Watermelon season is here. How to make a watermelon popsicle. It's a (healthy) Florida thing

Mark H. Bickel, Fort Myers News-Press
Updated ·2 min read

If you are looking for a realtively healthy option for "cool" food as summer approaches, look no further than the watermelon.

The height of watermelon season is upon us in here in Florida and a multitude of recipes are popping up all over social media. Of course, cutting up a watermelon and eating a wedge or chunks can be good enough. But have some fun and try something different!

The folks at Fresh from Florida have this recipe for watermelon popsicles. Fresh from Florida is an arm of the Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services. The “Fresh From Florida” program promotes Florida agricultural products through consumer marketing campaigns, partnerships with 100-plus domestic and international retailers, and is an established presence at prominent industry tradeshows.

You can always spice things up a little and make margarita-flavored watermelon popsicles. (See the video above).

A wedge of watermelon.
A wedge of watermelon.

What are the ingredients for a watermelon popsicle?

  • 4-6 cups Florida watermelon (seedless), cubed

  • 4 tablespoons Florida Key lime juice

  • ¼ cup Florida sugar

  • 1 lime, zest only

How do you make a watermelon popsicle?

  • Add all ingredients to blender

  • Puree until smooth

  • Pour into popsicle mold (use wooden popsicles sticks or molds that have sticks provided)

  • Freeze for at least thee hours to set

  • Unmold and serve immediately

How much watermelon does Florida produce for the U.S.?

According to the U.S. Department of Agriculture, Florida is the top watermelon-producing state and in 2021, Florida alone accounted for 30 percent (1.016 billion pounds) of U.S. production.

Where in Florida is the most watermelon produced?

According to the University of Florida/IFS Extension, watermelons are grown throughout Florida but the greatest production region is the north to northcentral region, including Levy, Gilchrist, Marion, Alachua, Hillsborough, Hendry, Suwannee, Desoto, and Hardee Counties.

Is watermelon healthy to eat?

From sugar to helping with weight-loss, here is what some experts have to say.

This article originally appeared on Fort Myers News-Press: Watermelon season in Florida is in the summer. Here are recipes