Home > Blog > House Sitting Food Etiquette
Quick Facts
| Are homeowners required to provide food? | No — sitters expect to buy their own groceries |
| What works well to leave | Perishables that would expire: cheese, deli meat, vegetables, milk, open condiments |
| Best pantry basics to leave | Oil, salt, pepper, coffee, pasta or rice |
| What to say | "Help yourself to anything that might go off, the champagne is off limits" |
| What sitters typically bring | Salad vegetables, cheese, protein, pasta or rice |
| Sitter welcome gesture | A €10 / £10 / $15 AUD bottle of wine or equivalent gift on arrival day |
For homeowners: You are not required to provide food, but leaving perishables that would expire during the sit is practical and appreciated. It reduces waste and starts the sit on a generous note. No formal system or labels needed. A simple conversation during handover covers it.
For sitters: Expect to buy your own groceries. Bring a small welcome gift. Use what you are offered and replace anything you open that was not near expiring.
The Fridge: Leave It Thoughtfully, Not Empty
Most articles tell homeowners to scrub the fridge clean and leave it empty before they go. This is unnecessary and it wastes food that would have been used.
A sitter arriving to a fridge that has some cheese, leftover vegetables, and a note saying "help yourself to anything that might go off" is better placed than a sitter arriving to an empty fridge. The homeowner has avoided throwing away food. The sitter has something to cook with. Nobody has lost anything.
The fridge does not need to be deep-cleaned or emptied. But it does need to be free of anything rotting or expired. A bag of forgotten salad that has turned to liquid, a piece of fruit going mouldy in the bowl, a container at the back of the fridge well past its date: these are quick to remove before you leave and they make a significant difference to first impressions. A sitter arriving to a clean, organised fridge feels welcomed. A sitter arriving to a fridge they need to clear out before they can put their own groceries in does not.
The principle for homeowners is simple: leave the fridge in a state you would be glad to receive it back in. If the fridge were handed to you in the condition you are leaving it, would that feel like a good start?
The principle for sitters is the same in reverse: leave the fridge in the same or better condition than you found it. Clean out anything you have used, wipe shelves if needed, and do not leave the homeowner returning to a fridge that needs work before they can use it. It shows respect and avoids the frustration that small things like this can cause after a long journey home.
What a fridge should be when you leave: clean enough for a sitter to add their groceries without reorganising everything, and clear enough that they can see what is there. An overcrowded fridge with unclear expiry dates and no obvious space is harder to work with than an empty one. That is the problem to avoid, not leaving food.
We have been in plenty of sits where homeowners told us to use whatever was in the fridge. Basic leftovers, cheese, deli meat. That is always appreciated. The rule we follow: use anything that would expire during the stay. Replace anything we open that was not close to expiring.
The Best Food Welcome We Have Received
Our first sit in Italy was in Cortona, looking after Teddy and Lucca, two Labradors, for ten days. The homeowners invited us over on arrival day with vegetable soup, fresh bread and butter, and a bag of fresh local olives.
The soup brought back memories of Konrad's grandmother's cooking. The olives were snacked on while writing blog posts for this website for the entire ten days. Absolutely delicious.
It was not expensive. It was thoughtful. And it set the tone for the entire sit.
In Athens, the homeowner told us we could use as much olive oil as we wanted because they get it from their family farm on Crete. We have been having it with our salads throughout the sit. These small gestures are remembered far longer than any formal arrangement.
Our Welcome Gift Tradition
On the drive toward a house sit, we usually stop at a local shop and pick up a bottle of bio white wine. In Europe we typically spend €8 to €10. In the UK that is closer to £10 for something decent, and in Australia around $15 AUD. The price varies by country but the principle is the same. The thought is what matters.
Most homeowners are pleasantly surprised. They do not expect anything from sitters when they arrive. The wine is an ice breaker and a gesture of appreciation: we are here to take care of your home and we are glad to be here. Has any homeowner ever specifically commented on it? Not in so many words. But it sets a tone from the first moment of the sit, which is exactly when first impressions form.
A candle or a small box of chocolates works equally well if wine is not your thing. The price range is the same: €8 to €10 / £10 / $15 AUD. The effect is similar.
What We Bring and Cook
Since we travel in our VW T4 campervan, we usually have some food with us when we arrive at a sit. When we get to the property, we make space for the homeowners to finish packing and handle their departure. We head to the local shops to pick up groceries for the sit. It is a good gesture and also a useful way to orient ourselves to the neighbourhood right at the start.
Our typical shopping list: salad vegetables, feta or mozzarella, a protein like sausages or steak, and pasta or rice. We eat simple home-cooked meals. After time in the van, cooking in a real kitchen is one of the genuine pleasures of a sit.
Our favourite meal after campervanning? Roasted vegetables. Simple, filling, uses whatever is in the fridge and the shops. Every morning we make coffee with fresh milk. Nothing elaborate, just a good home routine after weeks of van cooking.
The cooking itself is one of the financial benefits of house sitting that most people underestimate. Buying and cooking groceries rather than eating out saves €30 to €50 per day at a conservative estimate. Over a two-week sit that is €400 to €700 that stays in your pocket.
How the Food Conversation Actually Works
Every homeowner handles the fridge differently. We have never encountered a formal system with labelled shelves or written rules. The conversation at handover covers it naturally.
A typical exchange: "Feel free to use anything in the fridge that might go off. The champagne in the door is for our anniversary when we get back, please leave that." Clear, friendly, and everything you need to know.
