What food do you leave for your house sitters?

Generally HOs say to use whatever is perishable and to make use of whatever I can find. If I use the last of something I replace it. I appreciate the thought, but don’t like it when HOs try to stock in their version of perishable “essentials” for me as I don’t eat most of what people would include in that list. Buying me milk, bread, juice, fruit, yogurt, etc. just means it’s going to go in the bin as I don’t eat any of those things. I hate food waste but I’m not eating a bunch of stuff that’s bad for me just to avoid it. So it just turns into a waste of food and money and then I feel guilty. All I want is a fridge and freezer with space. I have had HOs leave me leftovers and half eaten things and I’m sure it’s them being generous but it goes right into the bin. I’m not interested in someone’s half eaten meal and I find it a bit annoying that I have to deal with it.

I’ve had some HOs leave me some cash to do my initial shop or a gift card to the local market. I don’t generally use it unless they really insist and then I’ll generally use it to have food for them when they return. I’ve had a few invite me to raid their freezer but I rarely make use of that invitation. If there is produce or eggs produced in the garden or by the chickens I’m caring for, I’ll use those as much as I can to avoid waste.

Unless they request it, I don’t stock the “essentials” for them before they come back aside from replacing anything I used.

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If I don’t like the bread that they leave then I freeze it and leave a note. I believe that milk can be frozen too. Yoghurts last well past their sell by date.
There may be a foodbank near by for the rest?

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most freezers in europe at the sits i’ve done aren’t big enough for a loaf of bread or a carton of milk, much less both. my sits are normally a couple months, i think even with giving some leeway on expiration dates, 2 months expired is probably a bit much. i don’t really hear about food banks in europe but that’s something to look into.

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I have sat only in the US so far and have driven to most of my sits, so I usually bring all of my own food. What I most appreciate is plenty of space in the refrigerator and freezer for my food and cold packs. The only things I might use of the HO’s are coffee, tea, cooking oils, butter (but I often bring my own), eggs (if my own stock runs out) and possibly some spices. Like you mention, many HOs leave produce for me that will spoil if not eaten. I rarely use these. I have also been offered wine which I usually decline, as I don’t drink often and hardly ever alone. Or I may save it to regift. The exception was my last sit that was near a good friend. She was at the house a lot, with the owner’s permission, and since she is a wine drinker, we had some of the bottle of wine they left me. One time a homeowner left me some treats-scones, delicious bread, fancy crackers with cheese … I loved these and used the fancy bread to make French toast for the HOs. I also left a good portion of the the other items so the homeowner could enjoy the rest.

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We usually get asked to use up perishables, which we do with gusto. However, if I use anything else in an emergency, I always replace it with the identical item. This has lead to some hysterically funny shopping trips trying to find the exact tin of diced tomatoes we used the night before. I think our record is four supermarkets before we found the item. We would never ever consider eating chocolate, wine, snacks or spirits from the pantry. The stress finding replacements would be too much.
Elsie

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I think leftovers of a meal you shared together is fine. But I’ve had HOs tell me to help myself to the leftover pizza or takeout from a few days ago and I’ll pass on that, thanks. I just binned it as soon as they left.

I personally would not replace any perishables they left behind since that food would have been trashed if I wasn’t there anyway. I replace any non perishables that I use though.

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I don’t eat yogurt, milk, or fruit. I urge the HOs to consume as much as they can and take the rest for snacks and let them know that it’ll go in the bit otherwise. But if the HO doesn’t plan their shopping well and leaves behind a bunch of perishables, I shouldn’t be expected to replace them, whether I use them or not. I’ve had HOs leave behind $100 in perishable food. That cost should not fall to me to replace. If that’s the expectation, I’d rather they just throw it all in the bin themselves and I’ll just use my own food that I actually choose and know I like.

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One cat-sitting we did in France did not even leave sufficient food for the 3 cats. The food had been transferred into a container so we didn’t know the brand. After emailing the owners they sent a photo but we couldn’t find it in the supermarket and had to improvise.
We left before they arrived home so were not reimbursed. We did receive a 5* review so that was more important than a few Euros

I call that ‘theft’, plain and simple.

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As a house sitter I always bring some food with me and am never sure what may be left? I would never dream of taking anything out of a freezer unless I was actually told I could. Normally you are told to use up what is in fridge and finish any bread or half used bottles of wine etc. Some owners are extremely generous and do fill the fridge for you and get extra food in. One who owned a health club even gave me vouchers to have lunch free at the club each day… So I would go for a swim followed by lunch. And have had a couple say help myself to wine. But not a big drinker so would never be more than a glass at most. It is much appreciated if food is left, especially if looking after several animals and is saving them an awful lot of animal care fees. However some are really mean and don’t expect you to use anything. I had one even wrote in a review that it would have been nice if I could have replaced a loo roll. Unbelievable but true. Some owners have been welcoming with evening meals; always appreciated and others have taken me out for a meal as appreciation on their return. Depending on time of arrival, I have also cooked meals or left omething such as home made soup on owners return.

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At the moment we are sitting in Panama and been left as much fruit as we can eat. Problem is, we have to wait till it ripens on the trees and bushes.
We have a glut of apple bananas so it looks like it’ll be baking banana bread tomorrow.

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I have 2 refrigerators with side-by-side freezers, 1 full stand-up freezer, and yet another chest freezer - all are fully stocked. I have shelving in the garage loaded with numerous pantry items from soups to boxed dinners and everything in between (I am a super coupon shopper), so ultimately, I do say “help yourself” to my sitters, and I really do mean it. I clear them some freezer and refrigerator space in the kitchen for their own items and leave all the basics to get them started with the belief that they will either bring their own items or buy their own items while here. Still, I want them to know that the butter, coffee creamer, coffee, tea, frozen lasagna, soup, brownie mix, pasta, sugar, flour, soda beer, cider, ground beef, chicken, ham, and more are here for their use as well. :slight_smile:

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Wow, that’s going above and beyond.
I have sat in households that have your ethos and I have got “stuck in” but ultimately I usually replace anything I have used. To me, it’s manners.
Your set up sounds wonderful. Depending where you are, I’ll look out for it.

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Hi Margaret,
As experienced sitters I would suggest adding to your explicit invitation which you indicated to help themselves to the fridge contents and staples, and then say they can help themselves to the meat in the freezer for a few meals if they are caught out.
I think that it would feel right to us if we were told in that way, which would protect you from a clean out.
It did not occur to us to help ourselves to any freezer items in all of our stays, btw.

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@AKiwi Thanks for the suggestion.

Hi. This is the first time we had someone in our home to watch our pets. We left a welcome basket from different fun things from around WA, such as wine, chocolates, and different items made right here in our state. We also bought them fresh condiments to use such as ketchup, mustard, peanut butter, jelly ranch. We also made them a Keurig bar of different coffees/teas/cocoas etc. and they are welcome to our fridge food and pantry. We also left out fresh honey, butter, etc. and then bought them some fun soaps and bath soaks for their bathing convince. We did ask them ahead of time if they wanted a certain tea/coffee, etc. and bought that for them. It’s a small thank you we could do for the people that take care of our sweet fur babies while we are away. :blush:

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@Bri , you’re awesome!

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@Bri that’s so thoughtful and lovely!

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That’s a large thank you — I would have been thrilled. On behalf of all sitters, let me say such thoughtfulness makes us feel incredibly appreciated. You’re a lovely host!

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Bri, what a wonderful welcome and very kind of you.
I must admit I clicked on your name to see if you had linked your listing as we are just over the border in BC :slight_smile:

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