Since we have a separate cabin for friends/sitters we stock it with the basics like salt, pepper, sugar, olive oil, teas and coffee. Then we take them to the store and let them choose what to stock in their fridge. It takes a few days to learn the animals on a farm so we have time to get them all set before we have a vacation. They are always welcome to anything we/they have forgotten but this makes it more comfortable for all we have found.
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As a home owner I tell people to use whatever they can find in the refrigerator. All I ask is that there is coffee and milk when I arrive back home. I clean my refrigerator out before I have sitters so that nothing rots while Iām gone.
As a pet sitter myself, itās not fun to arrive at someoneās house who has old food āto goā containers and rotting produce, fish or meat in the fridge. The one time this happened, I immediately tossed it all out but that shouldnāt have been my job. If I use something of someone elseās, I replace it before I leave. Good thing those yummy ābiscuitsā were easy to find in Brighton because I had eaten all of the ownerās stash.
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As a sitter we only ask to use the condiments and spices. If anything is in the fridge with an expiry date we will use it and then replace. We so appreciated on a couple of international sits after long flights to have a dinner prepared for us just ready to heat up that evening we arrived and breakfast items ready for us to cook the next morning. No one really wants to go food shopping after a ten hour flight so that was great! We usually have breakfast items or a dinner prepared as well for the homeowners depending on their time of return home.
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As sitters we expect to feed ourselves. We have been on sits where there are hens and vegetable gardens and the HO suggested we eat the fresh produce so it didnāt go to waste. We ask if it is OK to use condiments & spices. It is useful if there is fresh milk left by the HO as we donāt bring fresh food with us as we arenāt sure how much room has been left in the fridge. We usually shop on our 1st day, once we have ensure the animals are sorted.
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As a sitter I donāt expect or want a meal cooked for me on my arrival. I find that situation slightly awkward as Iām very fussy with my food and who cooks it.
I just want a quick run through the house and pets then I canāt wait to be left alone!
I bring food with me, some fresh & some frozen. As long as I get a cup of tea when I arrive itās fine.
Iāve had owners cook me meals, tell me to eat whatās in the fridge and even in their freezer. I have been asked to help myself to wine and champagne but I always bring my own.
My favourite is having fresh bread or cake left for me.
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Iām both a HO and a sitter. Personally, I like sharing a meal. It gives me an opportunity to get to know either the parents of the pets Iām sitting or the person watching my pet. If someone is coming to my house, I invite them to share a meal or go out for one. I always ask about dietary considerations. The same has been done for me.
A huge highlight was when I petsat for the first time, in Alaska, and the hosts made me an Alaskan Halibut dinnerādoesnāt get any finer than that!
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We always communicate extensively with our sitters beforehand and I always offer to purchase groceries for them so that they are all set when they get here. Of course we tell them they are welcome to anything in the fridge and pantry that they would like. Usually they decline and just ask us to leave them plenty of space in the fridge for their items, which we do. We also always clean the entire fridge (and entire house) before they arrive. We always invite them for a meal before they sit and in cases when we need to leave for the airport early we invite them to stay the night before. If we plan to return late, we offer them to stay that night too, Since our housesitters use our dedicated guestroom it is no imposition. They usually do and then I make breakfast and we have some time for a debriefing before they go off to their next sit or home.
Our experiences with sitters have been wonderful. They leave our home spotless, and most even offer to take off and wash the bedding and towels.
I think communication is important. TH provides an opportunity for a win win situation. In general if you treat others with kindness and respect, they will treat you the same. It is after all why they call it the Golden Rule.
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@CAadventurer welcome to our community forum, thank you for being part of this great discussion and for bringing your thoughts, experiences, how you practically manage your THS arrangements and this quote ā¦
āI think communication is important. TH provides an opportunity for a win win situation. In general if you treat others with kindness and respect, they will treat you the same. It is after all why they call it the Golden Ruleā
Communication pre, on and post sit is the key to a successful experience for everyone involved. Itās true we all do things in our own way and finding the right way is what is important.
Thank you again for joining and for being part of our wonderful community.
Angela & The Team
OMG same lol. The last few hosts have wanted to show me around town, eat dinner with me, etc. I greatly appreciate the initiative dont get me wrong! Of course I am polite and accept But I donāt know if hosts understand quite how tired someone is after 9 hours of driving to their destination. I always find it overwhelming.