Some homeowners ask us not to touch specific items. Completely fine. Some point out things during the walkthrough: this cheese will go bad, please eat it; these vegetables are from the garden, use them. Others simply say help yourself to everything. We follow whatever approach the homeowner sets.
What we do not do: open things that have not been offered, take anything that is clearly not close to expiring, or treat the fridge as our own pantry beyond what has been explicitly included. The home belongs to the homeowner. The food in it belongs to the homeowner. What they offer is a gesture of generosity, not an entitlement.
For Homeowners: What to Leave
You do not need to go shopping before you leave. The most useful food to leave is what was already in the fridge and will expire before you return. Cheese, open deli packets, vegetables, milk, yoghurt. Leave it with a simple verbal or written note during handover.
Pantry staples that are worth leaving accessible: cooking oil, salt, pepper, coffee or tea, pasta or rice.
One 2026 detail worth mentioning: milk. If you are leaving milk in the fridge, note whether it is dairy or plant-based. In 2026, oat, soy, almond, and other milk alternatives are common enough that a sitter cannot assume the white carton in the fridge is the one that works in their coffee. A quick note during handover ("there's oat milk in the door") saves the mystery. These are things sitters might not think to buy immediately and having them available on the first evening is a practical convenience.
Quick fridge handover guide for homeowners:
| Step | What to do |
|---|---|
| 1. Clear the expired | Remove anything mouldy, expired, or rotting from the fridge and fruit baskets before you leave |
| 2. Make space | Clear one obvious shelf or section so the sitter can put their groceries in without reorganising everything |
| 3. Separate "off limits" | Move items you do not want used (good wine, anniversary treat, anything specific) to one area |
| 4. Mark what can be used | Leave perishables that will expire during the sit in a separate visible area |
| 5. Explain at handover | During the walkthrough, point out which fridge and pantry items the sitter can use and which to leave alone |
One clear conversation covers all of this. Most homeowners do it naturally during the property walkthrough without any formal system.
If you have a meal kit subscription such as HelloFresh or Gousto, check whether a delivery is scheduled during the sit. If one is arriving on Monday while you are in Mallorca, tell the sitter. They will be glad to have a fresh meal to cook, and you avoid a missed delivery or a cancellation admin headache. A simple message in the WhatsApp group before you leave covers it.
If you have a specific item you want left untouched (a good wine, a birthday cake in the freezer, something for your return), just say so. No sitter with good intentions will touch something they have been asked to leave alone. Our guide to the video call and the welcome guide process cover what else is worth communicating before you leave.
For Sitters: What to Bring and Expect
Bring a small welcome gift on arrival day. A bottle of local wine, chocolates, or a candle in the €5 to €10 range. It is not expected and it is always noticed.
Buy your own groceries. Head to the local shops on the first day. It orients you to the neighbourhood, it is a practical gesture that gets you out of the homeowner's way during departure, and it means you are set up for the sit from the start.
Use what you are offered from the fridge. Replace anything you open that was not near expiring. Leave the kitchen clean. Leave the fridge in better condition than you found it.
If you are travelling as a couple, coordinate shopping so you arrive with something rather than empty-handed. If you are in a van with your own food supplies, a small token gift from the local shops is still worth the five-minute stop.
Conclusion
Food etiquette in house sitting is less formal than most people expect. There is no standard protocol and no written rules. What there is: a mutual understanding between two parties who are both trying to make an unusual arrangement work well.
Homeowners who leave perishables available reduce waste and start the sit generously. Sitters who bring a small welcome gift set a tone of appreciation from the first moment. Both gestures cost almost nothing and produce goodwill that outlasts the sit itself. The homeowners in Cortona and the olive oil from Crete are remembered years later. That is the return on a €5 bottle of wine and a bag of good olives.
For more on what makes a great house sitting relationship from both sides, our guide on what to ask a homeowner before the sit covers the full preparation process.
DM us @housesittersguide on Instagram if you have questions. We answer everyone.
Frequently Asked Questions
Should homeowners leave food for house sitters?
No, but leaving perishables that would expire during the sit is a practical and appreciated gesture. Sitters expect to buy their own groceries and do not expect a stocked fridge. What makes a difference is a simple conversation at handover: "help yourself to anything that might go off, leave the champagne alone." That is the whole system.
What food should a homeowner leave for a house sitter?
Perishables that will expire before you return: open cheese, deli meats, vegetables, milk, yoghurt, leftovers. Pantry staples like oil, salt, pepper, pasta, and coffee are also useful to leave accessible. Do not stress about going shopping specifically for the sitter. Leave what was already there and would otherwise go to waste.
What should a house sitter bring to a sit?
A small welcome gift: a bottle of wine, chocolates, or a candle in the €8 to €10 range (£10 in the UK, $15 AUD in Australia), and their own groceries. Head to the local shops on arrival day. It is a good gesture, orients you to the neighbourhood, and means you are set up from the start without relying on what the homeowner has left.
Is it rude to use the homeowner's food during a house sit?
No, as long as you use what was offered and replace anything you open that was not near expiring. The convention is to use perishables that would go off and leave everything else alone unless explicitly offered. If in doubt, ask during the handover.
What do house sitters typically cook during a sit?
Simple home-cooked meals made from fresh groceries. Salad, pasta, roasted vegetables, and basic proteins are the most common. Cooking in a proper kitchen is one of the practical pleasures of a sit after weeks of eating out or cooking in limited spaces. It is also significantly cheaper than eating out, saving €30 to €50 per day on a conservative estimate.
