Food Tents Deserve An Award For Keeping Bugs At Bay

With the arrival of fall comes football, festivals, and last-minute camping trips before winter. All of these outdoor events typically involve plenty of cooking and feasting. When enjoying these activities, you are exposed to the natural elements — including bugs. Finding practical and economical ways to protect your precious food against these pest infestations can prove to be a game-winning decision.

This is where food tents, or mesh food covers, come into the picture. Per their name, they are tent-like domes usually made of mesh and designed to safeguard food from dirt, dust, flies, and other bothersome insects that will raid your buffet table. Cover plates of burgers, hot dogs, and baked beans with protective screens while allowing heat to escape through the mesh material. Food tents are pretty much the optimal way to keep your food free of bugs.

Generally, they are lightweight, reusable, portable, and simple to set up and use. There are also collapsible food tents that can be easily stored. Most of them can be cleaned with soap and water or a wet wipe in case they get dirty. 

Buying food tents is convenient and affordable, with most covers costing somewhere in the range of $10 to $20. It's a small price to pay for keeping mosquitoes, flies, ants, and wasps at bay and your food fresh. You can order them through online sites such as Amazon or Wayfair, or buy them at major retailers such as Walmart, Target, and Home Depot. Since the covers are handy for camping and picnicking, you can also find them at outdoor recreation stores like Camping World.

Some of the more common brands of food tents include Anpro, Simply Genius, SPANLA, Onarway, Comforter, and Camkey. They often come in a package of six and are available in different sizes and shapes, ranging from tall and narrow to short and wide, as well as extra-large varieties. The ones you decide to purchase will depend on your usage and the size of the spread you are planning for your outdoor excursion. The next time you go tailgating or experience the great outdoors, remember to tote along a food tent and guard your meal against those pesky insects.