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I just want to meet the pets, have a cup of tea, the hosts show me around and then off they pop lol
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Everyone wants a four course meal and epic conversations lately immediately after arrival and Idk why 
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@Adoptacentaur I think some of us have just been starved of real life human company because of lockdowns and restrictions 
I know weāve been really enjoying our handover get togethers (but we always have liked that aspect of it, whereas for others itās less enjoyable) - I think Iād be a nightmare atm for anyone looking for a quick getaway 
Owners beware !!!
But in all seriousness I think we are all different in our social expectations, so itās good for us all to be conscious of that in our sitter/owner ārelationshipsā to establish a healthy balance. Most of the time we just go with the flow, sit to sit, but it is why I enjoy occasional repeatsā¦ they make for very easy going handovers.
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I always leave the basics like milk, bread, butter, tea and coffee. I ask all of my house sitters if they would like me to leave them a meal for their first night. If they say yes, I ask for their likes and dislikes and prepare a homemade meal. I also ask if theyād like a bottle of wine for their first night. They are welcome to anything in the fridge, freezer and cupboards. Anything I donāt want my sitter to use I put in a fridge/freezer in my garage. This has always worked well apart from the time the sitters switched the garage fridge/freezer off 
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so good to know that other HO like to do this I thought I was just crazy for wanting to talk to my sitters in person & make sure theyāre comfy
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Hi @848475 thank you for being a thoughtful owner, sitters love comfy! Itās always wonderful to hear about members communicating, connecting and building relationships and when pets are the force that brings us all together wonderful things happen in our very special community.
Thank you for being part of our āSpecialā and welcome to our forum, so glad you have joined.
Angela and the Team
Thats very thoughtful of you
Your a hidden gem 
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Like others, we never ate peopleās foodā¦ even if people were very generous in inviting us to help ourselves. A little welcome food or meal is indeed very nice and warm, but not a whole grocery. We mostly did long sits. People tend to have all the basics for us to feel at ease each time and using a little oil can feel ok. And we would also leave a prepared meal or basket of goods for a welcome back home, for the arrival of the owners in return, and make sure morning would not be a run for coffee or milk either. Should we have to -borrow- something to cook, we replaced it, unless it was a drop of vinegar. You should not feel uncomfortable in letting people know the -polite exchange- is your house in exchange for taking care of pet friends, plants, and home, and like everyone said, feeling comfortable should not mean eating whatās not perishable. I always thought it to be clear that people have to do their own grocery. I was quite surprised reading your post although we ourselves love making sure people feel welcome to help themselves too. We donāt have much food stored and donāt eat meat, and shops are close, or were close in our sits, which made things easy for everyone perhapsā¦ so maybe itās different as well. If a home is far to get food, it is indeed nice and normal to take sitters to do their own grocery. I guess itās all about common sense and delicacy. Coming and leaving should not leave a strange perception in any way, itās too bad you had to deal with an uncomfortable feeling.
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Weāve also had a couple of homeowners either take us out for dinner or make us a lovely meal on the night we arrived and it was greatly appreciated!
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We are self sufficient and have a supermarket bag full of essentials which we travel with. On the first day of a sit I usually have organised an online shop to be delivered. I do use small amounts of spices and herbs, but anything we finish we replace.
Itās good to be offered to use anything in the larder but itās not usually taken up.
My first pet sit in US we came across the concept of American hospitality. The pet owner, a very good friend now, instructed me to eat anything in the fridge - a huge American style fridge, almost walk in. There was a large drawer exclusively for cheese. Anyone who knows me will guess what happened next. Yes, I had a week long cheese fest and suffered for a month, no gall bladder! I did replace it all when the owner came back and we went supermarket shopping. She invited me to stay over for a couple of days then took me back to my boat. We had a blast.
Thatās why I love THS, the pets, the people, the friends.
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I am also a HO. And we plan to invite our sitters to help themselves to any food item that is available in our home. I plan to provide the essentials( milk, bread, eggs etc.) as well as fresh fruit and vegetables as desired. I want the sitters stay in my home to be as comfortable and worry free as possible.
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