Eco-Friendly​ Airbnb Welcome Baskets and Pantry Staples

Nothing says ‘welcome’ better to a weary traveler than a welcome basket full of treats. In this guide, you will learn how to create eco-friendly/ zero-waste Airbnb welcome baskets & pantry staples for your Airbnb guests.

I’ve always provided something salty & sweet next to my welcome book. I feel it helps set the tone for a relaxing stay and calms any travel day stress. We’ve switched our Airbnb to run in a more eco-friendly and zero waste way. My welcome basket was the last stronghold of plastic packaging!

I’m excited to share how were have achieved a zero waste welcome basket & pantry staples for our guests! Hopefully, you can be inspired by its simplicity and try it out in your own Airbnb!

How Much to Provide

Depending on the kind of travelers you are hosting you can adjust the sizes of your jars, for example, a 2-night stay verses a 2-week stay, we offer more or less. We shop for our Airbnb Welcome Baskets and pantry staples at our local Coop in the bulk section. You can also find bulk sized items at Cosco and just divide out portions. We provide pantry staples that we simply refill after each guest. I usually stock up on these items monthly so that everything is fresh and crispy.

What you Will Need

• Pantry = Mason Jars + Spice jars
• Snack basket = Bamboo airtight jars
• Dry bulk snacks
• Labels
• Reusable bulk food bags

Ideas for Snack Baskets

• Nuts: Pistachios, Almonds, trail mix
• Dried bananas
• coffee beans + espresso
• Nuts in the shell: peanuts, walnuts.
• Pepitas ( pumpkin seeds)
• Pretzels, plain or chocolate-dipped
• Popcorn (pop it yourself it’s super cheap)
• Gluten-free cookies

Ideas for Pantry Staples

• Museli or granola
• Wholewheat pastry Flour
• Cane Sugar
• White Rice
• Brown Rice
• Dried Pasta
• Spices: Paprika, oregano, red chili flakes, garlic, ginger, cinnamon

Tip: I also provide a few jars of colorful pantry items that honestly, guest rarely even touch. Its more to give some color and texture and an impression that you’re providing an ‘extra abundance’ such as red lentils, colored popcorn, dried French bistro beans, and garbanzo beans. I don’t fill the jars right to the top but leave a couple of inches at the top.

For stays a few days or longer we also provide a seasonal fruit bowl ( just a few apples or oranges) farm fresh eggs, local cheese, a small multi-grain bread, and a glass tomato sauce. An exhausted, hungry traveler will probably want to make a quick pasta or have an egg and toast at some point. Avoiding an exhausting run to the grocery store the first night and morning will be greatly appreciated.

How to Label your Jars

There are a few ways to label your jars. For a hip and modern look you could use a simple embossed label maker.

Chalkboard stickers work well and you can find these also at the dollar store. Just use a chalk felt pen so the labels are permanent.

You can use these adorable cursive pantry stickers that are water-resistant and come in packs of 150 for 9.99.

You can also use a chalk pen and write directly onto your jars is the cheapest solution, albeit you may need to re-write the words occasionally if it rubs off.

I hope this post inspires you to try bulk foods in your own Airbnb welcome baskets and pantires. It feels great to ditch the plastic and packages (and start saving money!) All the while providing a fresh bounty of amenities for your Airbnb guests!

Heres a free snack and pantry printable to let guests know to only pour from the jars.

It’s part of my new bundle of 5x Eco-Friendly Airbnb Signs on Etsy to help highlight your eco-friendly efforts and guide guests through your Airbnb!