Watermelon will be ripe and juicy if you avoid 3 simple things at the supermarket

Most fruits are easy to spot if they are ripe. A banana turns brownish when ready to be eaten, mangos turn soft to the touch, but fruit with shells or thick skin, like watermelons, are difficult to spot. The red melon is delicious and refreshing to enjoy on a hot summer's day, but there's nothing worse than picking up an unsweet or unripe watermelon.

Choosing ripe and juicy watermelon at the supermarket doesn't have to be a guessing game. Many shoppers rely on touching the fruit, which is difficult to do with a watermelon, but there are better ways to tell what's truly fresh and flavorful. These simple steps will help you avoid bland or underripe picks.

A healthy food expert on Instagram who goes by the name of @holistichealths revealed six signs to look out for when choosing the best-tasting watermelon.

How to pick a ripe and juicy watermelon

1. Colour

A key sign to look out for is the colour of the watermelon, they shared: "Look for a deep yellow or creamy spot; it means the melon ripened on the vine." Another sign is webbing: "Brown, web-like scars = more pollination = sweeter fruit."

A good sign that the watermelon is ripe is if it has larger webbing or is dark and dull. However, if the fruit has small webbing, it is bland, and if it features a white spot field, it will be bland.

A food guru at the Mediterranean dish agreed and said: "A ripe melon should have dark and dull skin. If the skin looks pale or shiny, it is not ripe."

2. Shape

The social media expert noted that the shape of the watermelon also plays a key role. They explained: "Go for symmetrical melons without dents or bumps for even ripening."

Though this may not be an issue for some, elongated watermelons tend to be more watery and lack sweetness.

They also noted: "A ripe watermelon is dense with juice-pick the heaviest one for its size."

However, don't be fooled by bigger watermelons; "avoid melons that are too large but don't feel as heavy as they look."

3. Sound

Foodies should also do a sound test before purchasing their watermelons. Tap the watermelon and expect to hear a hollow sound means it's full of water and ripe.

The Mediterranean dish expert further explained: "Pick up the watermelon, hold it close to your ear and knock it in a few spots. A ripe and juicy watermelon should give a deeper sound resonating like a tenor. While a hollow sound indicates a dryer, less ripened watermelon."