Avoid fruit with extensive dull areas, excessive green patches, or skin that looks unusually dry or damaged. Small natural imperfections aren’t necessarily a problem.
2. Choose Firm, Well-Shaped Fruit
Give the orange a gentle feel.
It should be firm without being rock-hard. Avoid fruit with obvious soft spots, deep wrinkles, bruises, or damaged areas.
A nicely rounded orange is also often a good choice.
3. Compare the Weight
This is one of the easiest tricks to use at the grocery store.
If you’re comparing oranges of roughly the same size, pick up several and see which feels heavier.
A heavier fruit often contains more water and juice, while an unusually lightweight orange may have lost moisture during storage.
4. Inspect the Skin
Take a close look at the peel.
Slight texture or small cosmetic imperfections are normal. What you want to avoid are signs of spoilage such as mold, significant bruising, cuts, or severely shriveled skin.
5. Consider the Season
Freshly harvested fruit can have better flavor and aroma than fruit that has been stored for a long time.
When possible, buying oranges during their appropriate growing season can improve your chances of finding flavorful fruit.
How Should You Store Oranges?
If you’re planning to eat your oranges within a few days, a cool, dry place can work well.
