Blueberries should be a good colour, plump, smooth and firm. The faint white coating, or ‘bloom’, on the skin preserves their moisture and keeps them fresh; they will keep for a week or more in the refrigerator. They make a good instant dessert with cream, ice-cream or yogurt; and are excellent with muesli or waffles.

They are also used to flavour ice-cream and jam and in baking they are used as fillings for pies and cheesecakes, muffins and teabreads. Although not as sweet as blueberries, bilberries can be used in much the same way; in northern Europe, they are sometimes used to flavour a sauce served with game.