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Few things beat the simple pleasure of biting into a perfectly ripe, succulent blueberry, yet these fragile fruits have an infuriating tendency to spoil rapidly. Supermarkets generally pack berries in plastic containers because the lightweight material is easy to stack, though this proves far from ideal for shoppers as it has a tendency to lock in considerable amounts of moisture.

Despite being sensitive to water, blueberries themselves have a remarkably high water content. When kept in the fridge, the moisture becomes trapped due to the plastic packaging, creating the perfect conditions for mould to develop. With this in mind, Val Riley, founder of Lovely Lucky Life, has urged people to ditch the plastic and transfer their berries into glass mason jars instead.

She said: "The berries truly stay fresh for longer - they don't mush or mould nearly as quickly as they do in the plastic."

Glass jars are considerably less likely to retain moisture than plastic, and keeping their lids slightly loose allows humidity to dissipate freely.

Blueberries naturally emit water during storage, and placing them in a glass container simply encourages superior air circulation, enabling any excess moisture to evaporate far more quickly.

It also helps enormously to store blueberries on kitchen roll, as this soaks up any surplus moisture, keeping the fruit fresher for as long as possible.

Blueberries can also harbour bacteria picked up through handling during transit, meaning they frequently already contain mould spores within the packaging, so they ought to be rinsed before being placed in the fridge.

Storing blueberries correctly may seem like a chore, but it genuinely takes less than five minutes and saves you money in the long run, as you won't find yourself constantly replacing spoiled fruit.

Begin by placing the blueberries in a colander and washing them under cold running water to cleanse them thoroughly and remove any bacteria or debris.

Next, spread the blueberries out on a plate lined with kitchen roll and gently pat them dry. Make sure they are completely free of moisture before storing, as any dampness will encourage mould to develop.

It's also worth inspecting the blueberries carefully, discarding any that look soft, damaged or mouldy to prevent them from spoiling the rest of the batch.

Tip the blueberries into a clean glass jar, then place a single sheet of kitchen roll on top to absorb any excess moisture. Secure the lid loosely and simply place them in the fridge.

This method not only frees up valuable space in your refrigerator but also helps cut down on food waste, allowing you to enjoy blueberries for up to a week or two beyond their typical shelf life.

Val said: "By putting the fruits and veggies in sealed jars straight into the fridge. They last about twice as long as they would in the plastic, BUT they won't last that long... because you'll eat them before they have a chance to spoil."