10 Healthy Ways to Enjoy Watermelon This Summer

In this article:

• Watermelon is delicious, low in calories, and nutritious.
• This list of ideas includes sweet and savory treats for any time of the day, from watermelon salsa and salad to watermelon gazpacho, grilled watermelon, and frozen watermelon. They’re all healthy to help you reach weight loss and health goals.
• Lark can help you manage weight with or without GLP-1s as you log food, get tips for eating healthier, and make small changes that can turn into healthy habits.
  

Ripe, juicy, and sweet watermelons can be irresistible when you’re in the supermarket or at a farmer’s market, but they can be big. What can you do with so much fruit? There are so many healthy and easy ways to enjoy watermelon. Here are some sweet, savory, and refreshingly cold ideas for making the most of one of the best parts of summer.

Nutrition in Watermelon

Watermelon is low in calories and a great treat if you’re managing weight or health. Each cup has only 50 calories. In comparison, a cool treat like a cup of sugar-sweetened Italian ice has about 150 calories. Watermelon is more than 90% water, making it a good choice in summer to boost hydration.

Watermelon also contains these nutrients:

• Vitamin C
• Vitamin A in the form of beta-carotene
• Lycopene, an antioxidant that supports eye health and heart health

10 Ways to Enjoy Watermelon Any Time of Day

1. Plain

Out of all the ways to enjoy watermelon, this is the simplest and possibly the best. Just cut the watermelon into wedges, cube it, or dice it. Serve it cold from the fridge or have it at room temperature for a stronger flavor.

2. Watermelon Salad

Serve this lunch or dinner salad with whole-grain pita bread or blend it with 1-2 cups of cooked whole-grain pasta for a nutritious meal.

Makes 4 servings

Ingredients

• 4-8 cups of cubed watermelon
• 4 ounces of feta cheese crumbles
• ¼-1 cup of fresh mint leaves, chopped 1 tablespoon of olive oil
• 2 tablespoons of lime juice Salt and pepper to taste
  

Directions

1. Gently combine the watermelon cubes, feta, and mint leaves in a large bowl.
2. Drizzle with olive oil and lime juice and season with salt and pepper to taste.
3. Serve immediately or refrigerate overnight before serving.

3. Watermelon Spinach Salad

You can get this salad together in minutes for a quick lunch or dinner. The grilled chicken or chickpeas add protein. Watermelon adds sweetness to this salad, so there’s no need for a sugar-sweetened dressing like raspberry vinaigrette. Instead, this simple dressing has just lemon juice, parsley, diced onion, and olive oil.

Makes 1 serving

‍Ingredients

• 2 teaspoons of olive oil
• 1-2 tablespoons of lemon juice
• 1 tablespoon of finely chopped red onion, optional
• ¼ cup of chopped parsley, optional
• ½-1 cup of diced watermelon
• 2 cups of baby spinach leaves
• ½ cup of canned or cooked chickpeas or 3 ounces of cooked chicken breast, cubed

Directions

1. Toss the spinach leaves, watermelon, and chicken or chickpeas in a serving bowl.
2. Drizzle the olive oil and lemon juice over the greens. Distribute the onion and parsley on top and serve.

4. Watermelon Avocado Salsa

Watermelon lends extra flair to salsa, and avocado makes it creamier. You can also try adding peaches, cantaloupe, or mango along with watermelon or instead of it. Serve this with tacos or fajitas or serve it over fish or chicken. It’s also a great dip for vegetables.

Makes 8 servings

Ingredients

• 3 cups of watermelon, diced
• 1 medium ripe avocado in chunks
• ¼-½ cup of diced red onion
• Jalapeno, diced, optional
• ½-1 cup of fresh cilantro, chopped
• 1 clove of peeled, minced garlic, optional
• Juice from 1-2 limes
• Salt to taste

Directions

1. Mix the ingredients in a bowl.
2. Let the salsa rest for 1-2 hours in the refrigerator before serving.

5. Foil-Baked Salmon with Watermelon and Zucchini

This mouthwatering, nutritionally balanced recipe adds a refreshing twist with its hydrating properties and rich content of vitamins A and C, boosting immune function and supporting skin health.

