13 Tips for Throwing a Potluck Party That Everyone Will Remember

Try these tip for your next bring - a - dish assemblage to nullify a dreaded # PotluckFail .

Everyone loves a good potluck . It ’s ( hopefully ! ) full of your favorite multitude , keep company monetary value low , and makes for an eclectic and memorable meal . But a potluck can also be interpenetrate with some luckless side effects . That ’s why we ’ve compose a list of 13 potluck party tips and good practices so you may stave off unsuccessful person at all monetary value ! So tally them out now and startplanning your next potlucktoday .

1. Assign Guests Categories of Food

This is arguably the most critical potluck party tip . A potluck is inherently fun due to its spontaneous nature . But when planning a complete party , you need a full repast ! That means you desire to avoid retell solid food or miss food groups . At your next potluck , assign guests categories of food to mold with , so you do n’t end up with only bags of chips or bakery cookies . Try a simple sign - up sheet that you could netmail around to everyone .

2. Make Sure You Have Enough Drinks

Do n’t get caught scat low on the drink menstruation at your next potluck ! ensure you have enough booze stocked up by using ourparty drink calculatorto flesh out how much is enough . Be sure to admit a fewnonalcoholic drinkson the fare , too .

3. Bring Food That Travels Easily

The last thing you need is soup spilling in the back of your car on the way to your potluck . We urge prefer for transportable meal like casseroles and boring cooker recipe over a messy disk of nutrient . Check out thesefall slow cooker recipesand bring one to your next potluck ( entire ! ) .

Test Kitchen Tip : you’re able to always plate severally on - site when you arrive .

4. Plan on Smaller Portions

You might call back you ’d postulate to bring more nutrient than common to feast everyone at a potluck political party , but that ’s not inevitably the case . When there are plenty of option on the board , people tend to take smaller portion to sample a wide miscellanea of knockout . At a potluck , a single received entrée percentage will usually feed two or three people instead of one , so design how much you make accordingly .

5. Pack Food in Ready-to-Serve Containers

Pack food in containers that can go straight to thebuffet table . It can be as simple as using disposable enhancer trays . That fashion , you ’re not an imposition to your emcee and do n’t have to dirty their dish . Just remember to contribute any nondisposable items home with you !

6. Bring the Utensils

Do n’t make the host supply serving utensil for everyone , especially if this is a large potluck political party . They ’ll appreciate your excess thoughtfulness and not ingest to travail around for another stage set of tongs or a large spoon for outdo .

7. Bring a Ready-to-Serve Dish if You Can

Do n’t assume the innkeeper has enough oven space for everyone who wants to warm their food . Avoid this awkward situation by bringing a ready - to - serve dish aerial . Trysomething like a saladthat can be served at room temperature — you’ll get gold star guest points . If you do want to bring a smasher that needs a little extra homework — like prison term in the fridge or oven — let your host love ahead of time so they can plan on having outer space for you .

8. Be Aware of Dietary Restrictions

If you ’re hosting , ask guests if there are any dietary restrictions you should know about in feeler . Let everyone on the invitation list know ahead of clock time so they do n’t prepare food that could have contrary wellness effect . Offering abuild - your - own Bari a heavy room to let guests pick and take what they want to eat . If you ’re a invitee and have a specific dietetic restriction , bring something you know you’re able to eat so you wo n’t go athirst !

9. Label Your Food

Do n’t make partygoer guess what they ’re eating . alternatively , leave a recipe name and any necessary word of advice ( i.e. , kookie , mollusc , dairy , gluten , etc . ) . Your supererogatory effort will be appreciate , especially by those with nutrient allergies or intolerance .

10. Gift the Host

Asmall legion giftis a peachy way to say thank you . Keep it as simple as a favorite bottle of vino , or put together a hand-crafted basket filled with breakfast dainty .

11. Bring a Batch of Beverages

We bang batched cocktails for group party . It spare time and effort and allows thehost to enjoy the party , too ! We recommend abatch cocktail or beveragefor make - beforehand informality and less stress at the potluck .

12. Prep a Playlist

The last thing you require is to be fiddling around with the playlist and trying to get it right when guests arrive . So be prepared by urinate a rockin ' play list in advancement . Set the mood for your political party because no awkward silences are allowed at your potluck party !

13. Be Prepared for Leftovers

You ’ll probably be sum up a few remnant home ( even if they ’re not from your dish ) . Be fain by having a container with a crocked - fitting eyelid to jam them away and a tank with ice for toting them home . Once the potluck is over , keep food base hit in mind by throwing away anything sit out for more than two hours .

Whether you’rehosting friends and familyat the next potluck or a client at one , these hint will prepare you for everything , from prepping yourpotluck recipeto the cleansing later on . Trust us : You ’ll never have a potluck fail again !

Seven-layer dip on table with chips