National Watermelon Day is celebrated on August 3

National Watermelon Day is celebrated on August 3 every year. The watermelon is a refreshing treat at a picnic, family reunion, cookout or at the state fair. The popular fruit can be consumed in many ways. It can be sliced and eaten plain, cooked on the grill, mixed into a salsa, eaten in a fruit salad or blended into a drink.

It is amazing that a lot of the watermelon goes to waste. A watermelon is a budget fruit because it can be eaten as a delicious snack, part of a meal, or consumed as a beverage. If used correctly, one average size watermelon can feed about three dozen people.

That happens when the rind, flesh, and juice are used.

Why are they so refreshing?

Have you ever wondered why watermelons are so refreshing? That's because they contain 92 percent water. While you find only one or two types in your local grocery store or at the farmer's market, there are actually about 300 different types in the United States and Mexico. Most of them that people purchase are round or oval, and the flesh is red. However, they are also available in some places in various shapes and sizes. The outside rind is usually green with dark green stripes. The flesh on the inside can be pink, orange, white or yellow.

How to pick a sweet melon

A lot of people don't know how to pick a sweet watermelon.

They state that they are tired of paying for one and cutting it at home only to find out that it is not sweet. A few tips will help anyone pick a ripe and sweet melon. First of all, know that watermelons are not like bananas or tomatoes that continue to ripen after they are off the vine.

Do not buy the biggest one in the pile.

The sweetest one has nothing to do with size, but it does have a lot to do with its color and weight. As there is so much water inside, a good one is always heavy.

Do not buy one if there are cuts, dents, bruises or soft spots. Buy the one with a creamy yellow spot where the melon came in contact with the ground while growing on the vine and was ripened by the sun.

If the melon has a yellowish color on the bottom, then it is probably ripe. Scratch the skin with your fingernail. If the melon is ripe, it will have a greenish-white color underneath its surface.

Those who grew up in the south know that a watermelon can be thumped to determine if it is ripe. Because it contains a lot of water, no hollow sound should be heard.

Now that you know how to pick a sweet watermelon, enjoy a slice on the day when the rest of the country is also doing the same.