If you mean they expected a meal prepared for their arrival my first thought is that their previous sitters have done this for them and if you read enough posts you will see that many sitters do indeed make a meal for their hosts return! I always cringe a bit when I read this bc I have this voice in my head which says “oh boy, that sure can set a precedent for future sitters which may disappoint the hosts…”
It’s very dicey. This should never be expected and I hope sitters don’t do this for all their hosts bc you’re setting the bar so high!
That said, I’ve done it myself…HOWEVER, I’ve only done it for the hosts with whom we’ve formed a bond, where the sit was exceptional in some way, where I actually had the time, or where our timing overlapped with the hosts return and it happened to be mealtime and we really like these people. In our 25 or more sits I think I’ve prepared a full meal 3 times for returning hosts.
I would NEVER do this as a standard practice. I do ask if there is anything I can get for them from the store. I rarely eat what hosts leave and prefer a VERY CLEAN and very empty fridge except maybe condiments. I’ve sat homes with some pretty gross fridges with mold growing on some forgotten items or shelves that clearly haven’t been cleaned in ages that are sticky…sadly, that is more common than you’d think.
We usually make a soup and get in some bread and milk for the HO’s return, knowing they might be peckish and just fancy something light to eat and possibly a cuppa when they arrive home. But, no HO has ever requested this of us, or alluded to expectations in this respect (which would change the dynamics completely, and be most off-putting).
A homeowner writing this in a review definitely risk coming across as hard to please or nitpicky. Personally we always replace anything and love cooking meals or baking for hosts, especially if they’ve cooked for us or taken us out for a meal prior to the sit. I definitely agree with @carpediem16 that this host could just be used to this from previous sitters, perhaps it was the first time the sitter didn’t replace any food so the host made the mention in the review. That said, I don’t think it’s appropriate to criticise @Mokina for this as of course it’s not an obligation. At least future sitters are now warned of the expectations of the host.
@Mokina, this seems a past housesit so now a learning experience.
We suspect that both pet parents and housesitters vary significantly in the provision of any voluntary provisions/meals.
We always leave milk, bread and eggs for returning pet parent. In some cases then we will also prepare a meal for them - this may reflect our reciprocation of their kindness and hospitality on our arrival; our appreciation for an enjoyable housesit experience; our appreciation of actions, such as us arriving early or us leaving late; the distance of their return journey; or simply that we enjoyed their company.
That said, lack of an optional meal seems poor grounds for a negative comment on a review. Suspect an atypical situation. Time to move forwards to future adventures.
As others have said, I will ask the host if they want e.g. milk and bread. Some have said yes, and others that they’ve got a delivery coming so not necessary. I’ve made a few meals for the owners to have on their return, mainly if they’ve had a long journey and are returning at a meal time or if I’m staying the final night and have a meal with them.
@DieFledermaus The HO said that she would have hoped for a bit more attention to detail and thoughtfulness (like leaving her something to eat when she came back). She said that she thinks she has this attention to welcome sitters with good food and make sure they have something to eat for the first days. She also said that she was a bit surprised to see nothing was replaced which never happened before. Overall, the essentials were well managed and she really saw the pet felt well with the sitter but she would have appreciated a gentler and more considerate touch.
Said all this, I have to clarify that before arriving I was asked if I needed any food for the first days. I thanked and said that it wasn’t necessary as I was carrying some food with me and I was going to buy fresh ingredients locally. I appreciated the gesture of buying some fresh fruit, but again it wasn’t necessary. After reading the review now I think that giving something while expecting something in return is not considered true generousity or altruism. I have been invited by differents HOs who kindly cooked, purchased or invited me to eat their food without expecting anything in return and always had full 5 stars. In consideration of the gesture, when I’m invited for a meal prior to the sitting, I always bring a gift for the HOs like the fine chocolates that I brought also for her and so far they’ve always appreciated.
Said this, I don’t know what kind of food she was expecting anyway. The fridge and cabinets were stuck with all sorts of food (milk, yoghurt, bread in the freezer, pasta, rice…) including fresh fruit and vegetables and also ripen fruit in the garden. I only ate some of the fruit that was previously purchased and left the rest in the fridge.
It is very odd. I do cook a meal and leave some basics for sitters, because they are often travelling from far away and have never been here before. I think it’s nice to offer a meal so they can unpack and get a good night’s rest, their breakfast beverage and a few basics like eggs, milk, bread. Enough for a basic breakfast so they can head out and get the rest of what they like, but don’t have to do so in a strange environment immediately, while arriving hungry and tired.
