How do you handle leftover groceries?

64

I do a happy dance, and eat up. :slight_smile:

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65

I specifically ask guests to trash any leftovers as I will never use them, even if unopened. I toss just about everything I find left behind. I will never leave extra food for the next guest. Doing so would be extremely tacky.

66

Interesting. I’ve stayed a few very nice whole house rentals and they all had open condiments and non-perishables. Does your approach only apply to fresh food or do you apply it to everything?

Too bad we aren’t neighbors, I’d gladly come by are remove anything you didn’t want for free.

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67

Blimey…even unopened wine?

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68

It’s tacky to waste perfectly good food imho! Give it to someone or donate it to a food bank.

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69

I LOVE this forum. This my new favorite place on the internet.

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70

Not sure this has been mentioned yet, but we have a Palm Springs Airbnb and receive many leftovers due to it being a resort town rental. We keep an extra full size fridge in the garage which our cleaning team uses to store perishable, frozen foods, or alcohol. Although we welcome our team to take home anything they want, it’s usually too much food for them. We put a lock on the fridge and store the key in the “owner’s closet” along with the rest of the supplies for our cleaning team.

71

I currently throw all opened items out, which is such a waste but I know I couldn’t/wouldn’t use anything that had been opened and don’t expect my guests too…apart from cooking oil.

All tinned or sealed items such as soups, pastas etc, I collect until I have a good amount and donate it to the local food bank.
I considered leaving them in the cupboards but I find some guests strip the place bare of the 'Complimentry snacks ’ and presume that although it’s there for their use it’s not for taking it all home with them

72

Interesting to read all the opinions here. I have a whole-house rental, and I have been leaving opened but reusable items that guests leave like pancake syrup, some organic creamer, salad dressing, etc. (Just things that you would pour out of a container and not actually have your fingers in. lol) I figure if someone else wants to use them, better than throwing away food.

I had a guest yesterday leave an entire drawer of undergarments. The drawer was sitting wide open, too. Still haven’t heard back from them, but I hope they won’t expect me to mail these to Canada…

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73

So, would we call those leftunders??? :wink:

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74

If the guest pays me for my time I would mail them back. For domestic mail all they need to do is pay the shipping but since international has to have a customs declaration and be submitted in person they would have to pay up. However, undergarments can get pricey and it might be worth their $$.

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75

I’m joining this conversation late, but wanted to get a consensus. I have a condo in an upscale resort. I’m not usually there between rentals, but I have a cleaning person who takes care of it. I instruct her to keep food items in the refrigerator that can still be used. I recently got a complaint from a guest that the fridge had “leftover” stuff in it. I asked my cleaner to go back and dispose of everything, usable or not. A few months before that a guest remarked in a review that he was disappointed to find and empty fridge upon arrival, because most hosts provide condiments. I’m wondering how other hosts handle this situation?

76

What is your definition of can be used? Also your guest expecting items in the fridge is crazy.

77

I tell the housekeepers they can take anything they want as a perk of the job (yesterday it was white roses). Anything open has to be disposed of but other items within their use by date can be left for next guests. However, had a guest contact me a while ago asking why there was food in the fridge. I said we thought you might like it, all it was was condiments!

78

If it’s valuable I contact the guest. Otherwise it’s a free for all. More than once I have hosted women shedding their old life and old clothes. It was Bonanza time for the neighbors - and the churches!

79

I mean condiments and unopened items. Granted, most guests never mention it but for those two examples. I recently stayed in an Airbnb rental. It was clean enough, but the cupboards and fridge were full of leftover things. It looked messy and unappealing, and didn’t look like they inspected it to see what was sanitary and usable. I was just wondering what most hosts do.

80

I dislike staying somewhere and finding there aren’t basic condiments like salt, pepper, tea, coffee, sugar and oil. I believe that is the minimum we should supply.

81

If that is what you want when you stay somewhere, be sure to check that it is an included amenity.

82

I wouldn’t not stay somewhere because they didn’t supply it if the place had everything else I required. It just annoys me that some hosts can’t supply those basics.

83

If it is that important maybe ask a host to do so if it is not indicated in the amenities. My guess is that oftentimes amenities that are not listed are actually included as well.