The $12 Hack Shoppers Use to Prevent Flies From Taking Over Their Picnic Food

Firing up the grill and packing a picnic basket are some of our favorite things to do in the summer—but eating outdoors comes with the risk of pesky bugs (especially fruit flies) helping themselves to your food. If you're looking for an easy solution, take a hint from the thousands of Amazon shoppers who trust these affordable food tents to protect their picnic spreads.

Made of fine nylon mesh with lace trim for decoration, the Lauon Food Covers will prevent flies from invading your food—and they work so well that customers call them a "must-have for outdoor picnics." They come in packs of six, and each food tent has a 17-by-17-inch footprint that comfortably fits large dishes and trays underneath. At the end of the day, you can rinse them with soap and water so they're ready to use for your next outdoor gathering. The food covers have a space-saving design that allows them to fold up for storage (kind of like an umbrella). Plus, guests will appreciate that they can see exactly what's underneath without having to actually lift the food covers.

"We purchased these food mesh tents to keep flies off of our food here in south Texas," wrote a shopper. "Anytime we tried to sit outside to have a little picnic in our own yard, we had to deal with a ton of flies within five minutes of the food being out there… We quickly pulled out the food tents to cover our watermelon and [the] problem was solved. We did not have to worry about constantly waving our hands to ward off the flies."

To buy: $12 for six (was $16); amazon.com.

Since the mesh food covers are relatively lightweight (but still "sturdy enough for the job"), they could potentially blow away on windy days, according to reviewers. But you can simply place something small (like a stone) along the edge to anchor it. The food tents are available in either plain white or multicolored variety packs, but shoppers appreciate that neither option ruins the appearance of their picnic table setups.

"Perfect for outdoor entertaining, picnics, [and] cookouts," said another person. "They help keep flies, leaves, whatever from landing on your food. They are large enough to cover a large plate of food, [a] bowl of chips, or a group of small condiment bowls. Very versatile."

With more than 2,700 five-star ratings, the mesh food covers from Lauon are clearly an effective way to keep flies out of your food. Head to Amazon to grab a pack of six for as little as $12 before your next cookout or outdoor gathering.

To buy: $15 for six; amazon.com.