Do you provide food for your guests?

[Eileen462]

Hello everyone!  For those who are House Hosts, Do you feed your guests or provide food or snacks for them?

Title updated - OCM

[Eileen462]

@Debra300  Debra I should have known better than to think I could provide a meal.  My sister died from anaphylactic shock when they fed her meat marinated in peanutbutter after she told them 4x she was severely allergic to any kind of nuts.  Im so happy you reminded me of this  I am going to only provide packaged items for them thank you so much.  Eileen

[Mario2916]

Hi @Eileen462 

We do provide breakfast for our guests. We do seasonal fruit, simple pastries, yogurt & granola, coffee tea and juice. Guests love it and its a nice detail. 

I do leave essentials for them to use if they are cooking, but haven't had guests truly utilize the kitchen yet.

[Eileen462]

@Mario2916 .. Beautiful thank you for sharing this!!    Eileen.

[Debra300]

Wow, I commend all of you who are really doing the extra.  Most items that we provide are things that won't be touched by guests who are not in the same traveling party or can be fully consumed during a short stay. 

So,

- no loaves of bread/pastries where hands would reach into the bag or box;

- no packs of deli/breakfast meats/cheeses/produce commonly used for sandwiches and salads, nor eggs and cheese;

- no cereals/porridge/oats/pastas/rice (grain bugs proliferate in tropical weather);

-  no sizes of condiments/jams/jellies/marmite/spreads/nut butters/sauces larger than what will last beyond one or two uses (just give more for longer stays); 

- no milk of any kind (animal or plant-based), or juice/punch drinks, or bottled beverages, 

- only individual coffee pods, tea bags, and creamers (I struggled with this one, because of the lack of recycling where my rentals are located, but most guests don't drink the hot beverages so disposables are minimal), we provide grinders and reusable pods for guests to use their own coffee bean/grounds;

- no jars of sugar/sweeteners, only individual packets (again, more items that are seldom used);

- we refill seasonings, spices and cooking oil in reusable containers;

- we welcome guests to eat fruit from our trees;

- seasonally, we offer cookies/biscuits, chips/crisps, nuts and popcorn in individual packets;

- upon request and prepayment, we will pick up grocery items for guests in St. Lucia. 

Our Atlanta rentals are long-term only, and we provide enough supplies that should last guests for at least four weeks, but even after multi-monthlong stays, we find that many kitchen items haven't been used.  Folks would rather eat out and buy beverages.  We provide three different types of coffee makers and a milk frother, yet we've had guests ask us if we'd like anything when they go to Starbucks.

Many of the food staples that many find to be inexpensive and plentiful in more developed locations, are very costly in St. Lucia, which has to import most of its grocery items.  For example, a half-gallon of almond milk in Atlanta typically costs about $3.50US, but it's about $7.50US on the island.  Once a year, we ship down a pallet of goods when the government offers a concession on imported household items and toys (no electronics) for the holidays.  @Robin4 and @Mario2916's lovely spreads would incur astronomical grocery bills, if the items are even available.  

[Mario2916]

Thats very understandable @Debra300 I am located in the Yucatan Peninsula and I can shop many local fruits and breads that don't incur as much cost as they do in Caribbean islands. I have family in the Caribbean and know first hand how expensive grocery items can be. I am able to give this experience to my guests because there's plentiful local produce at very accesible pricing. 

[Dora486]

Hola!   Just cold drinks in the fridge.   I used to do snacks and milk but now too wary that someone will have dietary issues.  Even milk was a minefield, lactose free and all the different possibilities for alternatives.   Easier just not to do it than be searching out oat milk or the like in the village.

[Lisle12]

My bear minimum food stock is as follows

Fridge stock

Three cans of each of ( a type of cola, rootbeer, and ginger ale)  

1 per child - of apple juice or Capri sun

small bottles of ( ketchup, mustard, and mayo) 

Pantry stock

2 soups

1 pasta sauce

1 pasta

Personal size stacks depend on the number and type of registered guests

small bag of chips, cookies, gummies, rice crispy bars, or little Debbies.  

Many have commented on my well-stocked kitchen with plenty of options and most do not use it.  It really does not add much to the budget and goes a long way in providing comfort.  

[Anna14038]

Hi Lisle12

i lived in Idyllwild for 3 years, had a vegan restaurant there! I was typing my reply to you and reread your message for your name and you are in my favourite neck of woods. Unbelievable.

About groceries.
I have coffee, three types of tea, salt, pepper, oil, sugar. That’s all. Sugar stands until it gets hard. People don’t use it anymore. I would say that drinks are a very personal choice and packages that I recycle after my guests are from bottled water, wine and beer. They don’t drink soft drinks, don’t use sugar. That’s in Eastern Germany, but my guests are mainly from Berlin and young (up to 40 something) so conscious about modern world.

[Debra300]

@Anna14038 

You made a good point about recycling.  We provide Brita filtered water pitchers in each rental space, and encourage guests to refill any water bottles they may have bought.  In the warm tropical weather, it's common to freeze the bottle and carry it while out to have cold water to drink as the ice melts.

[Eileen462]

@Lisle12   Wonderful stock!  My kitchen i stocked and they are welcome to it....I am going to be keeping breakfast items and things for sandwiches available for my guests, but I am leery about open condiments so I might provide packaged condiments  mayonnaise, relish, mustard, ketchup, sugar, creamers, fruits and veggies meats and cheeses.  Sodas and waters.

[Anna14038]

Hi Eileen, I don’t provide food because I charge very little for my flat. I provide grocery basics (coffee, teas, sugar, which is not used by my guests, salt, pepper, oil) and from recycling packages left by my guests I see that many of them are vegans. In todays world it’s hard to please people because each of us likes different. If I could charge more for my property I would give them fruit basket or small, wrapped chocolates. To serve home made food one needs food handling permit, which I have and was not difficult to get. I offer breakfast and evening meals for a charge and my breakfast is popular and appreciated. No interest in evening meals, people cook or go out.

[Willene1]

@Anna14038 

A few times I made up beautiful fruit baskets for guests but I usually found them partially eaten and left to rot in the fridge when they checked out. Was so disappointing I decided as much as i would love to be offered that,  it’s not worth it if is thrown out. 

We provide a snack basket with various packaged snacks and a bottle of local wine as well as coffee pods and teabags. They can pick and choose what they like.  Learned I can’t please everyone but giving them easy options seems to work. 
Impressed you offer breakfast!  - that would terrify me to offer that. 

[Eileen462]

@Willene1  Hello Willene!  Thank you for your reply!  I have no made breakfast yet because I am new to AIRBNB.  I need to find out if it is legal here and if I need to carry insurance before I serve food.  I am busy getting ideas so I can hopefully be the best AIRBNB in my area!  Smiles,  Eileen

[Robin4]

@Eileen462 

Eileen there is nothing to stop you from providing food items for your guests but, local health regulations prohibit you from supplying anything perishable you can't guarantee the integrity of.

Any perishable food items like bacon or meat products, cheese, dairy, milk must be supplied in the manufacturers sealed packaging.

Because of my involvement with Meals on Wheels, I have a public food handling diploma......

But that does not give me the legal right to provide compromised or handled food. It is the manufacturer who has the certified premises and guarantees the integrity of the foodstuff, provided it is consumed within the stamped use-by date.

Remember, it is the manufacturing premises that holds the Dept of health licence, not the individual provider.

Cheers........Rob

[Eileen462]

@Robin4   Thank you Rob!!