JOHN K. OF NEW BLOOMFIELD, PA, ASKS: What’s the best kind of watermelon?
Great question, John. Your inquiry may be only six words, but it’s actually quite difficult to answer.
Within the main categories of seedless, picnic (seeded), mini watermelons and yellow flesh watermelons are hundreds of different types, many of which are very closely related because they are literally closely related. What I mean by that is that many watermelon are crossbred to produce a product that has the best attributes of both contributing varieties.
Although the exact variety of watermelon you might buy in the grocery store is often unknown (if it’s a seedless, it could be one of several varieties), it’s a pretty safe bet that the best type of watermelon is the kind that’s sitting right in front of you and ready to be eaten. I know that’s an easy way to answer your question, but it’s true, right?
When I talk to people about the different “types” of watermelon, I usually focus on the main categories (seedless, seeded, mini and yellow flesh). Some people prefer seedless watermelon (no need to worry about seeds!), while others like watermelon with seeds because you can spit the seeds at your brother, like I used to do (and sometimes still do). Other folks like the mini watermelons because they’re easy to handle and store.
My recommendation is to try lots of different types of watermelon to see which type works best for you. Best case scenario: You get to eat lots of watermelon this summer and you find out that you really like several different types!
UP NEXT: Four crazy watermelon photos