National Watermelon Day: August 3

It’s National Watermelon Day!

To quote Mark Twain, “When one has tasted watermelon, he knows what the angels eat.” This American literary hero understood the serious deliciousness of this magical fruit (vegetable?), and, hopefully, on this beautiful day, you do, too.

It’s so refreshing and delicious, there’s a whole day devoted to it. See below for how best to prepare watermelon in our tips below.

Picking the Perfect Watermelon

• Look for symmetrical round, oval, or oblong melons with a buttery yellow underbelly.
• When a melon is picked up, it should feel heavy for its size.
• Avoid melons with soft spots or bruises.

See more tips on when a watermelon is ripe (as well as other fruits and vegetables).

And here’s how to grow your own watermelon! Home-grown is juicer and more flavorful than many grocery store types!

Watermelon Recipes

This minty Watermelon Cucumber Salad is a light, fresh, and cool salad that can be enjoyed anytime. Crumbled feta cheese is optional but we think it somehow just works with watermelon!

To get you through the hottest part of midday day, cool off with this classic Watermelon Punch.

Try this Watermelon Basket With Honey Lime Dressing, a zesty spin on a traditional fruit salad

For dinner, marinate your chicken, pork, fish, or shellfish with this yummy Watermelon Barbeque Marinade.

Here’s another idea: Grilled Striped Bass (or a white fish) with a Grilled Corn and Watermelon Relish. What a meal!

Finish your wonderfully watermelon-filled day with a cool nightcap—these tasty Tipsy Strawberry Watermelon pops are the perfect end to a day!

Finally, save up your rinds and make pickled watermelon rinds for unconventional, yet refreshing, morsels.