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Save a pumpkin! Carve a watermelon instead. (Because it’s more fun to eat watermelon while you’re making your jack-o-lantern.) Be a trendsetter and make a unique watermelon carving to surprise your Halloween party guests.
Carved pumpkins have always been a part any Halloween celebration. This year, scare up some special fun for your Halloween party with a watermelon carving instead – but don’t stop there.
After crafting your watermelon into a mummy, jack-o-lantern, bat or Frankenstein (step by step tutorials below), serve up some healthy watermelon treats. Instead of a light or candle, fill your creation with melon balls!
Photos and instructions courtesy of the National Watermelon Promotion Board. To get more carving ideas for other holidays, visit www.watermelon.org.
Choosing a Watermelon
With a thick rind covering the fruit inside, you may wonder how to choose the best watermelon at the market. Here are some tips for picking the perfect one:
- Look it over. Look for a round, oval or oblong shaped watermelon that suits your watermelon carving project.
- Make sure that it is free from bruises, cuts or dents.
- Lift it up. The watermelon should be heavy for its size.
- On average, a 5-pound watermelon yields 15 cups of edible fruit.
- Turn it over. The underside of the watermelon should have a creamy yellow spot from where it sat on the ground and ripened in the sun.
Required Tools
Carving a watermelon is easy and requires only a handful of common tools that you probably already own.
- Cheesecloth (for mummy only)
- Scoop
- Kitchen knife or paring knife
- Dry erase marker
- Assorted peelers
- Fluted melon baller (optional, for mummy “brains”)
- Cutting board
If you are interested in creating watermelon carvings to go with every holiday or party theme, you may be interested in a 4 piece melon baller and carving knife set* to make different shapes.
Watermelon Carving Tips
- Prior to carving, read through all of the directions.
- According to the FDA you should wash all fruits and vegetables in clean, running water before eating them. This includes the rind of watermelons.
- Cuts are easiest when the watermelon is at room temperature. Once your handiwork is complete, chill the carving and contents before serving.
- After drawing your design on the rind, insert toothpicks in key places to guide your cuts.
- A sharp knife with a pointed tip makes the easiest, cleanest cuts.
- Remove excess flesh in large pieces, when possible, to allow for easier melon ball or cube creation.
- Use round toothpicks or skewers to attach pieces to your design as flat toothpicks are not strong enough to bear the weight or stand up to the thickness of the rind.
Halloween Watermelon Carving Tutorials
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