Watermelon is a summer staple
No picnic or barbecue is complete without cool, luscious slices. Every bite is worth sticky fingers, piles of seeds and little streams of red running down chins.
August 3 is National Watermelon Day. Celebrate a sweet day with these one-in-a-melon juicy treats and charming craft ideas:
Smoothie it
- Freeze cubed watermelon and throw in the blender for a refreshing slush! Add pineapple chunks or other juices for variety. Garnish with small melon wedges.
- Puree 8 cups of watermelon, one cup of sugar (or honey) and a cup of water in a food processor. Pour the mixture into a 9 X 9-inch pan and freeze until solid, at least four hours. The result? Watermelon sorbet!
- Make a cold, fresh summer soup. Blend half a melon with a half cup of yogurt, a little fresh ginger, lemon juice, a pinch of sea salt, a dash of ground nutmeg and mint leaves. Garnish with a dollop of yogurt or crushed walnuts.
Something different
- Watermelon slices are surprisingly delish grilled and drizzled with a balsamic vinegar reduction.
- Cube watermelon and serve as a salad with cucumber, crumbled feta and basil.
- Two words: watermelon salsa! Combine chopped, seedless watermelon with diced mango, red onion, jalapeno, lime juice, cilantro and salt. Serve with tortilla chips and watch it disappear!
Craft it
- We’ve all seen the buffet-standard watermelon boat filled with melon balls. Surprise your guests with a shark or pirate ship!
- Keep the kids busy with this bright and fun Watermelon Moon Sand recipe. It’s inexpensive and non-toxic, using only sand, cornstarch, water and Kool-Aid! Kids can build sandcastles and have sensory play.
- Have a watermelon seed-spitting contest. Grab some chalk and head to the sidewalk. Make targets for the kids (and grownups?). Patooie!
The decor
- Decorate for the day with an adorable watermelon doily garland. Use this printable watermelon garland or color your own.
- DIY a cute watermelon flower pot and fill with succulents for a fun accessory!
- Keep the fresh summer scent of ripe watermelon year-round. Try diffusing our 100% natural oil blend Watermelon Red Berries.
Fresh picked
Watermelon.org offers these tips to pick the best melon:
- Look it over. You want a firm and symmetrical watermelon without bruises, dents or cuts.
- Pick it up. The watermelon should be heavy for its size.
- Turn it over. The underside should have a creamy yellow spot where it touched the ground while ripening in the sun.
Cut it
There are as many ways to cut up a melon as there are, well, melons. Here are some tips:
- Learn how to “skin” a watermelon. It’s a neat party trick!
- Slice up some easy watermelon spears.
- Use plastic food storage bags and some ingenuity for a mess-free method to cut a melon.
How will you celebrate summer’s favorite melon? Let us know in the comments!