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Why I’ll Never Pick Out Another Watermelon Without the “Two-Finger” Rule Again (Farmers Swear by It!)

Mara Weinraub
Mara WeinraubSenior Editor of Groceries at The Kitchn
I cover the grocery news worth talking about. In my six years as a journalist, I worked at Hearst Magazines and freelanced for SAVEUR, Food52, TASTE, and Edible Long Island. I’m also a longtime volunteer with Minds Matter NYC and a first-time aunt to an objectively adorable nephew.
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published Aug 19, 2024
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Two fingers on a watermelon.
Credit: Mara Weinraub

I was doing some grocery shopping on a recent Friday evening. I wanted to pick up some things — corn, watermelon, peaches for this easy cobbler, extra hot dog buns, canned cocktails — for a cookout I was hosting the next afternoon. (Yes, I waited until the last minute to grab these very essential items. It was a very busy week!) 

I must admit, I was a little nervous about the quality I’d find in the produce section. At 8:45 p.m., just over an hour before closing, I’d expected to see picked-over ears (the produce manager, seeing the disappointment on my face, brought out two boxes of fresh sweet corn from the back!) and piles of watermelon more empty than full. 

It didn’t matter much though, because I had a foolproof tip for choosing the best watermelon up my (short) sleeve: the “two-finger” rule. Farmers and Facebook posters alike swear by this handy rule, and now I do too.

Credit: Ryan Liebe

What’s So Great About the “Two-Finger” Rule for Watermelon?

I’ve been following this rule since I learned about it last summer and it’s as easy as it is accurate. There’s no guesstimating if a watermelon is heavy or not (they’re all heavy if you ask me) or whether the thump you hear is, in fact, deep and hollow or not. This expert tip is one I can easily judge with my own eyes.

Credit: Mara Weinraub

All I have to do is hold two fingers together (in this case, the point and middle) lengthwise to measure the stripes on the watermelon. If both fingers fit within the darker green area between two white stripes, that’s a sure sign I’ve got myself a perfectly ripe watermelon — sweet, run-down-your-chin juicy, and crisp. Not a mealy bite in sight. 

Credit: Mara Weinraub

My most recent find was this beautiful ruby red melon, which played the starring role in a refreshing Watermelon Feta Salad that Saturday. It was such a hit, my partner who typically doesn’t even like my absolute favorite fruit (can you imagine?!) polished off the remaining salad the next day. Then he asked when we could make it again.

This article originally published on The Kitchn. See it there: Why I’ll Never Pick Out Another Watermelon Without the “Two-Finger” Rule Again (Farmers Swear by It!)