How to Pick a Watermelon in Store

Picking the perfect watermelon in store can be tricky, especially if you don't have a lot of experience buying fruit. But if you follow these simple tips, it'll be easy to find the best one.

The first thing to look out for is shape. Melons that have odd bumps or lumps may have received inconsistent amounts of water and sunlight, which can make them dry and flavorless.

Size

When you’re in the store buying your favorite fruits and vegetables, it’s important to pick out the best ones possible. A good watermelon should be uniform in shape and symmetrical. It should not have dents or bumps, which can indicate that it’s dry or spoiled. It should also be heavy and have a deep hollow sound when you tap it.

A watermelon should weigh between a half and a pound. It should feel heavy for its size because this means that it has plenty of juice inside. A ripe watermelon should be juicy and taste sweet.

Depending on the variety, a watermelon can range in size from 6 to 10 inches across. Smaller melons, averaging about 4 inches in diameter, are called mini watermelons. They’re popular for picnics and barbecues.

Some people even prefer to grow their own watermelons, especially if they’re trying to cut down on calories and fat. There are a few different types of watermelon plants available, some of which have been designed specifically to grow smaller melons, including seedless triploid hybrids and heirloom varieties.

Another option is to purchase a watermelon that’s been grown in cube form. This method was originally developed in Japan to save space on refrigerator shelves, but it also makes the fruit easier to eat.

These cube-shaped melons are not made from seeds and are bred by Japanese farmers. The fruit grows in see-through boxes and takes the shape of the box as it matures.

While these odd-shaped melons don’t have the sweet, juicy flavor of their round counterparts, they are perfect for displaying in a kitchen or garden. They’re available in a few flavors, including strawberry, raspberry and blueberry.

These strangely shaped melons were created by a couple of farmers in Japan, who were looking for ways to express their love of farming. They spent years breeding a variety that was small, sweet and had no seeds. It’s a novel approach to produce development and marketing, and it may make an impact on how melons are grown in the future.

And for cutting this large watermelon, you need a Watermelon Slicer. So order it today.

Shape

The perfect watermelon is a summer staple, whether you’re eating it straight from the fridge or blending it into a delicious slushy cocktail. But picking one out in a store can be tricky.

First of all, you’ll want to find out the shape. Look for a firm, symmetrical melon without any bruises, cuts or dents. It also needs to feel heavy for its size, indicating it’s ripe on the inside.

Moreover, the melon should have a dry stem, which indicates that it was allowed to ripen on the vine. Avoid fruits with green stems, as they might be harvested prematurely.

You can also spot a ripe watermelon by looking for a field spot, which shows where the melon rested on the ground before ripening. A field spot should be creamy yellow or orange-yellow, not white.

This mark indicates that the melon was in the field for a long time, and it will help you pick out a sweeter melon. However, you should always avoid watermelons with white spots because they didn’t spend enough time in the field.

Another way to tell if a melon is ripe is by examining its stripes. Ripe melons have more of a spreading pattern of stripes, not just a single line that runs through the middle.

Once you’ve found a good watermelon, take your time to gently knock on it with your knuckles and listen to what it sounds like. A hollow sound indicates a melon that’s ready to eat, while a loud, high-pitched knock can indicate an underripe melon that needs more time to ripen.

Finally, a round, pretty symmetrical watermelon is best since it means it was properly watered throughout its growth process. Oblong melons, on the other hand, are less ripe and not as sweet.

Field Spot

Watermelons are a summer essential and one of the best ways to cool down on hot days. They are also delicious when cut into chunks and served chilled in a salad or as part of a watermelon lemonade. But before you head out to the grocery store, it’s important to know how to pick a watermelon that will taste great and be easy to eat!

To pick a ripe watermelon, look for a field spot on the underside of the melon (known as the “field spot”). A creamy yellow or orange-yellow field spot indicates that the melon was given enough time to ripen in the sun.

Another way to tell if the melon is ripe is to tap it with your knuckles. A ripe watermelon will make a hollow sound when tapped, and an unripe watermelon will produce a higher, duller-sounding vibration.

If you see a brown webbing on the outside of the watermelon, it’s an indicator that it’s been pollinated by bees during its growth. The more webbing, the sweeter the melon will be.

Vein-like webbing lines on the rind are also a sign of ripeness. A melon with more vein-like webbing will be sweeter and have a better rind texture, as it hasn’t been exposed to too much dry weathering.

It’s also a good idea to lift up a melon before purchasing it. A heavy melon will be more dense than its size and contain more water than a lighter one.

Finally, if you’re buying a whole melon, turn it over and check for any bruises or cuts. If you’re not comfortable handling a melon with blemishes or bumps, choose another one.

A watermelon with a light or white field spot is not ripe and will be flavorless. Alternatively, if the field spot is pale green, the melon is still young and will not be very sweet.

The easiest way to pick a ripe watermelon is to look for a field spot on the underside, which will indicate that it was allowed to sit in the sun for enough time to ripen and produce sugar. A melon with a creamy yellow or orange-yellow field spots will be ripe and have more flavor than a melon with a white or pale green spot.

Smell

Watermelon is a classic summer fruit that you can easily eat raw, in salads, or even make sorbet. However, it is a perishable food that can spoil quickly if you don’t store it properly. So before you pick a watermelon in store, check its smell and look for these warning signs to avoid getting sick from eating rotten or overly sour watermelons.

The aroma of a ripe watermelon should be sweet and fresh, but if it’s smelling tangy or sour, it’s likely gone bad. A watermelon that is spoiled can make you feel sick and can cause cramps in your joints.

You can also tell if a watermelon is sour by the color and texture of its flesh. Sour watermelons usually have a firm, green rind and a sour-tasting center.

A rotten watermelon will also be mushy and heavy for its size. If you find a rotten watermelon, don’t try to cut it or eat it. Instead, discard it and get a fresh one from the market.

If you’re unsure how to tell if a watermelon is still ripe, look for vein-like webbing lines on the rind and dry weathering spots. These are a sign that the watermelon is ripe and will be more juicy than a watermelon that’s been picked before it was fully ripe.

Another way to determine if a watermelon is ripe is by checking its stem. If the stem is depressed and dry, it means that the melon fell off the vine before it was fully ripe.

Lastly, inspect the watermelon’s color to see if it is a bright pink or deep red. Melons that are darker in color will have had more time to ripen on the vine and should have a sweeter flavor as a result.

Finally, when you’re shopping for a watermelon in store, you’ll want to check its stem and rind to make sure it has a good smell. A rotten melon will smell sour or have a mushy or moldy appearance, so it isn’t worth picking up. A fresh watermelon will have a delicious scent and smell sweet, fresh, and juicy!