Navel Oranges are Perfect for a Healthy Holiday Celebration

If you’re trying to stay healthy during the holidays this year and not pack on those holiday pounds keep plenty of navel oranges on hand this holiday season. Navel oranges can be used in decorations, as gifts, or as sweet but healthy treats that can be served instead of traditional cookies, candy and other sweets. Navel oranges, tangerines, Honeybells and other citrus fruits can be served alone or together to create beautiful healthy dishes that can start a new tradition of healthy eating during the holidays in your household. It will feel great to celebrate without all those extra calories and not have to go on a diet after the New Year starts like all your friends and family members will be doing. If you have health issues or if you need to follow a restricted diet using navel oranges and other citrus fruits will let you enjoy the holidays without compromising your health. Here are some fun ideas for healthy Christmas treats and meals:

Citrus fruit salad – This is a bright and beautiful fruit salad that can be served as part of a Christmas dinner, eaten for breakfast or served as a dessert. You can even set a bowl of this in the middle of a bunch bowl and let the flavors be absorbed into the punch for an amazing naturally sweet punch. Peel and cut navel oranges, tangerines, grapefruit and Honeybells into cubes. Toss the fruit together and pour a simple syrup made with fresh orange juice or fresh Honeybell juice over the top. That’s all there is too it. Add some fresh berries to add a touch of color if you want.

Candied orange peel – Candied orange peels are great for garnish but you can also eat them as a natural candy. There is some sugar involved in the candying process but if you use raw sugar these are very healthy and they are a great alternative to chocolate and other high calorie candies. The peel of navel oranges is actually very healthy, so eating it can give you the same nutrients you’d get eating the flesh. Just make sure that when you are peeling the orange you remove all the pith from the peel. If you don’t get all the pith the candied peel won’t taste very good at all, because pith is naturally bitter and rather unpleasant tasting. Kids love making these unique candies for the holidays.

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.

Shop Now