As HO, we are returning to our own homes and neighborhoods where we know where everything is. I would never expect sitters to cook me meal and buy basics while they are trying to pack up / prepare for departure.
That said, we once had sitters (a prior THS sit who we invited back as friends) that ended up staying at our place while we were across the country after my dad died. We brought our dog and drove 4 days to get home. After 4 days of rest stop food, we were thrilled to come home to great meal and a few refreshments they left for us. Of course we could have ordered some dinner but having a home cooked meal on that occasion definitely lifted our spirits.
As a sitter, I never expect anything but I do appreciate the gesture and try to reciprocate somehow. I really enjoy sharing a meal on arrival, chatting with the hosts and bonding with the pets before we’re left alone.
I think @Felinelover has really hit the nail on the head:
That said, I think some kind of reciprocity is nice and helps reinforce the “equal exchange” side of house sitting but it doesn’t have to be measured and weighted. As the OP said
I find the “exchange of food” very difficult. There are so many allergies and preferences of food that it is a potential minefield which I avoid like the plague. Yes, leave fruit and veg in the fridge and I will either use them or throw them away. Don’t leave opened milk.
I always ask if they want anything from the grocery for their return. I would never cook anything specific for them. I don’t know them or what their preferences are.
I don’t have set rules in terms of leaving or cooking food, I go with the flow and see how I feel like doing.
As already mentioned, I always bring a gift (usually chocolates) when I’m invited for a meal unless I know already the HOs like something in particular.
I’ve never left food so far, but again, I bring lots of food with me (including the basics, with the only exception of herbs or spices) that there is no need to get something for me. In a couple of occasions I left some (organic) carrots to dogs as I know these were their favourite snacks.
I cooked a meal once when the couple was coming back from their holidays, late in the afternoon. I was invited to stay for an extra night and also I was cooking for myself, adding some more food on the fire was just the most natural thing for me.
On a specific sitting the HO and I cooked for both of us more than once. I was invited to stay for a few days before and after the sitting. I found there was a special bond and rediscovered the pleasure to cook for friends as I mostly had in my life.
I have offered to cook something from HO’s supplies if the HO arrives back in the evening. Most have declined the offer.
But I agree with others I’d dodge a HO that they expected a sitter to get food at their expense and cook a meal for their return. This to me signals a major red flag that the HO is probably going to be a demanding person I’d prefer not to sit for.
People ASK you to stick food for them?? I mean, a little milk for tea or coffee on the first morning is lovely but I would never ask for food to be stocked!! Sheets and towels are expected, food, no.
My first sit, the fridge was full of decaying veg, and much in the pantry was out of date - not just by days or weeks but years! This thread is quite an eye opener
I have years of experience, not on this site, and have never had anything other than a fridge of fresh dairy, eggs, bread and essentials for cooking; it’s rare that I’ve had to go shopping.
I will do my utmost to look after your pets. I will do my utmost to look after your home. I will go out of my way, if needs be, to those ends.
But here’s the thing: I cook like a T.Rex ballet-dances. So the one thing, the one and thing, I will not do for you is cook. I will go out and spend my own good money stocking you up with easy-heat homecoming snacks… But I won’t be making them myself.
It isn’t because I’m not appreciative or that I don’t want to show it. Just trust me: You do NOT want to celebrate your home-coming with a visit to A&E.
@DieFledermaus if we me cooking could be a similar outcome. Luckily my husband enjoys cooking and is good at it so so far we have always left a well received meal. But it has never been expected, although now every review mentions it, it may start being expected
This was literally the exact same thing as my second sit… I’d swear you sat in the same house! It was hoarding, but with food. And add to the “decaying veg” something also green that I think was once ham. They were such lovely people and we still keep in touch off & on. I cleaned & bleached the entire fridge, sucked it up, and left them a good review
And this is also me. I have like one thing I can cook that is marginally impressive, but it doesn’t look that exciting. Gourmet restaurant-looking dishes? Uh-uh.
I made a soup for one returning couple because they’d been so nice. They were very appreciative, but they also mentioned it in the review. So now I wonder if future HOs will see that and then think they’ve been slighted if they don’t get soup too
As sitters, we will not make food for returning HOs. The only time we did was an effort not to waste food. A bunch of bananas became over-ripe so rather than throwing them out, we baked banana muffins.
As HOs, we do not want sitters to make food for our return. We’ve only been asked twice about this and politely turned down their offers.
This was literally the exact same thing as my second sit… I’d swear you sat in the same house! It was hoarding, but with food. And add to the “decaying veg” something also green that I think was once ham. They were such lovely people and we still keep in touch off & on. I cleaned & bleached the entire fridge, sucked it up, and left them a good review 
