Should you ever be near Fort Mac in Northern Alberta, there’s a place called Anzac 
.
ANZAC biscuits are very yummy indeed & do enjoy finding home made ones at farmers markets.
2 Likes
we transfer our dogs’ dry food into containers, but try to make sure there’s plenty for the duration of our trip. We always leave a $50 gift card there, and tell the sitter to use that if they should have to purchase pet food or something else for the house they might need - toilet paper, trash bags, paper towels, etc. To date, noone has even used the card, so if they’re still there when we get home, we go out and have a drink and spend it! In the future, we will try to remember to keep the labels for their food, and where we purchased it, thanks to your post.
4 Likes
I won’t get my car back until this week and I have just completed a house sit where I relied upon public transport. The owner was very friendly and offered me as much coffee (pods) as I wanted, anything that was in the fridge (there was alcohol but I politely declined), OJ, milk. She also offered anything that was in the cupboard and there were some biscuits, cereals and other snacks. We just had whatever was opened along with whatever we brought ourselves.
A fresh bowl of fruit was there too including bananas. I was respectful and appreciative within appropriate limits. The owner left a gorgeous box of bath salts and items to enjoy if wanted a bath (I used what was already opened as there were heaps of unopened things). Such a nice home owner and lovely pets.
3 Likes
I am joining this thread as I see it’s still action. I am both a host and a sitter and I’m a bit perplexed about food expectations. My sitters are welcome to ALL my non-perishables, spices, oils, etc. etc., but I do not leave them anything fresh. This is because tastes vary and I, personally as a sitter, would much prefer space in the fridge for my own food that I select on my own. However, it looks like different hosts do quite different things. When I am a sitter and the host leaves me perishables (which tend to be leftovers), I feel obligated to replace their leftovers with things I buy, even though most often those things aren’t things I’d eat or buy–I just eat them when I am at the sit because otherwise they’d go bad and get tossed. What is normal and polite?
1 Like
Hello @cherylfah to quote you ‘what is normal?’ and ‘hosts do quite different things’. There is no normal as hosts do widely different things and sitters have widely differing hopes or expectations. You have already seen that some people think bread and milk are essentials whereas others would not use them. It should be an easy topic to discuss beforehand, keeping in mind what you are comfortable in doing, rather than feeling at all obligated to do.
I think making some room in your fridge and freezer is universally appreciated and is easy to do for most hosts. That’s something I appreciate. However, one sit where I was invited to stay the night before did ask me if I ate breakfast and if so, to give them an idea of what I’d eat. I noted they didn’t assume that I ate breakfast, whereas some people would make that assumption. They made sure to have food I’d enjoy available next morning. After that I took care of myself. Not an essential need, but I thought it was a considerate gesture.
4 Likes
I’m sorry. He had access to the house you where sitting?
1 Like
As a HO, I begin thinning out my fridge a couple of weeks in advance so there is space for the petsitter’s food and so they won’t have to question freshness of food already there. Trader Joe’s and Von’s are just a few blocks away so no one is going to starve. I tell people to eat what they want but just to make sure there is coffee and milk available upon my return. I make a little welcome basket that may have a TJ’s gift card, passes to the Botanical Garden, and/or our favorite local ice cream store. I figure that helps not only the sitter, but our local shops and businesses.
As a petsitter, I feel uncomfortable throwing people’s food and leftovers out, but if I know it will be inedible by the time they return, that’s what I do. On my last sit, the frozen pizza in the freezer was calling my name one night but since I wasn’t sure where I could find a replacement (it was an unusual brand), I let it be. Seems to me freezer food is off limits unless identically replaced.
7 Likes
I left tea and coffee and use of all spices, cooking oil etc. I made sure there were emergency supplies (tinned items and water - in case of a blackout, in the rainy season it sometimes happens). My sitter had access to all the fruit and herbs growing in my garden and I took him out to pick up shopping from the local supermarket before I left.
4 Likes
Exactly, Same thinking
you must be an aussie or kiwi baking ANZAC biscuits
2 Likes
We are HOs and sitters. We do treat the sitter(s) to dinner the night of their arrival. (We all get carry out!)
Then… for their first day or two after we leave, we have stocked the fridge with a few perishables, such as milk, bread, eggs, and fresh produce. This is what we provide (as stated on our home listing):
"We provide all the basic cooking tools and food items, such as spices, herbs, salt and pepper, oil, vinegar, flour and sugar, etc.
We will ask you in advance if you’d like the following for the start of your stay: basic aromatics such as onions and garlic, and citrus like limes or lemons; some fruit and vegetables; dairy, such as eggs, milk, butter, your favorite coffee creamer; a loaf of bread; peanut butter. All condiments (mustard, mayo, ketchup, salad dressings, soy sauce, etc.) in the fridge are yours to use freely (no need to replace them if you use them up)."
We store away anything we do not want the sitters to use.
Another perspective. 
9 Likes
@BunnyCat I wish we had a greater choice of emojis, I really wanted to give your comment a WOW, and not in a good way! I cannot believe a homeowner would actually empty and turn off a fridge.
I can add emojis here though and it’s a 
2 Likes
@BunnyCat a turned off fridge??? That is shocking! Do they not think that the sitters may wish to use it?
2 Likes
Turned off???
1 Like
@careinard that’s very cool! That way they have all the ingredients for the meal.
That’s very sad. I’m sure you were glad to help them.
2 Likes
@BunnyCat this puts a totally different perspective on things. Perhaps it would be helpful to edit your previous post so the rest of us don’t jump to conclusions (which I did) and appear overly judgemental.
I know only too well what it is like to be impoverished.
Wow. Looks delicious.
Just have read “The modern ANZAC biscuit is based on a hardy recipe for a snack often sent off in care packages to Australian and NZ soldiers fighting in the war. They’re generally made for sale in supermarkets around the country at this time of year but are easy to make at home”
1 Like
I always tell my sitters to help themselves to anything in the kitchen - it’s very well-stocked with dry goods, dozens of spices, etc… I also usually leave some non-dairy milk, butter, and yogurt because this is a vegan house and I request that my sitters respect that, but also realise that some may not be aware of the options available.
I can’t recall any of them actually eating anything I left for them. In fact, some of them have left food rotting in the fridge for weeks rather than touch it. So I’m tempted not to leave anything, or ask in advance if they want me to leave some stuff.
1 Like
Hi Everyone,I normally have a very nice veggie garden especially in winter…Lots of lettuce, spinach, kale, beets and lots of herbs. I mk a loaf of Sourdough for my sitters to have and whatever is in the fridge….I usually invite sitters to dinner night before and have dinner. Our last sitter had dinner and slept over cuz we left early next day so it worked well so they could see our routine and make sure both parties feel confident with each other. Jan
3 Likes