With blueberries now in season, it's time to get savvy about keeping those juicy and delicious fruits fresh. There's nothing more disheartening than purchasing plump blueberries only to find they’ve gone bad within a day. Blueberries are notorious for quickly succumbing to mould, turning mushy fast if not stored properly.

A fact not commonly known is that they shouldn’t be kept in plastic and must be removed from their original supermarket packaging posthaste. Why? Well, blueberries contain lots of water and plastic encasements contribute to increased moisture – a perfect breeding ground for bacteria that turn them into a disappointing, mouldy mess. Food enthusiasts have taken to the Cheap Meal Ideas Facebook page to share their best ways of keeping blueberries fresh after one user asked for advice.

Charlotte Bray asked: “Any suggestions on how to keep blueberries and strawberries from going bad in just a couple of days?”

The majority of responses claimed that vinegar was the key to prolonging the shelf life of blueberries.

Andy Clark commented: “I always wash with water/vinegar and store in plastic containers with paper towels in the fridge. I’ve found my blueberries can last close to four weeks like this.”

Tonya Price said: “Soak for five to 10 minutes in cool water with white vinegar in it. Rinse. Dry on a paper towel-lined cookie sheet [baking tray]. Seal in air air-tight bowl.”

Linda Paxton wrote: “Wash and rinse them in vinegar water before putting in the refrigerator. They'll last longer.”

Sky Hohner said, “Vinegar bath works amazing. Works especially well with taking that funny feeling on grapes too. I made a fruit salad last time and it lasted nearly two weeks. I couldn’t believe it.”

Kathy White commented: “I soak mine in vinegar water for a few seconds, rinse, then clean. They stayed fresh for five weeks. No mould.

Group members were curious as to whether washing blueberries in vinegar leaves a lingering taste of the acidic liquid.

Stefanie Benson replied: “No. I do this weekly, and no one has ever complained of a vinegar taste. It just cleans the fruits and vegetables and lessens your chances of getting sick.

“Three cups of water to one cup of vinegar. Or you can do eight cups of water to two tablespoons of vinegar.”

Kathy Burke agreed: “I just used distilled white vinegar. No, you don't taste the vinegar. It kills mould spores, that's why the berries last longer.”