Excellent idea for clarification.
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I agree with you. What you are doing is great, milk for morning coffee, eggs or yogurt is plenty to get through the first day breakfast, that should be more than enough. Some leave us a bottle of wine which is always appreciated.
Don’t leave the offer open ended or you know how some people be. They should be grateful you made the offer. Maybe don’t ask them just do it and tell them when they arrive.
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I like that idea. People have such varying preferences and dietary restrictions, that I wouldn’t want to automatically provide anything perishable. Heck, I’ve messages “I’m going to the farmers market, is there anything I can pick up for you?” and been told “Oh my gosh, I LOVE fresh produce and would really appreciate some greens” and then come home to rotting kale…
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As a sitter, I agree. Some space in the fridge and freezer and an invitation to use the staples. I always appreciate a list of the best local markets and the farmer’s market schedule (if there are any). I guess it would only be tough if someone came in late in the evening and wasn’t in the situation to bring a little food themselves. In that case, maybe something very basic (fruit, oatmeal) to get them going in the morning until they can explore what is available. Anyone with severe allergies will know to bring at least a little bit of food to tide them over. I really appreciate your thoughtfulness.
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I live within walking distance (1.5 mile radius) of Trader Joe’s, a Von’s, a Meat Market, etc so I don’t have to worry about food for sitters. I do, however like to promote the local businesses so often I’ll get a gift certificate for Trader Joe’s which is 5 blocks away and/or McConnell’s Ice Cream shop which is about 3 blocks.
If mutual time allows, I enjoy making lunch or dinner for my sitters. It makes for an easy transition for my dog as by the time I leave, she’s already adopted her temporary people.
There are quite a few specialty stores and Farmer’s Markets in our area so I have them listed in my Welcome Guide (both online and printed). In the week before I leave on a trip I clean out and eat most of the perishables in my frig. I always have coffee and milk and ask that I have some available upon my return. Keepin’ it simple.
As a TH Sitter as well, if a HO asks if they can pick a few items up for me, I ask how close the stores are. If they are within walking distance I’d rather get things myself. I really haven’t done any rural sits but if I did, I might have a small list for them to get me through the first day.
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@ShulasMom Just to add to your mention of a gift certificate - always appreciated is a GC for a local restaurant or coffee shop. A place the HOs like is especially appreciated. My most recent sit was in a pretty small town and I managed to eat 2+ meals on the much appreciated GC to a pair of local restaurants. (Maybe if I was a drinker, it might have only covered a meal and a half.)
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I’ve done that too. I’m a big believer in shopping locally and live in an urban setting so I vary it. Other GC I sometimes leave are for a coffee shop around the corner, a local restaurant, etc. I also leave 2 certificates to visit our Botanical Garden (I receive 2 free passes every year with my membership). Gotta say, TJ’s and McConnell’s Ice Cream are the biggest hits.
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A Trader Joe’s gift card — if there’s one nearby — would be great for many sitters.
For context, TJ’s is popular among many Americans and foreign visitors. They sell regular groceries and specialty items that many people love. Many communities lobby or petition for years for TJ’s to open, because the supermarkets are beloved. Some resellers even resell TJ items on Amazon at a markup to people without Trader Joe’s near them.
My last sit was convenient to two TJ’s, which was great. Previously, I’ve lived near TJ’s and loved to go there, even though I normally leave grocery shopping to my husband when it comes to other supermarkets. That’s because you never know what tasty treats you’ll pick up.
Even my relatives from abroad love TJ’s — they always ask to make trips there when visiting the U.S. I’ve seen other tourists being dropped off at TJ’s. On a Glasgow sit, my Scottish host was visiting the U.S. and said she’d have to hit TJ’s again while visiting American family, because it had snacks she loved.
Happily, my husband and I moved recently and a TJ’s is opening close by.
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@Maggie8K my last sit was a three minute walk to Trader Joe’s and my wonderful hosts left me a much appreciated gift card!
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Thank you to the OP for seeing advice from sitters - very thoughtful! I think offering is a great gesture, but we prefer to be independent on our sits. We typically rent our own vehicle if we fly to the destination, or drive our own car to the sit. I wouldn’t feel comfortable driving someone else’s vehicle and would not want to be confined to the sit location due to lack of transportation.
As far as food goes, I enjoy selecting and purchasing my own food, and wouldn’t want to overburden a pet parent. Some pet parents have left us a bag of goodies such as a bottle of wine and some crackers/cookies, which was very nice and appreciated. Others have offered to pick something up and seemed to really want to do something, so we have asked for a very short list such as nonfat milk, yogurt and fresh berries. But we are just as happy to provide our own food.
The most important thing to us as others have said is having clear instructions to properly care for the pet, owner communication preferences while away, and a clean home with space for our things in the fridge and pantry as well as the bedroom and bathroom we’ll be using. We have been on quite a few sits where there was very little room anywhere to put our things, and that definitely isn’t a great feeling.
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One other comment - we’ve been on a couple of sits where the owners said we should eat and/or drink whatever we wanted while we stayed there, even offering full access to their wines and liquors. While appreciated, we typically will only consume a specific bottle of wine designated and gifted to us or perishable food that would otherwise need to be thrown away. If we do consume any other food while we are there, we replace it all before we leave. We don’t consider access to the host’s food as an expectation of the sit.
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That is sweet of you, @GardenCat. I mention that I eat a plant-based diet in my profile, but most people don’t know what that is or don’t notice it. If I am asked what food the homeowner can supply, or if they say they’ll make dinner for me, it is awkward. The last thing I want is for them to have to take on a new project, learning how to make a plant-based meal, or shopping for a specific type of food item. I want them to focus on preparing for their trip, not catering to me.
I agree with @ElsieDownie that space in the fridge, freezer and cupboard is an ideal way to make me feel welcomed. If the HO leaves a lot of fresh fruit and vegetables, that can be a problem, too. It quickly ages and I don’t want to use it. So I end up either throwing it away, or leaving it there when I know they won’t want it, and neither option is a happy one for me. I replenish any fresh items they have left me before I leave.
I enjoy going to the local farmer’s markets, and strolling the aisles of the local grocers. Discovering an interesting local food specialty is a delight. Kelp salsa! Who knew? This is part of being a traveling sitter that makes it fun for me. It gets me out of the house and meeting people, learning about the community.
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It is great to have a host offer to pickup a few groceries or even cook/buy a meal for their sitter, however I typically advise them not to worry about it because of my preferences. Many hosts will still leave common items such as water, milk, eggs, bread, and fruits for the sitter, as a nice welcoming gesture. However, it is only necessary for hosts to stock up on essentials: water, salt & pepper, cooking utensils, hand soap, detergent, toilet paper, and especially essentials for pet care (I’ve had 2 hosts buy me groceries, yet I had to order pet food).
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I ask whether or not they are vegan, or vegetarian & if so, I put appropriate groceries in the fridge for them 1-2 days worth, or just some breakfast foods. I’m not going to do specific shopping, but having a couple things in the fridge for them is nice.
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