What do people use to cover food from flies, which isn't clingfilm and doesnt take up much storage space?

[loveyouradvice]

We are eating more and more of our food at room temperature so I like to put it out on the side in the kitchen a couple of hours before we eat.

What do you use to cover it? Hopefully something that looks nice and doesnt take up much storage space - or is easy and simple.

At the moment I seem to be balancing some of the plastic covers from supermarket fruit/veg over things, not very effective though - and why are there SO many!!!

We're trying to avoid using clingfilm and other disposable things whenever we can from a eco-lite point of view.

These?
https://www.amazon.co.uk/ilauke-Reusable-Outdoor-Collapsible-Umbrella/dp/B0BYDB7TYZ/ref=asc_df_B0BYDB7TYZ/?tag=googshopuk-21&linkCode=df0&hvadid=570299365906&hvpos=&hvnetw=g&hvrand=17156078825244697868&hvpone=&hvptwo=&hvqmt=&hvdev=c&hvdvcmdl=&hvlocint=&hvlocphy=9046419&hvtargid=pla-2196857806555&mcid=aaf57dc3659a39629ffdc2ff6712a92d&th=1

Or just lay a clean tea towel on top of stuff.

Wax wraps like

That is what I do. Or an upturned colander or sieve!

Upside down plate?

I have beeswax wraps, sometimes will use a clean tea towel - also I have some domes but they do take up more space!

I thought wax wraps were a bit rubbish and quite ££. I most often use a clean tea towel, folded under the dish to creat a vague seal. Or a plate over the top.

I just use an upturned plate

You can get pop up net covers to go over plates and dishes, they pop down for storage. Lakeland have some, I expect lots of other places too.

I sometimes use shower caps. Cheap, easily washable and stretchy.

I use a plate, an up-turned glass pyrex bowl, a clean cloth/ tea towel, or a pop-up umbrella style net, depending on what it it needs covering.
The net is useless against fruit flies, and the pyrex bowl looks like an expensive cheese dome.

Genius!
thank you

Another vote for a plate.

Plates, clean tea towels, wax coated wraps of different sizes

I'd just use a plate on top of whatever then you are not wasting anything I sometimes use pot lids to cover up as well.

A plate, a large bowl, a microwave plate cover or a clean tea towel if it's dry food.

Second the mesh food cover tents. You can get really pretty ones and they don't squash the food.

I use those collapsible mesh umbrella things, I don't agree they take up too much space.

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Collapsible-Kitchen-Outdoor-Protector-Crystals%C2%AE/dp/B079DP7L51/ref=mp_s_a_1_8?crid=159ZLXM7KMYDL&dib=eyJ2IjoiMSJ9.o8Iqd3aL3pUzcLop9H68fb2titfZT_LAq-cTahPJaYyW8Cy9VCtjBBtr9R0m6Dq7MpN4KJru5cj7gWD9azw3aFY1zimc5SvFWy0b1ZzPIjWuEUDFUvYxwfE4tfE1xwCl-8eS6t-wKvzVbMPs5ym3It2tp0s9CEkaEI3lsUJ0BznAISIt85H5vr00AQPqXj0pJCeUGOkHi8bQp-b8cFuh5g.L_aEfQkjIW0UwtIDauMqXhosEYESir507Go3Rc4ZEEg&dib_tag=se&keywords=fly+food+cover&qid=1718797818&sprefix=fly+food%2Caps%2C281&sr=8-8

We eat outdoors all year round and use these, which I prefer to the ones linked above, as they have straight sides so are also useful for putting over cakes etc (the sloping ones can slope in so much they touch some foods).

No issues with flies getting through, and they sit snug to the table, so none creep underneath.

Would recommend (not necessarily this exact link, but one this style for sure)

Never tried them myself, but I have a work colleague who swears by wax wraps. She has them in all different sizes. You do need to scrunch them to warm them a bit to get them to stick but she loves them. I'm half tempted to try them myself after seeing how much she uses them.

I have a set of different sized shower cap style covers - I think I got them from the supermarket but you can get them from Lakeland:

https://www.lakeland.co.uk/71213/covermate-8-assorted-elasticated-food-covers-s-m-and-l?utmsource=google&utmmmedium=cpc&gadsource=1&gclid=CjwKCAjwg8qzBhAoEiwAWagLrMgDpcckrxPwYvj-TV6RioKVHYwj2IFDoD2bm5NFeGM5CGG7y6qoPBoCfAwQAvDDBwE

The shower cap idea is good too.

Food in a bowl or pan with a plate on top

If it’s a big thing I sometimes put it in a cold oven. I’ve got two ovens so one would normally be ok to use.

Out of sheer nosiness what foods are you eating at room temperature?

I have a cake stand with a lid for my baking and if I've got anything else that is being left to stand I put it in the microwave or oven.