Watermelon Fruit Bowl Salad

Get your melon baller rolling and celebrate National Watermelon Day with this refreshing watermelon fruit bowl salad!

By: Jodie Shield, MEd, RDN

Watermelon reminds me of the lazy, carefree days of summer. One of my fondest memories is sitting in the backyard at a redwood picnic table with my brother, Mike. To help us cool off on those stifling-hot, sticky August nights, Mom would give us each a big slice of ruby-red watermelon.  Mike and I would gnaw those wedges all the way down to the green-striped rind, wiping away the juice dripping down our chins. Then we would spit the little black seeds into the grass praying they would grow into a watermelon!

I still love watermelon, but my seed-spitting days are over.  Now I buy seedless watermelon and I use it to make all sorts of delicious salsas, Watermelon Fizz, and Watermelon Cutouts.  Since August 3rd is National Watermelon Day, I wanted to share my recipe for Watermelon Fruit Bowl Salad.  All you need is a melon baller (a spoon with a scooper on each end) and an assortment of fruit.  Some recipes call for adding creamy sauces or honey, not mine.  For a naturally sweet flavor, I recommend using only fresh, ripe fruit like those I’ve listed or toss in some pineapple, oranges, and kiwi – whatever your family likes.  For a festive flare (plus it makes clean up a snap) make a watermelon basket and serve the fruit salad right out of the shell.  Your family is going to love my watermelon salad just be on the lookout, you still might find a few seeds.

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Watermelon Fruit Bowl Salad

Makes about 20 servings

Preparation Time: 30 minutes

Cooking Time: None!

Ingredients:

1 large seedless watermelon

1 cantaloupe, halved and seeded

1 honeydew melon, halved and seeded

2 cups fresh strawberries, halved

2 cups seedless green grapes

3 cups blueberries

Directions:

1. Using a large, sharp knife, remove the top half of the watermelon.  With a melon baller, scoop out the flesh from inside of the watermelon.  (I like to leave about ½ inch of flesh inside the watermelon shell as I think this adds flavor.) Use the melon baller to scoop out the cantaloupe and honeydew; remove as much fruit as possible and discard the rinds.  Refrigerate the fruits separately until ready to assemble.
2. To serve, place the melon balls and other fruits into the watermelon basket and toss.
3. Tip: If you want to make the watermelon basket fancy, you can use the knife to carve triangles around the edges.  Some people even make handles using the rind and toothpicks.

Nutrition Information: 123 calories, 2 grams protein, 31 grams carbohydrate, 0.5 grams fat, 0 grams saturated fat, 0 milligrams cholesterol, 2.5 grams dietary fiber, 16 milligrams sodium

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