Makes 2 servings

Ingredients

• 8 ounces of salmon filets
• 1 cup of watermelon in cubes
• 1 cup of sliced zucchini
• ¼ red onion, thinly sliced
• 2 tablespoons fresh lime juice
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1/4 cup fresh cilantro or basil, chopped
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
• 2 sheets of aluminum foil (large enough to wrap the salmon filets and contain the watermelon and vegetables)

Directions

1. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.
2. Place a salmon filet in the center of each piece of aluminum foil. Drizzle each filet with olive oil and lemon juice. Add salt and pepper to taste.
3. Top each salmon filet with diced watermelon, zucchini, herbs, and red onion slices.
4. Fold the sides of the foil over the salmon and watermelon, sealing the packets completely.
5. Place the foil packets on a baking sheet. Bake in the preheated oven for 15-20 minutes or until the salmon is cooked through and flakes easily with a fork.

6. Grilled Watermelon Steaks

Grilled watermelon is a delicious dessert or side for a party or cookout. It’s also easy enough to have any day in the summer. Just cut your watermelon into wedges, brush with olive oil, season, and grill.

Makes 4 servings

Ingredients

• 8 slices of watermelon, about ¾ inch thick
• 1 tablespoon of olive oil
• Sea salt and black pepper to taste
• Freshly chopped basil, cilantro, or mint
• Goat, blue, or feta cheese crumbles.

Directions

1. Brush each side of the watermelon steaks with olive oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper to taste.
2. Grill for 2-3 minutes on each side.
3. Serve with fresh herbs of choice. Add cheese if desired.

7. Watermelon Gazpacho

Gazpacho is a classic soup that’s cold and made with summer produce like cucumbers and tomatoes. Adding watermelon takes it to the next level! Serve it with whole-grain crackers or a side of brown rice for a balanced meal.

Makes 4 servings

Ingredients

• 4 cups of cubed watermelon
• 2 large cucumbers, chopped
• 2 large tomatoes or 4 roma tomatoes, chopped
• 2 red bell peppers, chopped
• ½ onion, chopped
• 1 bunch of fresh basil, chopped
• 2 tablespoons of balsamic vinegar
• Salt and pepper to taste

Directions

1. Blend the ingredients in a blender until smooth or leave chunks if desired.
2. Chill in the refrigerator for 1-2 hours or overnight before serving cold. Garnish with plain yogurt if desired.

8. Creamy Watermelon Banana Frozen Yogurt

Save on calories and fat when you want a cold, creamy treat. Choose watermelon, banana, and yogurt instead!

Makes 8 servings

Ingredients

• 1 cup of watermelon in chunks
• 4 ripe bananas in chunks
• 1 cup of nonfat vanilla or plain yogurt
• Optional toppings or add-ins: cinnamon, walnuts, blueberries

Directions

1. Place all ingredients in a blender and pulse until smooth.
2. Freeze in plastic cups. Thaw for 5 minutes before serving.

9. Citrus Watermelon Slushed Ice

Use the freezer and citrus fruit to turn cool, refreshing watermelon into cold, invigorating slushed ice. It’s a healthy treat for a hot day! Lemon or lime juice adds brightness to sweet watermelon, and you can add zest to intensify the flavor if you like.

Makes 12 servings Ingredients

• 8 cups of watermelon in chunks
• Juice from 1 lime or ½ lemon
• Zest from 1 lime or ½ lemon, optional

Directions

1. Blend the ingredients until smooth.
2. Pour into small plastic cups and freeze.
3. Remove from the freezer 5-10 minutes before serving and enjoy with a spoon.

10. Watermelon-Infused Water

Hydration is more challenging in the hot summer months, and this watermelon-infused water can make it more fun to get your fluids.

Makes 4 12-ounce servings

Ingredients

• 48 ounces of water
• 1-2 cups of cubed watermelon
• ¼ of a cucumber, sliced
• Fresh mint leaves

Directions

1. Place the watermelon and cucumber slices in a pitcher. Fill to the top with water.
2. Add the mint leaves.
3. Chill until serving. Serve over ice if desired.

How Lark Can Help

Weight management and health are about healthy choices every day, and using seasonal fruit like watermelon is a great habit to establish. Your Lark coach can make healthy choices easier, and Lark is available 24/7 for nutrition and physical activity coaching and tracking. Lark can help you establish habits that fit into your lifestyle, so you can lose weight and keep it off with or without GLP-1 medications.

Click here to see if you may be eligible to join Lark today!

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