How to Pick a Sweet Watermelon

Even though whole watermelons are more plentiful in stores during the summer, slices and chunks of watermelons are found on salad bars in restaurants all year long.

You might have seen only round or oval watermelons in your local grocery store, or at the farmer's market. They might have seeds or are seedless. The outside rind is either solid green, or has dark green stripes.

There are about 300 different types of watermelons in the United States and Mexico. They come in all shapes and sizes. The flesh inside can be red, pink, orange, white, or yellow. However, most of them in the United States are only red, or pink.

Watermelon slices.

Watermelons are refreshing and delicious. That's probably why so many people love them in the hot summertime. They are refreshing, because they contain mostly water. They contain 92 percent water. Therefore, they are a summer treat, and can be found at family reunions, picnics, cookouts, and even at the circus, and the state fair.

Watermelons are sweet, and low in calories. They contain cancer-fighting properties, and they boost energy. Best of all is that most folks love them.

Many ways to eat watermelon

People need to know how to pick a sweet watermelon, because there are so many ways to eat it. The most common way is to hold a slice in your hand and eat it down to the rind. However, there are so many other ways to eat the fruit.

Watermelon slices can be eaten along with your breakfast. It can be cut into cubes and added to a fruit salad. Add pieces of watermelon to your favorite smoothie. Make a cold watermelon soup. Gazpacho is made with watermelon as one of its ingredients. The rind can be pickled. Did you know that you can also grill watermelon?

Now that you know some interesting things about watermelons, learn how to pick the right one. I grew up on a farm in Southern Virginia. Therefore, I know a thing or two about choosing a sweet watermelon.

Tips for buying the right watermelon

A few tips will help you pick a ripe and sweet watermelon every single time. Watermelons do not continue to get ripe after you purchase them, and take them home like tomatoes and bananas. Therefore, they are as ripe as they are going to be when they are separated from the vine.

1. Bigger is not always better. Don't go for the biggest melon in the pile. The size of a watermelon has nothing to do with how sweet it will be after it is cut.
2. A good watermelon is usually a heavy one, because of the water inside. Thump the watermelon with your thumb. Buy the melon if it has a hollow sound. Those that are under-ripe, or over-ripe will sound dull.
3. Do not buy the fruit if there are bruises, cuts, dents, or soft spots any place on it.
4. You can tell if the melon is ripe if there is a greenish-white color underneath its rind. Simply scratch the skin gently with your fingernail to see the color.
5. Look at the watermelons in the photo below to determine which one to buy. It is sweet if there is a creamy yellow spot where the watermelon was on the ground. If the color is yellowish on the bottom, then it is probably ripe and sweet.

You can see in the above photo which watermelon is good, better, and best. Be on the safe side, and always try to buy the one similar to the third one in the row. Then you will have a better chance of getting one that is completely ripe and sweet.