Honeydew
Peak season in the Midwest · down 12% this week
This fruit is at its local-harvest peak from June through September, and is generally in stores from May through October. This week it's peak season in the Midwest — buying it in season usually means better quality and, as the regional prices below show, a lower price.
Per a typical 160g serving, scaled from the per-100g figures in USDA FoodData Central (Melons, honeydew, raw).
Buying honeydew in the Southwest saves about 40% versus the Southeast this week.
- How to pick a good one
- Harder to judge than cantaloupe because it has no aroma through the rind. Go by feel: a ripe honeydew has a slightly waxy, tacky skin rather than a smooth, slippery one, feels heavy for its size, and gives very slightly at the blossom end. Creamy-yellow undertone beats stark white or green.
- What a good price looks like
- Usually $3 to $6 a melon and slightly dearer than cantaloupe, peaking July through October. Under $4 is a good buy. Because they are large and keep reasonably well once cut, the per-serving cost is often lower than the shelf price suggests for a household that will work through it.
- What you actually get
- A whole honeydew is 4 to 6 lb and gives roughly 6 cups cubed, serving eight to ten. As with cantaloupe, about half the weight is rind and seed. It holds up better than cantaloupe once cut, keeping four or five days covered in the fridge.
- How to store it
- Counter for a few days if underripe, then refrigerate whole for up to a week. Cut melon keeps three days covered.
- In the kitchen
- Harder to judge than cantaloupe because the rind gives away less. Look for a creamy yellow cast rather than green-white, a slightly waxy or tacky surface rather than a smooth one, and a blossom end with a little give. Serve it cold — honeydew is subtle enough that a warm one tastes of almost nothing, and a squeeze of lime lifts it considerably.
- Getting the most out of it
- Sweeter and less aromatic than cantaloupe, which makes it better in savoury pairings and drinks than on its own. Blended with lime and a little salt it makes an excellent cheap agua fresca when melon prices bottom out in late summer.
- Summer Melon Couscous Salad with Avocado, Grapes and MintRecipe by Foodie Crush~$1.16 / serving 5 in-season
- Melon & Prosciutto SaladRecipe by Two Peas & Their Pod~$2.61 / serving 3 in-season
- Fresh Honeydew MargaritaRecipe by Cookie + Kate~$6.16 / serving 2 in-season
Price from the USDA National Retail Report. Nutrition per typical serving, computed from USDA FoodData Central.
Honeydew — FAQ
When can you buy honeydew in season?
This fruit is at its local-harvest peak from June through September, and is generally in stores from May through October. This week the Midwest has honeydew marked peak season.
What's the price of honeydew right now?
As of the week of September 4, 2026, the price of honeydew in the Midwest is $3.50/ea, down 12% from last week. It's cheapest in the Southwest at $2.97/ea.
How many calories and how much protein are in honeydew?
A typical 160g serving of honeydew has about 58 calories, 0.8g protein, 14.6g carbohydrates, 0.2g fat, and 1.3g fiber, per USDA FoodData Central.
What can I make with honeydew?
SeasonSort indexes 3 recipes that use honeydew, each with its cost per serving computed from this week's prices — starting from about $1.16 a serving. The cheapest are listed on this page, with a link to the full filtered list.