Quick Tips for How to Pick the Perfect Melon

Nothing completes a summer picnic like the sweetness of a juicy watermelon and the sticky hands and faces of your kids that come along with it. However, sometimes, picking the right produce to bring home to your family can be a challenge.

After all, Jerry Seinfeld once quipped that people should maybe try rolling their cantaloupes down the aisle to make the right selection. “See the way that’s fading left? That one’s not ready. I don’t want that one.”

Since your local grocer probably wouldn’t appreciate that suggestion, here are a few more trustworthy ways to try to spot the perfect melon this summer.

Cantaloupe
Use your nose. A ripe cantaloupe has a sweet, musky scent on the blossom end, which is opposite from the stem. You should also be able to gently press into the stem end with your thumb.

Honeydew
Use your eyes. A yellow-white color is ideal for a honeydew. Generally, the more yellow, the sweeter the honeydew is.

Watermelon
Use your ears. When you tap a ripe watermelon, you should hear a deep hollow sound. If the watermelon seems heavier than you think it should, that’s another good indicator that you have a juicy watermelon in your hands.