Quality fruits and vegetables can be selected by appearance, texture and fragrance. The appearance tells a little story about each piece of produce. Did an insect take a bite before you had the chance? Was the cantaloupe pulled too green or does its color give away the fact that it is overripe?

Any method of selecting produce will be subject to personal tastes and preferences. Choose produce based on how you plan to use it. An overripe peach may be perfect for immediate consumption or a delicious smoothie the same day however would not be right for freezing. Choose produce in several stages of ripening to allow for fresh produce all week long.

WATERMELON SELECTION
The traditional method is to thump the melon with a finger or knuckle. The sound you hear should be a muffled, dull tone, never a metallic ring. A visual indicator would be a creamy yellow or greenish-yellow (not white) spot on the rind where the melon laid on the ground. Melons should be heavier than they would appear to be and be free of bruises. But by far the best sign of ripeness is the tendril, just opposite of where the stem attaches to the vine. When the tendril is dried out and turns brown, the melon is at its peak.

HANDLING & STORAGE
Handle your whole watermelon gently, to avoid internal bruising. Wash hands, then wash watermelon in running water, rinse well and pat dry. Cut the flesh from the rind, and cut into 1-inch cubes. Place in covered container and refrigerate immediately. Keep cut watermelon refrigerated until consumed, up to 3-4 days.

PREPARATION
Watermelon can be enjoyed solo or in salsa, drink recipes or what every you can dream up. If you would like to de-seed a watermelon, here's a nice and easy way to do it.

Be sure to wash the watermelon and knives before cutting into it.

Cut watermelon in half, then in quarters. Cut through the flesh of the melon along the seed line with a pairing knife. Now, lift off the piece just cut.

Using a fork, scrape the seeds from the piece just removed and from the remaining flesh on the rind.