The Fresh from Florida brand is one you may want to start paying more attention to when shopping for produce in Florida and even up the east coast! If you see the Fresh from Florida logo, you can be assured that the produce you’re purchasing is fresh and coming directly from a local farm to your grocery store.
I recently sat down with a representative from the Fresh from Florida brand to hear what he had to say about the produce they provide and for him to listen to what students would like to see from the brand. An interesting topic that was brought up at this meeting is the Florida oranges. You often see small, rough-looking oranges in the dining halls and even at our Fresh Markets on campus but do you know why? Florida is known for their citrus, so we should trust that the farmers here know what they’re doing. You may find the huge, bright-orange California oranges more aesthetically pleasing but they just don’t provide the quality of Florida oranges. Florida oranges are traditionally produced for juicing and so they have not been made to look good, but to provide a juicy treat to consumers. You could grab a few oranges from the dining halls and try juicing them yourself, or you can just cut one up and enjoy the rich citrus!
Fresh from Florida strives to promote Florida’s agricultural economy by getting local farmers’ produce into stores like Whole Foods and Publix. They also partner with colleges and universities to provide students with fresh local produce and you can even find them in Subway!
Their social media pages provide insight on where your produce is coming from, how to use it in recipes, and where to find the Fresh from Florida brand in stores! You can find them on Instagram, Facebook, Pinterest, Twitter and their Website.
Check out their website for videos, what’s in season, recipes, events/fairs/festivals, wineries/vineyards, farmers’ markets and to meet some of the local farmers!
My personal favorite is the cooking tutorial videos!
Here’s a recipe from Fresh from Florida that you could use those Florida oranges in!
Florida Orange Glazed Shrimp
Courtesy: Fresh from Florida
Ingredients:
1 ½ pounds Florida pink shrimp, peeled and deveined 2 cups Florida orange juice 2 tablespoons triple sec liqueur 1 teaspoon sesame oil 1 teaspoon soy sauce 1 teaspoon chopped hot pepper
Preparation:
Cook orange juice and triple sec in a large skillet until liquid has reduced to a very thick, honey-like, consistency. Add pink shrimp and oil and cook approximately 6 to 8 minutes or until shrimp are opaque in the center and liquid thickens again. Add soy sauce and chopped pepper and mix well. Serve immediately.
Remember, exercise aside, your health relies on what you eat. Ditch the fast food stops and pizza deliveries every night and try a recipe out! You may surprise yourself with your new found cooking abilities! Creating something that not only tastes good but is good for your health will provide you with a deep personal satisfaction. Fresh from Florida has your back in helping you find that inner cook and to use local produce to make it happen!