The Smarter Way to Cut Watermelon to Make It Perfect for Summer Snacking

Why didn’t we think of this sooner?!

Liudmila Chernetska / Getty Images
Liudmila Chernetska / Getty Images

No food signifies summer more than watermelon. We’re so sweet on the hot pink (or yellow) fruit that we designed an entire watermelon bar party showcasing the many ways to snack on, sip, and even centerpiece-ify the hydrating produce item.

May through September (maybe a bit longer if you dig it as much as we do) is prime time for savoring your fair share of watermelon. To help you enjoy it even more, we created guides to pick a watermelon and cut a watermelon into wedges, cubes, sticks, and melon balls.

But according to one trending social media post, we missed the best way to cut watermelon: fries.

How to Make Watermelon Fries

Heather Staller, creator of the blog Happy Kids Kitchen and author of Kid Kitchen, nearly broke the internet when she shared this idea on TikTok recently. It has since garnered more than 8.3 million views and 5,700 comments like, “I NEED THIS,” and “Love! I just ordered the crinkle chopper after seeing this.”

The tool she uses—a French fry crinkle cutting tool, available at many retailers for around $5, although we’re partial to this brilliant $13 knife style—is clutch for making fast food-inspired, zigzag-edged fries.

To make watermelon fries, start with a clean watermelon. Staller (and we) opted for seedless for ease. Place the melon on a cutting board, and then, using a sharp chef’s knife, trim ½ inch off one of the watermelon ends so it sits flat on the cutting board. Use the knife to slice slabs of melon that are about ½-inch thick.

Working one slab at a time, use the crinkle cutter to cut “fries” that are about as wide as they are thick. After you finish each slab, use the chef’s knife to trim off the rinds from the fries.



Tips

Test Kitchen Tip: Don’t toss the rinds! Put extra watermelon rinds to good use in watermelon pickles or add them to your compost.



After you are finished cutting the entire watermelon into fries, transfer them to a platter.

The Final Touch: A Yummy Dipping Sauce

The crinkle-cut fruit fries will be a hit at any potluck, but they get even better if you pair them with a dipping sauce. Staller starts her how-to video by blitzing up a blender sauce that includes a carton of yogurt (plain or vanilla), three stemmed strawberries, and a drizzle of honey.

In addition to that berry-infused option, this hydrating and healthy watermelon recipe would be stellar with our  Sweet Yogurt Fruit Dip, Maple-Mascarpone Dip, and Cream Cheese and Yogurt Fruit Dip. Don’t mind us as we supersize it!

Craving something a little more decadent as part of your sweet fry spread? Try our Apple Pie Fries and Chocolate Chip Cookie Sticks next.

Related: Yummy Watermelon Desserts are the Cutest Summer Treats

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