Select
Engage four of the five senses to make sure you pick the right melon. A good melon will have smooth skin (with the exception of cantaloupe) free of dents and bruises. When picked up, it will be heavy for its size with no soft spots. If you sniff near the stem end of the melon, you should be able to detect a light scent of the ripe melon. If you lightly shake or tap a watermelon, you should hear a hollow sound.

Prepare
Thoroughly wash all melons before cutting to rid them of harmful bacteria. Cut honeydew or cantaloupes in half and scoop out the seeds before either slicing or using a melon baller. Depending on how fancy you want to get, melons can be artistically cut or scooped for any number of arrangements.

Serve
If you go the simple route, just slice and serve the fruit. Melon balls are slightly fancier and can be arranged a number of ways. If you want to go very fancy, slice a melon in half, scoop out the fruit, and use the remainder as a serving dish for salad.