How to Pick a Honeydew That Actually Tastes Like Something

By Taylor Andrews
A Plastic Container Filled With Green Honeydew
Getty | Jena Ardell
Getty | Jena Ardell

Allow me to put you on to the one fruit you should absolutely be consuming more of: the honeydew. Although this melon may not be as sweet as watermelon or as popular as strawberries, the delicious honeydew is highly underrated. Known for being packed with vitamin C and potassium, honeydew is sweet, refreshing, and perfect for a healthy summer snack. The problem, however, is that most people don't know how to pick a good honeydew.

Understanding how to pick a good honeydew is essential for your taste buds. If you don't pick one that's perfectly ripe, you run the risk of biting into something that literally tastes like nothing. (There's a reason why honeydew has the stereotype of being bland.) If you do choose a perfectly ripe honeydew, though, you'll understand the hype.

To help you understand how to pick a good honeydew, PS tapped clinical nutritionist Mrinal Pandit for her best tips. Before you head to the grocery store next, read the below.

Experts Featured in This Article

Mrinal Pandit is a registered dietitian, clinical nutritionist, and certified nutritional counselor.

How to Pick a Good Honeydew

Honeydew is a great snack for when you want to cool off from those hot summer days, Pandit says. "They have a cool texture that makes them ideal for salads — especially those fruit salads and snacking," she adds. In order to ensure you get a honeydew at its best form, below are some of her tips on how to pick a good honeydew.

  1. Check to see if the honeydew feels heavy. If it's heavy, this would mean it's "loaded with juice" and is "properly hydrated," Pandit says.
  2. Examine the rind (also known as the outside of the fruit). The rind should be creamy yellow or pale gold, and it should also be "smooth and slightly soft to the touch," Pandit says. Avoid any honeydew that is still green, has bruises, cracks, skin dents, or discoloration.
  3. Smell the honeydew. Pandit says a mature honeydew will "have a sort of sweet, mildly floral smell, with this scent being most pronounced at the blossom end, which is the end opposite to the stem." If it smells too strong or emits an undesirable odor, however, it's possible the honeydew may be overly ripe.
  4. Use your thumb to check the ripeness. On the opposite end of the stem, press your thumb into the rind. If, with gentle thumb pressure, the fruit slightly yields against your thumb, it's a good sign the melon is ripe for picking, Pandit says.
  5. Avoid any honeydew with a noticeable soft area — especially those that look "almost wet or feel extremely watery when touched," Pandit adds.

Once you've followed the above steps, you're one step closer to indulging in honeydew that actually tastes good. Enjoy! For more tips on your favorite summer fruits, here's a guide on how to cut watermelon, how to cut dragon fruit, and why jalapeños are having their hottest summer yet.

Taylor Andrews is a Balance editor at PS who specializes in topics relating to sex, relationships, dating, sexual health, mental health, and more.