In this recurring column, our panel of watermelon experts answer a question posed through our “Ask the Experts” feature in the right hand sidebar. Feel free to ask your own question. All questions get a response and some will be featured here on What About Watermelon.

MICHAEL C. FROM SAN DIEGO, CA, ASKS: Is it okay to eat watermelon seeds?

For some reason, our mothers liked to tell us that if we ate a watermelon seed, a watermelon would grow in our stomach. I was never sure where that tall tale came from or why parents perpetuated it, but millions of kids grow up in constant fear of watermelon seeds because they don’t want to wake up one morning with a 10-pound fruit germinating in their belly. Of course, this isn’t true.

Other people (i.e. those over the age of seven who are wise to the stories adults tell) fear that watermelon seeds contain some sort of harmful chemicals and should therefore be avoided at all costs. This isn’t true either.

The truth is, watermelons seeds are 100 percent safe for consumption! I actually know some people who like to eat them, including many who roast them with salt like pumpkin seeds. They’re a tasty snack if you give them a chance. Maybe that’s why our parents told us not to eat the seeds. They wanted us to save them so they could roast them and enjoy them after the kids went to bed. Excuse me… I have to call my mother.

UP NEXT: A deep fried watermelon recipe

In this recurring column, our panel of watermelon experts answer a question posed through our “Ask the Experts” feature in the right hand sidebar. Feel free to ask your own question. All questions get a response and some will be featured here on What About Watermelon.

PAT R. FROM WICHITA, KANSAS, ASKS: We are planning for a neighborhood party for about 500 people.  How many average sized watermelons would we need to serve melon wedges?

Wow! 500 people sounds like quite a party. Mind if I come? I’m just kidding (sort of).

Let’s do some math here. We know that the average 20-pound watermelon yields about 53 6-ounce wedges (3/4 of an inch thick). That’s about two-and-a-half wedges per pound. Using that formula, you’ll need roughly 200 pounds of watermelon. In other words, 20 10-pound watermelons or 13-and-a-third 15-pound watermelons.   (I wouldn’t recommend cutting the watermelon in the store to get that extra third of a watermelon. They might frown on that.)

Of course, that’s assuming everyone eats only one slice. Some will eat two or three (or ten) slices. Then again, others might not eat any, but that’s their loss, right? To be safe, go ahead and pick up a few extra watermelons, just in case. After all, like I told David a little while ago, there’s no such thing as “too much watermelon.”

Hope this helps. Let me know how the party turns out, and if you want me to stop by, you know how to reach me!

Enjoy,
Chef Harry

UP NEXT: A seed spittin’ contest!

In this recurring column, our panel of watermelon experts answer a question posed through our “Ask the Experts” feature in the right hand sidebar. Feel free to ask your own question. All questions get a response and some will be featured here on What About Watermelon.

ELEANOR K. ASKS: Should I clean the outside of my watermelon before eating it? If so, what’s the best way to do that?

Good question, Eleanor. Like most fruits and vegetables, you should clean the outside of your watermelon, even though you don’t eat the rind. (Although some people do, but that’s a topic for another day.) There’s not likely to be anything too horrible on there, but a quick cleaning will eliminate the chances of transferring whatever’s on the outside of your watermelon to the inside when you cut into it.

Unlike most other things in the kitchen, cleaning a watermelon is pretty easy. I usually just rinse it under cold water and wipe it dry – sort of like an apple. If it’s too big to fit in your sink (lucky you), a wipe down with a damp cloth should do the trick.

“Ask the Experts” features questions submitted by readers via the Ask the Experts feature in the right hand sidebar. Feel free to ask our panelists anything you’d like about watermelon. All questions will get a personal response and some will be featured here on What About Watermelon!

DAVID S. ASKS: We recently hosted a large family picnic and we bought a little too much watermelon. Now I’ve got watermelon in my fridge, which isn’t a bad thing, but I’m wondering… how long will it last?

Great question, David. First of all, there’s no such thing as “too much watermelon.” Second, there are so many things you can do with those leftovers, but that’s a subject for another day.

To answer your question, if the watermelon has already been cut, it should be okay in the fridge for 3 or 4 days. While it’s in there, keep it in a container (if it’s cubed) or place plastic wrap over the exposed edge. If the watermelon is whole, you’ve got a bit more time to figure out what you’ll make with your leftovers – anywhere from 7 to 10 days.

Here’s the kicker: Researchers have found that whole watermelons stored outside the fridge in a cool, dark place (around 55 or 60 degrees) last much longer than watermelons stored in the fridge (around 41 degrees). So, if you’ve already got a whole watermelon in the fridge, you should keep it there. But if you’re storing it outside the fridge, put it in the fridge about three hours before you plan to eat it in order to cool it down to just the right temperature.

As for your leftovers, two of my favorite things to do with excess watermelon are cutting into chunks for use with other fruits in yogurt smoothies or pureeing the watermelon and freezing it in an ice cube tray to make watermelon ice cubes for drinks!

Enjoy!
Chef Harry