How to Choose a Ripe, Juicy Watermelon

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Watermelons are one of the most delicious fruits ever. When summertime rolls around, massive watermelons hit the grocery store shelves and we buy them in abundance. However, do you know how to go about picking the perfect watermelon? It turns out there’s an entire art behind knowing which watermelons are the ripest. Here’s how to choose ’em!

Shape Over Size

The biggest watermelon doesn’t necessarily mean that it’s the best one. The shape of the watermelon will actually determine how it will taste much more accurately. Watermelons that are longer tend to be more watery, while watermelons that are round in shape tend to be sweeter.

Check The Tail

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Unless it was accidentally broken off, all watermelons will have a tail at one end. If the tail looks dry and kind of shrivelled, the watermelon is ripe. If the tail is green and looks sturdier, the watermelon is not yet ripe.

Yellow Vs. White

When it comes to picking fruit, we tend to think that the greener it is, the better. However, this is not the case when it comes to watermelons. You may have noticed that watermelons have a white or yellow spot on them. This doesn’t mean that the fruit is diseased — it just indicates how long the watermelon sat in the patch for. The yellower the spot, the longer the watermelon sat in the patch, and the riper it will be. Watermelons with white spots tend to be not as ripe.

And there you have it! The next time you want to pick up a delicious watermelon from the grocery store, you’ll know how to choose the perfect one. Click here for a list of great watermelon-inspired recipes you can try this summer!

source: Real Simple / Photo by Christopher Baker