Summer is all about things that are natural and simple. And during no time of year do fruits and vegetables taste better than during summer. Tomatoes are sweet and full of flavor. Strawberries and cherries are ripe and perfect. It’s the best time to eat some of the best food in the world.

And of all this wonderful produce, there’s nothing that is the essence of summer quite like watermelon. Watermelon is sweet, crisp, cold, and as refreshing as a tall glass of water. You can eat a big slice of it with one hand while lounging on blanket at a picnic. It’s the perfect summertime food. And as a bonus, it’s a pretty food, too.

Now, I don’t want to offend any watermelon worshipers by implying that it’s possible to get tired of eating plain, straight-from-the-rind watermelon. Heck, I don’t think it is! But that doesn’t mean you don’t want new ways to incorporate it into your summertime meals. Looking for some great watermelon ideas? Read on for a few of my favorites.

1. Watermelon on the go. While eating a slice of watermelon is a cinch, cutting open that huge melon to get the slice out is a whole different story! Make watermelon easily accessible for you and your family, and you’re bound to eat more of it. Cut up slices of the stuff and put them in a large resealable bowl or tupperware. That way when you or your kids are rummaging through the fridge for a snack, they won’t grab something less healthy –but easier– instead.

2. Make a melon salad. Watermelon isn’t just for dessert after a barbeque or a picnic. It’s also wonderful for breakfast. Put together an elegant melon salad mixing watermelon, cantaloupe, and honeydew melons. Dress it with a dressing made from honey and mint and serve with chilled champagne for brunch. Want your salad for dessert anyway? Make it pretty by serving the salad in a hollowed-out watermelon half.

3. Watermelon popsicles. If you’ve never tried frozen watermelon, you’ve been missing out on something. When you freeze it, watermelon maintains all of its sweetness. But frozen it’s cold, ultra crispy, and more fun to eat. This is a watermelon idea that kids in particular really love, and it’s a great alternative to sugar-and-chemical-packed popsicles. Just cut into slices, freeze separately on waxed paper, then pop into a zipper bag for storage.

4. Make a bowl of easy-to-eat watermelon balls. This is an especially good idea for seedless watermelon. Keep a big bowl of melon balls in the fridge to grab whenever you want a snack. Or add them to salads.

5. Blend up some watermelon gazpacho. With watermelon gazpacho, you take the most refreshing food of summer, gazpacho, and you make it with the most refreshing produce of summer, watermelon. How could you possibly go wrong?

6. Make a pretty presentation. Whether serving a melon salad like the one I talk about above or a tasty fruit punch or watermelon cocktail, serve it in a melon bowl! When you cut open your melon, make a zig-zag pattern with your knife to give the rim some detail. Then take a slice out of the bottom rind to make a base for the melon. Hollow out your watermelon half and fill with whatever you like, and… voila! A pretty presentation. Even candles and flowers look pretty displayed in a watermelon.

7. Mix up some watermelon cocktails. Watermelon and vodka. Or tequila. Or Cointreau. They’re all matches made in heaven! Take you favorite cocktail and make a watermelon cocktail recipe out of it! My favorite? Freeze chunks of watermelon and blend in a blender with vodka, orange juice, and Cointreau or Triple Sec. YUM.

8. Whip up watermelon sorbet. If you have an ice cream maker, watermelon puree makes a wonderful sorbet. But you can do the same– no ice cream maker watermelon sorbet is super simple! Simply freeze your watermelon in manageable chunks and run through a blender with some sugar and a touch of lemon juice and/or mint. Eat it immediately.

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