Eating in the tent?

[outdoorsy]

Do you or your kids eat inside your tent? My kids try to but I don't like them to. There is already enough grass and dirt in there from walking in and out.

What about you?

 

[Outdooruser]

For the most part they don't. They might have a snack in there, but not the main meals. Our tent stays pretty clean. Everybody has to take their shoes off before they can step into the tent. Stays cleaner that way.

 

[campclose]

Everyone takes their shoes off before entering out tent too (when we camp out back) It still ends up a mess. I don't know how! I am constantly sweeping it out. As far as food - NO WAY! They can sit by the campfire in chairs, or at the picnic tables not in the tent.

 

[Lovefall]

Nope, no eating in the tent, we do let them eat in the camper though. The kids are in charge of sweeping out the camper. I do have to say that when we take the camper and the tent and the kids sleep in the tent... I don't care if they eat in there... it is their mess to clean when we are all done camping.

 

[Alexis]

I like to keep the tent as clean as possible. I can't sleep if I'm rolling around in dirt and crumbs. We spend very little time in the tent when we're not sleeping so all eating is done around the campfire.

 

[Adventurelover]

I don't allow eating in the tent when we go camping unless it is raining out then if it is going to be bad we usually end up packing up and going home anyway. I actually bring a broom and sweep it out because I can't stand all the dirt that comes in.

 

[OpenAir]

We eat in the tent if we are struggling with bugs-otherwise we don't. I'd rather not share my dinner with a skeeter if I can help it, and the tent is never as bad.

 

[Barney]

Well, as a general rule we always eat outside. Special occasion would be if it's too cold outside. But otherwise I don't see the point of staying in the tent when you're outdoors.

 

[enzo]

No, I don't eat inside my tent. I wouldn't even allow the kids to eat inside their tent. Eating is best done at the campfire, it's more appropriate that way, at least the tent should stay clean inside at all times and free from food particles.

 

[WileECoyote]

My wife and I don't allow it. If it looks like we're going to get rained out, we go home. I don't want bugs and animals attracted to the food in the tent. I can just see us wallowing around in ants! NO WAY!

 

[ramp]

It's OK to eat snacks in tent especially in the evening, but we always take meals outside, be it under trees or around the campfire. We always try to keep the tent clean.

 

[Smokey]

The tent is for sleeping and changing your clothes. There's plenty of open space outside of the tent for eating.

 

[Camoguy]

I don't allow food in the tent. I would rather not have food anywhere near the tent to avoid attracting animals. I don't care if it's a bear or a 'possum. I don't want any animal anywhere near.

 

[southerngal]

Nope no eating in the tent that dirt that finds it's way in there is bad enough. Besides your camping to be in the outdoors so go be in the outdoors.

 

[2coastcamper]

I've had to eat in my tent before ... pouring North Carolina rain had a little something to say about it. I've never had much trouble keeping my tent clean, although I'm sure that's about to change with a kid on the way.

Until now, I've usually gone solo camping. My feet, my shoes, my mess. LOL

 

[grand]

I don't allow eating any kind of food in the sleeping area at home or in the camp. No good being awakened by ants biting you and crawling over you.

 

[northernbushape]

I don't allow food in the tent. I would rather not have food anywhere near the tent to avoid attracting animals. I don't care if it's a bear or a 'possum. I don't want any animal anywhere near.

I agree completely. Depending on where you camp, food in the tent can be a very, very bad idea. When I wilderness camp, my cooking fire is a few hundred yards from my main camp for that reason alone.

When I camp in a groomed site, which is rare, I have a 10x10 easy-up shelter that I use for meal times etc. I won't even keep a chocolate bar in my tent, no soap or anything else fragrant either. It is all stored away from the tent either in my Jeep or suspended from a tree out of reach.

 

[failghe]

I have made it a rule to not eat or store food in the tent. I don't want animals to visit me inside. However during a rainy day or two we have had snacks in there.

 

[Hilltopper]

No, there is no eating in the tents. I don't want to give the critters any reason to come and pay us a visit when we're sleeping. My son, one time snuck a candy bar and stuffed the wrapper under his sleeping bag and learned his lesson when there were ant's all in it when he came back. Sometimes they learn the hard way.

 

[LakeLady]

The only thing I allow the kids to eat or drink inside the tent is bottled water or a snack that isn't messy like fruit rollups. We generally eat our meals before we go in the tent for the night because it only takes a few crumbs to have an army of ants crawling all over you.