How do you organise what people bring to a potluck dinner?!
How do you organise what people bring to a potluck dinner?
Any ideas on lists, avoiding double-ups, etc.?
Answers:
Arrange it by catagory,much like that of a cookbook..
appetizers
salads
veggies
baked goods
main entree
desserts
ect...
You may get a couple of double ups in the bunch but they will get eaten too! =)
Call them and ask what they'd like to bring. A side dish, a potatoe, a dessert, an hors d' veors (sp) Maybe that would help a little bit so people don't all bring the same thing. Good luck!
Type up a sheet with different catagories, Dessert, salad, meat, entree.. Have the guests write down what they will bring in that catagory avoiding doubles.
For instance in the side dish catagory you may have betty with the peas ans Suzy with the Creamed corn... Under meats, Mike put pot roast and Edna said honey ham... This is what they will bring. E-mail the list out to the attendents for them to fill out!
We have a potluck dinner every month at church. There is no list and we don't worry about getting doubles. Our women's quilting group also has a potluck meal every month. Once in a while they end up with all salads or all cassaroles, but its rare. I think the key is in how many people you will be expecting to bring a dish to pass. You may want to have them draw a food category out of a hat or something like that. I think part of the adventure is to see what you get. Just relax and let the pot bring you luck! Happy eating!
make groups, Have a main dish group, a side dish, and a dersert group.... and so one, have them ither choose what they want or be fair and have them pick one out of a hat.... this was you have an even amount of each food course.
that takes all the fun out of Pot Lucks.....but, i can see yer point, try to find out who is bringing what, or send out a what ya bring for dinner invitation.
Easiest thing to do is to make a sign up sheet with specific numbered lines for each category. Also, don't forget to put lines for dry goods (cups, plates, condiments, etc.)
Come up with guide lines prior to the start of the event and give each participant a copy to use as reference
Honey, honey, honey, that's what "Potluck" means. Now, if you are making a covered dish party, tell them what they are to bring.
I have been to many, many potlucks at which salad and dessert were the only things on offer, with maybe one tepid tuna casserole. That's the luck of the pot.
Organized parties have a host or hostess, and he or she buys and prepares everything. Then, it's perfect!
When inviting people to this potluck ask them to RSVP. When they do have your list ready as to what is being brought and what is still needed. In this way you can make suggestions. And when the time draws near you can make sure to have on hand all that is needed for a great get-together.
I have always found this helpful and organize dinners monthly.
Betty from Maine
how would you organize a "pot luck" dinner? the name of it's self
is bring what you can and what you would think others would love to eat, being their best recipes. some excel at meat recipes, while others kick butt on the vegetable category, and most do the casseroles that would make most chiefs cry for their recipes.
don't worry so much, i as well as a lot of readers here have been
o few "pot-luck" dinners and have never left with a less than filling experience. just enjoy and have the fellowship that this allows, it's all about coming together and having fun. and it should be done a lot more than it is being done, it brings the community
together.
~*~We always request that each family bring a meat or main dish, as well as another type of dish of their choice (dessert, vegetable, etc.). The only other request is that both dishes be enough to feed their family plus a little more. As far of double-ups or any other problems it all seems to just work out on its own.
My advice is do not be so uptight! It's only when someone tries to exert too much control on this type of get-together that problems arise. Besides, the best part of having a potluck dinner is that it is informal & laid back. So, take a cue from that & be informal & laid back, & therefore enjoy yourself! Good luck & have fun!
My advice, if you haven't already sent out invitations.
Put the categories you want (soup/salad, sides, main dishes, dessert) on the invite, and when they RSVP they can check it off or tell you on the phone. You could also do depending on the first letter of their last name, tell them to bring a type of dish. For example, A-E brings dessert.
Either assign what to bring to each person or have a ready list of what should be brought or cooked then let them choose.
And what would be so horrible about doubles? Get over yourself and your controlling ways honey, lighten up. This is supposed to be an easy party for you to host, don't make it so friggin hard. /who you trying to impress?
Have fun!
when is dinner
Break up the group alphabetically. If you know of someone who makes something fantastic...you can cheat and start with their letter as that group.
i make up the menu and let each person sign up for each dish, and i do not let them change it...sometimes someone will add a idea to the list and if it sounds good, i ok it[i hostess and plan many of these dinners and have found it to work right well]
Make a list, and have everyone write down what they are bringing... or if you can get a list around call everyone going to the potluck and make a list yourself, and if you have 2 people wanting to take the same thing simple ask if one of them would mind changing what they are bringing so you don't have 2 of the same dishes!!
That's what a potluck is all about! It would take all the fun and surprise out of what people bring. If there are any double-ups, it's neat to note the difference in taste between the same dish prepared by different cooks. When we do a potluck in my neighbourhood and they come to my house, I generally have the salads, breads and the desert on hand as these accouterments seem to be forgotten.