Tomatoes are delicious year-round, but they're particularly tasty over the summer which is when the British tomato season begins. There's plenty of ways to use them up in the kitchen too, whether it's simply roasting them until they're sweet and pop with flavour, or adding them to some toast with a drizzle of olive oil, they're a staple ingredient in many households.

When using them for cooking, you might find that you don't always need to use a whole tomato, especially if you're using the larger varieties, and it can be tricky to find ways to put half a tomato to use then and there. Knowing how to store tomatoes is essential to getting the most from them when they're in season, and while whole tomatoes should be kept at room temperature, the same rules don't apply to ones that have been cut up.

Many people mistakenly keep tomatoes in the fridge before they've cut them, but this can ruin the flavour and texture of them, and the general rule is they should be kept on a kitchen counter or in your cupboard.

But according to Southern Living, once you've cut into a tomato, you should keep it in the fridge as they're more vulnerable to spoilage if left out.

While keeping them in the fridge whole can spoil their flavour, once cut, this will actually help maintain it. The article explained that once a tomato is cut open, its high moisture content makes it prone to spoilage and drying out.

However, it's important to place them in the right spot in the fridge, and depending on how you've cut them, they might need to be stored slightly differently.

If you've cut a tomato in half, it's best to place the cut side down and store them tightly wrapped, ideally in a paper towel as this will help absorb any excess moisture, while stopping it from drying out.

However, if you've diced or sliced your tomatoes, it's best to keep these in an airtight container and they should keep for up to three days here.

While you might not think of it, you can even freeze tomatoes if you find you've got lots to get through, or if you haven't used them all up in a recipe.

Freezing and thawing leftover tomatoes can ruin the texture of them, however, so it's best to do this if you plan on using them in a sauce or soup.

To do this, Southern Living advises placing them on a baking sheet in a single layer and freezing until firm. Afterwards, you can add them to a zip lock bag and keep them here for up to three months.