As a home-owner, I completely agree. I say to my sitters to use whatever they want, but please to let me know if they finish anything.
I also manage their expectations as I hate cooking so if, for example, they are expecting fully-stocked cupboards and an exciting array of herbs and spices, they will be very disappointed 
And there isnt any alcohol because I rarely drink.
Sorry if I’m coming across as entitled. Let me give you an example of what I’m talking about. There is a loaf of sliced bread in the house and your flight home is the next day. Are you going to grab a couple of slices for breakfast or buy a whole other loaf, bb knowing you can’t take it home? At the same time, you would have bought other food that you would have left behind, something I have done regularly with AirBnB sits. That’s all I’m envisioning. Im not talking about cleaning out one’s freezer and wine cooler.
Hi Richard, On most sits Ihavedone I have found that homeowners have told me to help myself to anything in the fridge, such as cheese, milk, butter, fruit and salad things etc. They are happy for me to use as would go off before they arrived back. I have also been told to help myself to dry goods in pantry such as rice, pasta etc. One a few occasions I have been told to help myself to wine etc. also, although not a big drinker so a bottle would last me a week. Some owners have even bought things in especially for me such as a kind of welcome pack of a loaf of bread, some nice cookies, chocolate and a bottle of wine. If arriving the night before I have always shared a nice meal with the owners also. I have also been taken out for meals, as well as a gift voucher for a nice cream tea at a nearby place. I once had a free meal and drink at a leisure club every day, as they owned it. I used the indoor pool beforehand. I have rarely found an empty fridge. I think it is really mean if never offered anything, especially if multiple pets and want a lot of hours work from you, such as dogs walked an hour in the morning and two in the afternoon, along with ducks, geese, goats and chickens etc.
Thank you very much. Glad to find someone else who shares my perspective. I just think people, whether sitters or homeowners, should nice and considerate. Be well.
I am sorry. I didn’t mean you came across as entitled.
What I meant is that there are all sorts of homeowners and sitters and that it’s important to find good matches but regarding this particular matter, I wouldn’t know how to find out if an owner would share some food or not. I only know that once I am there.
Everything else is easy to clarify in advance.
The thing is, people vary widely and some see THS as transactions, rather than relationships. And that falls along a continuum. Plus, what’s seen as hospitality varies.
Personally, I agree with you on welcoming guests (including sitters), but know not everyone does, and because I know that, expect variation over consistency as a sitter.
The key thing is to match as well as possible for whatever it is we individually need or prefer as a host (or sitter).
When I’ve screened listings (and reviews), it’s been pretty easy for me to find signs of hospitality and reciprocity. I don’t look for references to food and don’t care about them, but hosts who come across with signs of hospitality and reciprocity usually are gracious and generous as well.
My next sit for example will be with hosts who previously offered me airport pickup and drop-off, treated me to welcome dinner, invited me to eat whatever I wanted from their huge and upscale food supply, bought me gifts on returning, left emergency cash, gave me a Chinese New Year’s red envelope, and have offered me roundtrip airfare to repeat sit. I’d say that’s above and beyond, and I don’t expect such from all hosts.
Not at all. All good. Thanks for reaching out.
AirBNB’s are paid accommodations, not sits.
Most AirBNB’s clean in between guests and usually toss food left behind (same with hotel fridges) and if I found leftover food in an airbnb fridge, I would toss it and mark the host down for it.
I do not want or eat random food - don’t know who’s it was, how old it is, or how it was handled. Not touching it, no thank you.
Another self-sufficient sitter : I always work from the assumption that, unless the HO has clearly stated what I can use certain items, I never use anything aside from basic spices, condiments and such.
Further, I never open anything or use the last of anything even if the HO says it is OK. (Clearly that is a personal problem !)
If for some reason I have to do one of the above because I forgot to purchase something or an item looks particularly delicious, I always purchase a replacement which I leave unopened.
As a non -drinker, alcohol is not an issue but I imagine this could be a spiky issue with HO’s and asking is ALWAYS one’s safest bet.
Oh, and your comparisin of THS stays to ABNB stays is not valid here. Completely different situations and relationships with homeowners.