Is this a Southern thing?

@AmbiePam (126659)
United States
May 13, 2026 1:13pm CST
Have you ever put salt on watermelon? I mentioned this a few years ago, and Mylotter’s recent discussion reminded me of it. Don’t get me wrong, good watermelon is fine on its own. And you only SPRINKLE it over the watermelon. But if your watermelon is not sweet enough, or even if it is, a little salt makes it taste great. Is this purely a Southern thing? Have you tried it?
18 people like this
20 responses
Juliaacv
@Juliaacv (57404)
• Canada
13 May
I cannot say that I have ever heard of anyone sprinkling salt to watermelon, I have however, heard of people sprinkling salt on muskmelon. And my dad used to take a thin slice of cheddar cheese and put it on top of a slice of apple pie-but I haven't seen nor heard of anyone else doing that.
2 people like this
Amber
@AmbiePam (126659)
• United States
13 May
I have heard people talk about putting a slice of cheddar cheese on an apple pie, but only on TV. I never knew of anyone who actually did it.
2 people like this
Amber
@AmbiePam (126659)
• United States
13 May
@Juliaacv I have never heard of cucumber slices on hot dogs! I like it.
2 people like this
Juliaacv
@Juliaacv (57404)
• Canada
13 May
@AmbiePam My Dad used to. I thought that it was unique to him. I like cucumber slices on my hotdogs, ever hear of that, Jeff just suggested that habit is 'unique' and I just admitted that I love the crunch is all.
2 people like this
Courtney Dutton
@MommyOfEli2013 (93192)
• Rupert, Idaho
13 May
I don't eat watermelon so can't answer this lol....but I think my grandmother put salt on hers sometimes, and she's definitely wasn't from the south!
2 people like this
Amber
@AmbiePam (126659)
• United States
13 May
I’m glad to know others do it too. I don’t even count myself as from the south, but all the surveys I do consider Oklahoma as in the South. I think of myself more of the Midwest.
1 person likes this
Courtney Dutton
@MommyOfEli2013 (93192)
• Rupert, Idaho
13 May
@AmbiePam I never would have thought of it as a southern thing, but then again I don't eat fruit lol! It can be hard to classify where a state exactly is lol, I think I'd say it is more midwest too.
2 people like this
Eva James
@wolfgirl569 (140228)
• Marion, Ohio
13 May
That's the only way I like it.
2 people like this
Amber
@AmbiePam (126659)
• United States
13 May
Yay, someone who likes it!
2 people like this
Traceyjayne
@Traceyjayne (13633)
• United Kingdom
14 May
Granddaughter loves watermelon …she is the only one ….but, as far as I know she has never had salt on it !
2 people like this
George B Vieto
@Deepizzaguy (125103)
• Lake Charles, Louisiana
13 May
I have never sprinkled salt on watermelon before.
2 people like this
NJ Chicaa
@NJChicaa (127856)
• United States
13 May
I've never done it or had it but I know it is a thing. Even stranger I saw a woman add a bit of salt to her WATER. I was like "wut?" She responded "electrolytes". I imagine the salt on watermelon draws out the juices via osmosis to make it taste sweeter on the taste buds.
2 people like this
Amber
@AmbiePam (126659)
• United States
13 May
Ugh, water. I get it, but still.
2 people like this
cuttyrish
@cuttyrish (3264)
• United States
13 May
i''ved tried the salt method with a pineapple, it made it more sweeter and less acidic
2 people like this
snowy
@snowy22315 (212723)
• United States
14 May
Have heard of it, wouldn't be inclined to do it. Salt is one of the few things that doesn't have salt we can eat. No need to improve on the flavor either.
1 person likes this
luisadannointed
@luisadannointed (12732)
• Philippines
14 May
I'll try it given an opportunity. Right now watermelon is so sweets and I like it.
1 person likes this
RasmaSandra
@RasmaSandra (100661)
• Daytona Beach, Florida
13 May
Never thought of trying salt on watermelon, If I ever get any I think I might try it.
2 people like this
MARILYN
@Marilynda1225 (92065)
• United States
14 May
I've never tried it but I have heard about sprinkling salt on watermelon.
1 person likes this
Judy Evans
@JudyEv (387870)
• Rockingham, Australia
14 May
I've heard of it before and I also knew a girl who would put sugar on her tomato. My Dad liked shredded lettuce with a thin cream and sugar dressing.
1 person likes this
Amber
@AmbiePam (126659)
• United States
14 May
Sugar on a tomato? That’s an unusual one.
1 person likes this
jaishankar
@Shivram59 (51729)
• India
14 May
I've tried watermelon with salt. It really tasts great no matter the watermelon is sweet or not.
1 person likes this
Marie Coyle
@MarieCoyle (62660)
•
15 May
Growing up, no one on either side of my family ever put salt on melon. It wasn’t until we moved to Texas and then Louisiana that I ever saw it done, tried it,and that’s a big nope from me. But we were not children of the south,and yes,I do think it’s definitely a southern thing .
1 person likes this
Heather Echola
@GardenGerty (170530)
• United States
14 May
I did it when very little, also on grapefruit. It is okay, but they are okay without it as well. Even worse is people putting sugar on tomatoes.
1 person likes this
Four Walls
@FourWalls (87583)
• United States
14 May
I guess it is a southern thing. Yes, I put salt on my watermelon.
1 person likes this
Anne Marie Guyer
@LeaPea2417 (40011)
• Toccoa, Georgia
14 May
I hsve never tried it. My husband likes to eat it that way.
1 person likes this
rakski
@rakski (160791)
• Philippines
14 May
no, some people I know here do that too. They also do that to pineapple. I prefer mine plain
1 person likes this
LindaOH
@LindaOHio (223814)
• United States
14 May
I've never tried it. Now that I have to keep my sodium level down, I wouldn't try it.
1 person likes this
Orogun Oghenekome
@eLdav1s (958)
• Nigeria
14 May
I have tasted a few watermelon that where not all that sweet, but at the end of the day, i have always eaten it like that. I never knew i could add salt, though i prefer the taste naturally.
1 person likes this