A good drink dispenser (see some favorites here) is helpful at summer cookouts — it keeps lemonade or boozy beverages cold and makes it easy for guests to serve themselves without the need to constantly refill smaller pitchers. But beverage dispensers often aren't cheap, and honestly, I don't have room for such a bulky thing in my kitchen. This is why this idea is so brilliant — make a drink keg out of a watermelon!

This idea is obviously highly edible, compostable and non-wasteful: Scoop out a watermelon, eat the innards or make a drink out of them, and fill the sturdy rind with the drink of your choice. Nature's picnic accessory, right there! Slap in a spigot and it's as nice as any storebought keg. Or keep it even simpler and use a ladle to dip punch out of the open top.

Of course, you'd need to be OK with your drink tasting at least faintly of watermelon. Personally, I'll always take a little extra watermelon. What about you?

• See the tutorial: Watermelon Keg Instructions at National Watermelon Promotion Board

• See the watermelon keg put in action by Jaime at Prudent Baby, too!

Via Celebrate the Big and Small

Related: Vodka Watermelon! How to Fill a Fruit with Booze

(Image: National Watermelon Promotion Board)