Watermelon

Characteristics

Watermelon is a type of fruit that is related to cucumbers, squash and pumpkin. It has a smooth, green exterior and a juicy, sweet flesh. While the reddish flesh is the most commonly eaten part, the rind and seeds are also edible.
Select watermelon that is free from bruises, cuts or dents. They are ripe when they make a dull, muffled hollow sound when knocked on with a fist.
Watermelon is 92% water! Eating it is a delicious way to stay hydrated.
1 cup of diced watermelon has only 46 calories and contains:
- 20% of your recommended daily value of vitamin C to help heal wounds and keep teeth and gums healthy.
- 5% of your recommended daily value of vitamin B6 to support metabolism, cognitive development and immune function.

Prepare

There are many ways to slice a watermelon. To prepare, rinse outside of watermelon. Cut in half using a large knife. To slice, cut in half again before cutting into slices. To cube or dice, remove rind with a knife before cutting into cubes.

Try watermelon:

Fresh or frozen and blended into smoothies
Added to your favorite salsa or salad
Juiced or blended for a refreshing, hydrating summer drink

Store

To refrigerate: If the watermelon was cold when you got it, put it in the refrigerator to store it. You do not need to refrigerate your watermelon before cutting it if it was not already cold. After cutting, store pieces in a covered container for up to 3 days.
To freeze: Cut watermelon into cubes. Place cubes on a wax paper lined cookie sheet. Move frozen cubes to plastic containers or freezer safe bags. Use in smoothies or other iced drinks.

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