Onions are a staple vegetable in many households, used in meals to add both flavour and texture.

However, when a whole onion isn’t used, or if you’ve had them sitting in your cupboards for ages, it can be hard to know how to store the other half.

Many people may opt to store them in foil, clingfilm or in the fridge, but this isn’t recommended.

YouTuber Jerry James Store said: “I’m going to talk to you about how you properly store onions. If you do it correctly, you can actually store them for up to six months.

“Onions hate being in the fridge. That’s the first thing - never put them in the fridge. If you do, they actually rot and go mushy.”

If you have a pantry, it’s recommended that you store onions there because there is lots of air circulation.

Ventilation is important for many vegetables, including onions, as they let out lots of moisture.

The expert added: “One thing you definitely don’t want to do is store onions anywhere next to potatoes.

“Because of the moisture and ethylene gas onions put out, they cause potatoes to sprout.

“The food you can store next to onions is garlic, as they prefer the same environment.”

When purchased in the supermarket, they often come in plastic bags, and it’s important to remove them from this.

Despite the holes for ventilation, the vegetables will not get enough air, so instead, place them in a net or mesh bag.

This helps to encourage better airflow, keeping moisture levels down, and it can also be used for other vegetables.

If you plan on using them the same day they are purchased, simply store them on your kitchen counter until ready.

If you have lots of onions left over, freezing them is a great way to make them last longer, but they should be diced or sliced prior to freezing.

When freezing, store them in an airtight bag and then in a container. This helps to prevent the strong smell of onion from circulating in the freezer.