale Groves, we believe the best gifts come from the land, not a factory. For generations, our fruit has been grown slowly under the Florida sun, picked at its peak, and delivered fresh to your door. From sweet Navel Oranges to rare Honeybells, every gift shares the simple joy of real flavor—perfect for holidays, milestones, or everyday moments worth celebrating.

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