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Oranges should be firm and heavy. In fact, the heaviest ones for their size are the juiciest! And pass on any with mold or spongy spots.

While you may be used to oranges with a solid, bright orange color (thanks to dye!), it's okay for oranges to have some greenness or even rough brown patches. It won't take away from their delicious taste.

Use

You can do more than peel and eat  and juice fresh oranges. can  Divide them into segments and chop for use in salads. Or, add juice of oranges in drinks and salad dressings.

Store

Keep oranges either at room temperature or in the refrigerator – it's purely a matter of choice. The only rule of thumb…store them loose. Never keep them wrapped or bagged in plastic for storing.

And even nature has a "best if eaten before" date. Make sure to eat your oranges within 2 weeks, no matter where they are stored.

Cook

Oranges, and their peels, are great to cook with. Use them in cakes, breads, marmalades and more. They can also be segmented and chopped for use in stir-fries.

The peel is fabulous for zesting (see below) to add fresh orange flavor to things you bake.

• Hold the orange firmly in your hand and brush the peel with a microplane or fine grater.
  
  
• Only use the orange portion of the peel. The white pith is bitter.
  
  
• Eat the remaining orange within a day.

• Sweet oranges – Sweet oranges are perfect for eating or juice. They can be challenging to peel, with stubborn, thick skins, but it's worth the effort. Top picks: Navels, Blood Oranges, Valencias and Honeybells.
  
  
• Loose-skinned oranges – Think Clementines. The skin almost falls off when peeling. These are great for lunches or snacks.
  
  
• Bitter oranges – Tart and sour oranges, these are best when cooked. Bitter varieties include Seville, perfect for marmalade because its pectin content is much higher than sweet oranges.