Warm weather is the time for outdoor entertaining and you need the perfect party foods. Head to your local farmers market, pick up a Pineapple, and learn how to effortlessly cut and serve fresh pineapple to impress your party guests!

When you think of spring and summer, what comes to mind? Chances are gathering with friends and family is near the top of the list. And where people gather, so does food! Luckily, spring and summer bring with them fresh, seasonal produce in abundance. One of the tastiest fruits to serve and incorporate into recipes is pineapple. If prepared right, pineapple is a real showstopper! But pineapple can seem intimidating to prepare and serve. No worries! I’m here to help. I grew up eating loads of fresh fruit, and I know how to cut and serve pineapple to impress party guests and am excited to share my tips and pineapple recipes with you!

How to Cut & Serve Fresh Pineapple

1. Pick your pineapple. To know if a pineapple is ripe or not, smell the bottom. Get your nose right in there! (You won’t look crazy.) If the bottom smells like pineapple, then it’s ripe. If not, then it needs to sit on the kitchen counter until it does.

2. Begin with a clean surface and sharp knife. I use a cutting board and have a garbage can nearby.

3. Cut off the top and bottom of the pineapple. Be sure to preserve the top for plating later. Remember that you can always cut more off, so start cutting conservatively as to not waste any of the precious juicy flesh of the pineapple.

4. Stand the pineapple up on one end and carefully trim off the skin, or sides, of the pineapple. Four cuts opposite each other (like a square), will help act as a guide when cutting off the remaining skin. It’s also important to note the the sweetest part of the pineapple is the outermost flesh, so cut off as little of the skin as possible. Leaving some of the eyes (brownish circles) of the pineapple on is okay. You will, however, get a smoother texture if more of the eyes are cut off, so decide what is important to you and your recipe.

5. Slice the pineapple in half and remove the core, or center rod. The core is hard and slightly bitter. While I wouldn’t recommend serving slices of the core to guests, I would keep it to use in a later recipe as it is packed with nutritional value.

6. Cut the flesh of the pineapple into bite-sized pieces. Serve on a platter with toothpicks placed next to it so that guests can easily pick up pieces.

Your first go at cutting a pineapple might take a bit more time, but you’ll soon become a pro and your friends and family will appreciate these fresh, yummy bites.

4 Fresh Pineapple Recipes You’ll Love

1. Pineapple Sausage Bites: A Simple Appetizer Recipe