There’s not much that’s better than fresh and juicy watermelon. It’s a summertime staple for a reason. Watermelon is a delicious fruit that provides you with essential hydration due to the fact that it’s made up of approximately 92% water. It’s also packed with vitamins, minerals, antioxidants, and plant compounds that help fight disease and keep you healthy. Not to mention, it’s completely delicious with a sweet, fresh, and incredibly juicy flavor.
You can enjoy watermelon in various ways, such as in slices, strips, or even melon balls. However, one of the best ways to enjoy watermelon is by cutting it into cubes. You can add watermelon cubes to salads or drinks, or even just enjoy them straight from the bowl. Cubed watermelon offers a lot of variety, and it’s relatively easy to achieve. Here’s how to cut a watermelon into cubes:
How to Pick the Perfect Watermelon
The first step in creating the perfect watermelon cubes is choosing the best watermelon at the store. To do this, you’ll need to take a look at the sun spot. This is the spot where the watermelon rested as it grew from a tiny flower into the giant fruit you have in front of you. If the sun spot is large and yellow, you’re likely good to go. If it appears white, the watermelon is probably underripe and won’t taste as sweet as a melon with a more yellow-looking spot. If you aren’t sure, you can also try giving the watermelon a gentle thump. Knock on the side of the watermelon with your fist as if you were knocking on a door. If it sounds hollow, the watermelon is ready to be eaten.
For more watermelon treats just in time for summer, consider our Summer Fruits Platter that’s packed with watermelon balls, kiwi, strawberries, pineapple daisies, mango, and blueberries. Or, check out our Sun-Sational Bouquet™, an arrangement bursting with sun-shaped pineapple, watermelon balls on skewers, blueberries on skewers, kiwi, mango, and strawberries.
How to Cut a Watermelon into Cubes
There’s a multitude of ways to cut a watermelon into cubes. We’ve gathered up the easiest ways to create juicy watermelon cubes without a whole lot of mess. Here’s how:
1. Cut into the Watermelon Halves
You’ll need a cutting board and a long sharp knife. Start by cutting your watermelon in half lengthwise. Then, cut each half in half again, creating four quarters. Take one of the quarters and make a slice horizontally across the fruit, all the way down to the rind. Don’t cut through the rind. Make slices every one inch from one side of the melon to the other side.
Next, slice down vertically across the melon, making cuts every one inch. You are essentially “precutting” the cubes without removing them from the rind. Once all of these cuts are made, you can begin cutting along the rind to remove from one edge of the melon all the way to the other side. The watermelon cubes will fall right off the rind quickly and easily.
2. Cut the Watermelon into Sticks
You can also create watermelon sticks and then chop these into cubes. To do this, cut the watermelon in half. Flip the watermelon over so that the flat surface faces down on the cutting board, making it easier and more stable to cut. Use a knife to cut off the four edges to create a square.
Then, make vertical slices across the watermelon, one inch apart. You’ll end up with a bunch of watermelon “sticks.” You can then remove the rind from each piece and cut it into one-inch square pieces.
Can You Eat Watermelon Rind?
You’ve probably heard that you shouldn’t eat watermelon rind. Some myths persist that it can irritate your stomach. However, that is completely false. Watermelon rind is completely edible. Plus, it contains all the health benefits of watermelon, including additional plant compounds and antioxidants that aren’t present in the red part of the fruit.
The only drawback is that it isn’t as juicy or delicious as the rest of the fruit. Watermelon rind is typically served pickled or as a part of a stir fry. It isn’t as appetizing when eaten raw as the rest of the fruit. That’s why, to make your watermelon cubes as delicious as possible, it’s important to remove as much of the white rind as you can.
Watermelon is a delicious and nutritious summertime treat. You can easily cut it into cubes with one of these two methods so you can enjoy it in salads, on top of yogurt, in drinks, or even right out of the bowl.
