A guide to seasonal melons

Who doesn’t love a bite of delicious, juicy watermelon on a warm summer's day? Follow our step-by-step guide to prepping this hefty fruit, then enjoy straight up or add it to refreshing summer dishes – Thai-style watermelon salad anyone? Keep an eye out for our Yellow Flesh Watermelon, coming to your local Foodhall on 30 July, for a sunshine-sweet twist on the classic fruity fave.

Look out for must-try seasonal melons in store right now – just the thing when the temperature rises.

• Watermelon: The ultimate summer refresher, made with 90% water. Opt for juicy red flesh or try our distinctive orange flesh watermelons.

• Piel de Sapo: Sweet, crisp and juicy, with a distinctive green mottled skin – try with Parma ham.

• Galia: Juicy, fragrant and tropical, with golden skin and aromatic flesh.

• Honeydew: Smooth, sweet and refreshing with subtle vanilla notes – add to fruit salads or enjoy as a snack.

Before you begin, get yourself a large knife and a chopping board, making sure it’s secure on your work surface. For extra grip, place a wet cloth underneath to stop it from slipping. Now, let’s get into it...

• Put juicy watermelon centre stage in this sweet, spicy Thai-inspired watermelon salad, paired with fresh mint and Thai basil, and topped with crispy onions and peanuts for gorgeous texture.

• Combine with salty suino nero in this picture-perfect melon salad recipe.

• Whip up a cooling watermelon slushie.

• Keep little ones (and grown-ups) happy with some easy, fruity watermelon pizzas to snack on.

• Grilling melon slices on the barbecue will give your dish a whole new vibe in this grilled melon and feta salad – for this dish to work, don't peel the watermelon so it holds its own on the barbecue.

• Transform watermelon into this melon and fruit tower – a refined sugar-free alternative to birthday cake.

• Or throw it into this white sangria, worthy of a summer garden gathering.

Watermelon is not only refreshing and delicious, it's also packed with goodness. One of your 5-a-day and made up of over 90% water by weight, it will give you a fruity burst of hydration on hot days. Watermelon is naturally low in calories and can contain micronutrients which support overall health, such as vitamin C and the antioxidant lycopene. Plus, its natural sweetness makes it a nourishing way to curb sugar cravings – swap the lolly for a slice of the good stuff.

We’ve not only got everyone’s favourite red-fleshed watermelon in store this summer, but look out for our Yellow Flesh Watermelons later in the season. With a tiger-stripe peel and a deep-yellow, sweet and crunchy flesh, this is watermelon, but not as you know it.

Or enjoy ripe Honeydew Melon and fragrant Piel de Sapo Melon in salads or smoothies.

Whatever you fancy, all our melons are sourced from trusted M&S Select Farms who only choose the pick of the crop for us.