Watermelon may be introduced as soon as a baby is ready to start solids, which is generally around 6 months of age. Note that the juices of watermelon often cause a fair amount of gagging in babies and toddlers.

Today, watermelon is the quintessential hot weather treat: brightly colored and refreshingly crunchy and juicy. But in Africa, where the watermelon originated, it served much more practical purposes. In a hot, dry climate, the melon’s thick rind and moisture-rich interior made it a valuable source of water when and where people needed it.

Our modern watermelons are the result of thousands of years of change and human tinkering. Those early African watermelons had green flesh that was much firmer and more bitter or bland than those of today. Now, naturally seedless watermelons have eliminated those hard, black seeds, and the melon’s colors, shapes, and sizes have expanded far past the traditional dark greens and deep reds. Some melons are small enough to easily fit in the fridge, while others can weigh hundreds of pounds, and the color of watermelon flesh ranges from delicate pinks to dark reds, pale yellows, peachy oranges, and even white. Watermelon rind, seeds, and flesh are all edible: the rind is often pickled, fermented, candied, or stir-fried, the seeds can be roasted, and the flesh, while often just eaten fresh, can be grilled or added to salads.

Yes. Watermelon boasts the powerful antioxidant lycopene (with higher levels in red watermelon than in tomatoes) and other phytonutrients, such as beta-carotene, that support immune function, and a unique amino acid called citrulline that may promote healthy blood pressure.      Watermelon also contains some vitamin C, which can support iron absorption from plant-based foods, so think about pairing watermelon with ingredients like quinoa, lentils, chia seeds, or leafy greens. 

In many cultures, it is quite common to consume watermelon rinds in a variety of ways, such as pickled, fermented, stewed, stir-fried, candied, or made into a jam. Offering fiber, vitamins, and minerals, watermelon rinds also contain the amino acid citrulline, which means the rind may be as beneficial for blood pressure as watermelon flesh.    While a taste of pickled, fermented, candied, or jam renditions of watermelon rind here or there is fine once in a while, hold off until after the child’s first birthday to serve these products regularly to minimize baby’s exposure to salt and sugar.

Melons are susceptible to bacteria. Whole watermelon can be stored at room temperature until ripe (usually about 1 to 2 days from the date of purchase) after which time it should be transferred to the refrigerator. Once cut, store watermelon in an air-tight container in the fridge for up to 3 days. To extend the shelf life, blend watermelon flesh, strain out the seeds, and freeze the juice for up to 1 year.

★Tip: When shopping for watermelon, consider choosing whole melon over pre-cut. Pre-cut melon has been associated with a number of outbreaks related to salmonella infection.  For this reason you should always wash the rinds of all melons before cutting into them.

While watermelon is not typically considered to be a common choking risk, it can be a challenging food for young babies and watermelon seeds can pose an aspiration risk.        Watermelon is a “mixed consistency,” which means it has both solid parts that need to be chewed and a high amount of liquid which moves differently than the solids as baby chews. This tends to cause a fair amount of coughing and gagging when it is eaten as baby learns to manage both a solid consistency and the juice at the same time. To minimize risk for young babies, serve seedless watermelon on the rind (with the rind cut into large, thick pieces) with much of the fruit cut off so baby can use the rind more like a teether. As always, make sure you create a safe eating environment and stay within an arm’s reach of baby during meals. For more information on choking, visit our sections on gagging and choking and familiarize yourself with the list of common choking hazards.

No, watermelon is not considered to be a common allergen. However, some individuals with grass or ragweed allergies or Oral Allergy Syndrome (also called pollen-food allergy syndrome) may be sensitive to watermelon.    Oral Allergy Syndrome typically results in short-lived itching, tingling, or burning in the mouth and is unlikely to result in a dangerous reaction. Individuals with known allergies to latex, avocado, banana, tomato, kiwi, and other melons may also be sensitive to watermelon. 

As you would when introducing any new food, start by offering a small quantity for the first few servings. If there is no adverse reaction, gradually increase the quantity over future meals.

Yes. Watermelon is over 90% water, which helps promote healthy digestion, especially if baby is experiencing harder stools.  When a significant quantity is consumed, it is not unusual to see looser stools. When that poop does come, know that red-fleshed watermelon can result in red-pigmented stool; don’t worry, it isn’t blood.