Coffee setup how to offer dairy/alternatives

I provide the smallest (16 oz?) container of half-and-half for my guests who generally stay 3-5 days. It’s about $1.50, and gets used about 1/2 the time. When there is some left, I give it to my neighbors, who use a lot of it, so no waste.

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What alternative are you referring to? How small is small? Based on what’s been posted here about alternatives being in 8-16 oz containers I’ve concluded you are asking about single serve (like the mini moos) of plant based beverages and creamers.

This is closest I’ve found and it’s a powder.

https://smile.amazon.com/Coconut-Cloud-Original-Non-Dairy-Go/dp/B07LB6CL6P/ref=sr_1_5?crid=1N7FH1NWO1OY&keywords=single+serve+plant+based+creamer&qid=1645538926&sprefix=single+serve+plant+based+creamers%2Caps%2C124&sr=8-5

I can get whole milk in 8oz containers but not half and half. That would probably be the perfect size for me if I could. I have no issue with using the remainder of the open container myself.

Eventually we’ll have more choices but for now, let your guests who want something beside half and half get their own.

In Canada you can get half and half in 8 oz. containers. Also coffee cream. (18% bf)

Yes, cream in 8 oz (237 mL) containers. But unfortunately not oat, soy or almond milk (I’m pretty sure?) I live in an area where there are a LOT of vegans (Victoria, BC) and host a lot of young people passing through on their way to Tofino. Mostly they drink the herbal tea but I feel offering coffee with no whitener is kinda lame…that’s how I would feel as a guest anyway.

Yes! I have almond milk here now. I’d guess in a bigger area you definitely could.

Oh you’ve just hit the sweet spot. I. Need. Coffee. And “to go get coffee.” lmao

Home share host and I offer a brewed coffee pot , Keurig (ugh), and French Press. I have a coffee grinder, too, if they want. Half and half or nothing. Multiple sweetner options (Stevia, Sugar in the Raw, honey). If they’re staying longer than 1 night, they can get their own creamer of choice.

I tell them what I have in my listing and in my message and ask if they need anything else. One recent person showed up and said “I only drink almond or coconut milk” and I thought to myself “Why didn’t you say something during the 3 messages where I asked???” Grrrr

I freeze all milk, cream, half and half. I have small containers. I also freeze butter and make my own clarified butter/ghee.

I was asking, as I said upthread, if soy and almond milk are freezable and no one has answered that- everyone keeps telling me milk products are, which I am well aware of. :pleading_face:

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Yes they are, however they don’t freeze well. Most of these faux milks are emulsions, and when frozen tend to separate.

Even blitzing in the MagiMix doesn’t bring them back to pre frozen condition.

JF

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At this time my guests have a small keurig. I have a French Press but I don’t put it in the Airbnb because I expect most people would not know how to use it. I’ve thought that for “good coffee” a pour over might be an option. Some companies are now making a single serve pour over. Here’s one option I’m considering:

Freezable? Yes? Palatable after freezing and thawing? NO.

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How do people feel about filling small bottles from larger containers - do guests find that objectionable and therefore don’t use? In other words, does the creamer have to come unopened to be used?

If I were renting a separate unit, I would expect everything to be unopened. I’m an in-home host and explain in my listing and messages that I use half and half and it’s in the fridge to share. They get their own cups, sugars, sweetener, and little bamboo stirrers.

Morning coffee with my guests is one of my favorite parts of being an in-home host. I’ve learned so much and heard some wonderful stories.

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My philosophy is that I provide coffee, tea, hot cocoa, snacks to get the folks started. I provide the non-refrigerated individual dairy creamers. There’s regular and fake sugar. I let them know prior to check in what is provided. Everything else is up to them.

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Same here. Or over a bottle of wine in the evening. Everyone has seemed to have some interesting life story.

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Thanks, folks. Of course you can put anything in the freezer, but that’s pointless if it changes the consistency.

A French press is my sole way of making coffee. Seems like all of my guests say “Oh, cool, that’s what I have at home, it’s my favorite way of making coffee.”

Of course, YMMV. And the glass beakers are easy to break. But there are also the totally stainless steel ones.

The only place I have ever seen or heard the term “pour over coffee” is on the Airbnb amenities list. It sounds like something a 3 year old would call it.
Yet with all the various types of coffee makers they have on the list, French press is missing. Is that also what people would call “pour over coffee”?

Pour over coffee is similar to a tea bag

If you google pour over coffee maker you’ll see what that means to most people, at least on my search in American English. Obviously a single serve packet like I linked above works differently.

Given that I don’t have a full kitchen and I already have trouble with spills I’m not going to further complicate things for the guest. They will get Keurig or pour over. Or I could go back to instant like I used to have, lol. Unfortunately for me, Americans expect brewed coffee.

I’ve been doing that for awhile now and I haven’t had any complaints. I’m not really happy with that either which is why, like you, I’ve thought about doing something different. Like momovich said above, there’s trade offs for every option.

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It’s definitely complicated today. I leave one small tetra pack each of normal milk, soy and almond in the fridge. Often they are not used. The other day someone opened them then left them in the fridge upon checking out and the cleaner didn’t realise. Lucky I checked ….
I message them re the nearest supermarket with welcome message so the small ones I leave are only to get them through the first 12 to 24 hours I guess and get up the strength to trudge the 700 m to the shops. :wink:

We provide our guests a welcome pack of groceries when they arrive (fly-to in the Caribbean and we’re in a rural area). Coffee, tea, milk, soda, juice, etc. We do NOT have cream/creamer in the welcome pack, and only about three people in seven years have asked about it. Then they specified (“oh, can you get us some half-and-half for our coffee?”)
I suggest you just provide coffee (and tell them you have coffee and not mention cream/er) and they’ll ask about cream/er if they need something or they’ll get it from the store/bring it with them.
Disclosure - I drink my coffee black unless it’s shi***y coffee.

So how would you feel about it if a guest asked politely, “I don’t drink soda, juice or milk, so it’s not necessary to leave those things for me. But I would love some coffee cream, at least enough for the first morning until I can go shopping. If it’s a hassle, no big deal, I’ll survive.”?

I ask because that’s what I would request.