We offer a whole house rental. I’m wondering how recommended it is, it maybe isn’t recommended to leave some basic foods like coffee, OJ, bagels, fruit for guests to use if they desire. The house has a fully functional kitchen for them to cook their meals so I assume they bring their own food.
I have rented self-catered places frequently. I have never found anything much in the places that I have rented. My last spot in Barcelona I was shocked to find a few spices, salt, pepper, and olive oil. Usually, the place has been cleaned out completely. Several places that we have rented offer, for a fee, to have a basic stocking done with a shopping list that I create.
I love markets! I love going to food places and picking what we will eat, so I have never taken advantage of these offers. If I were arriving ridiculously late then I might.
I think there are guests would would, for a fee, love to have you stock the kitchen. I think that for a self-catered place, having too much in place upon arrival is unexpected or not required.
I have a whole house with full kitchen. I stock the basics - coffee, creamer, small milk, oj. And a few snacks - micro popcorn, trail mix, granola bars. Sometimes fruit if I have it on hand. Or cheese. Nothing that would be considered an entire meal, just something that tides them over. It can be a life saver for guests with late check-ins and early checkouts. The kitchen also has the basics (spices, oil, etc) if they feel like shopping/cooking for themselves.
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Ok perfect tinycar that is pretty much what I’ve done. Didn’t know if that was too much or not enough.
I have a self-contained studio apartment under my house. I provide a bowl of: fresh fruit, small packets of crisps/chips and mini chocolate bars plus teas, coffee, frozen bread and homemade muffins (no waste if they don’t get eaten), butter, jam and milk. It’s cheap and easy for me and most appreciated by my guests. Winning!
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Nicely displayed, thank you for the photo!
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Great setup!
I’d advice the same thing, have the basics such as coffee, cereal, couple of fruits, and perhaps some jam and peanut butter.
One thing I took away from various Hosts I met in europe during the summer was water. Funny enough you can either buy one of those wine bottles or make your own and keep cold water in the fridge.
We usually present this in a tray with a couple of glasses, so that guests can just refill it throughout their stay, trust me when I say that this is lifesaving in the middle of summer!
I’ve added a photo from a recent client as an example. You can probably find most of these items at Ikea.
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Thanks! Yes, I have a bottle of chilled water in the fridge too - and ice/tongs in the freezer (essential for North Americans I find 
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We offer coffee (french press), tea, sugar and milk. Most people don’t touch them.
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We leave the basic long-life things like tea, coffee, sugar, oil, salt, pepper and spices always, and a couple of bottles of water in the fridge to get them started.
A lot of people choose a vacation rental for the convenience of being able to cook and eat at home, and I personally find it really annoying when I have to buy a whole bottle of olive oil when i know I’m only going to use a tiny bit to make a meal, but it’s so essential!
It’s also been very helpful to have cereals/milk or biscuits on hand to tide guests over like @tinyCar suggests
Thanks for sharing this information.
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I stock the basics like salt, pepper, olive oil, condiments, coffees and teas. That is it.
I stopped stocking any kind of fruit in my whole apt rental after I found it rotting after 5+day bookings – not just wasteful but messy and attracts gnats. I supply basic seasonings, olive oil, coffee and tea. Sodas, filtered water, and some beer in the fridge. I provide cream or soy on request, the only perishable thing I’ll stock.
It’s annoying when a rental that advertises a kitchen has zero provisions. I expect to purchase some basic items as a guest but when a kitchen supplies nothing, it’s a real hassle.
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I think the bare minimum in such a place is some good coffee, and tea, sweetener of some sort, and milk and/or cream in the fridge. Personally, I would leave some nice muffins, and a little fruit, as others have suggested for the first day. It’s really tough getting up the first morning with nothing to get going on before going out to grocery shop. One place I stayed left a bottle of wine and some of that cheese you don’t have to refrigerate.
That’s interesting. I’ve never heard of it. What sort of cheese is it?
Pretty much any hard cheese can be left at room temperature for a while. Cheddar, Colby, etc.
Good to know. Thank you!
Not safe in hotter weather.
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Also good to know as I’m in South Florida! In our home all cheeses are kept in the fridge and I’ve never left unrefrigerated cheese for guests. I’ve left cream cheese to go with bagels for their first morning, but that’s on the fridge.
Well, most hard cheeses like cheddar are aged, so they will be fine for a few days even in warmer climates. And it tastes so much better when warm! I love me some squeaky curds 
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