Summer’s warm weather, outdoor gatherings, and an increased availability of certain fresh fruits puts us on the hunt for the perfect warm weather snack. And there’s still a few weeks left to enjoy the bounty that summer seasons provide us.

Nothing can dull summer vibes quite like cracking open an under-ripe watermelon. But do people really know how to pick the perfect one? And in the Shipt community, we have watermelon enthusiasts abound. During the entire month of August last year, Shipt Shoppers carefully selected and delivered more than 110,000 watermelons. And it’s no surprise that the month started off with one of the top watermelon sales days in the month -- National Watermelon Day (August 3, 2020) where customers purchased more than 4,000 watermelons through Shipt. That’s a lot of summer fun!

We asked some experienced Shipt Shoppers for their personal, expert tips on what it takes to pick the perfect watermelon. Here’s their advice: 

• Locate the “field spot” or “belly,” the large area at the bottom of the fruit with a yellowish appearance. A good-sized yellow field spot denotes ripeness and sweetness. (Matthew in St. Mary’s Peninsula, Maryland)
• Smack it! If it sounds hollow, it’s perfect! (Karen in San Jose, California) 

In case watermelons are not your go to in the summertime, here are some tips for other summer produce that we provide shoppers in our education guides:

• For cucumbers, you want to choose ones that are firm and bright green in color. Avoid the soft ends, blemishes and waxy coatings.
• With tomatoes, you want to look for a deep consistent coloring across the entire tomato. It should feel heavy in your hand for its size.
• Peaches should be dark yellow in color. Gently squeeze them to check if a ripe peach feels soft, not squishy and smells sweet. 

As you plan the last few outdoor gatherings or stock up on other summer produce before the seasons change, let our Shipt Shoppers pick the right one for you!