With Thanksgiving quickly approaching, and in the spirit of the season of coziness, warm foods, and holiday gatherings upon us, ’tis time for friendsgivings and dinner parties galore. It’s potluck season, people, and there’s no better time to be prepared. I, for one, LOVE potlucks. I love the socializing with others. I love the free and delicious food. I love how communal it all is – coming together with a group of people to share dishes we’ve prepared for each other. So, I’ve put together a little guide to having such an event. I hope it provides some wisdom!
Step 1: Planning
- Pick a date and time that works best – most importantly for you if you’re hosting, but also for your invitees. It might not be possible to find a date and time that works perfectly for everyone, but do your best. Consider that people will need time to prep dishes beforehand.
- Consider choosing a theme. Who says potlucks can’t have themes?! I’m a sucker for a theme – I love having a dress code to fall back on, and curating the music and decor to a certain vibe. I’ve hosted a Mamma Mia-themed dinner party, a whimsigoth-themed soirée – and I’m currently planning a Global Village Coffee House/Tuscan Mom-themed potluck, if that gives you any inspo.
Step 2: Invitations
- Invite an amount of people you’re comfortable with hosting – you want to make sure you have enough space. That said, I recommend inviting more people than you think; the more, the merrier!
- Invite people from all walks of your life. Don’t shy away from the mixing and mingling of all your loved ones! I find that makes for the best gatherings, and it creates opportunities for new connections too.
- Send out an invite using Partiful – this allows you to track how people are RSVPing, send messages to the RSVP list, & it periodically reminds RSVPees of the event. I find this last feature most useful – in such a busy time, it can unfortunately be quite easy for people to forget.
Step 3: The Menu
- Send out a Google Sheet so people can share what they’re bringing beforehand.
- Keep dietary restrictions in mind – while it’s not likely to expect every dish to accommodate everyone’s needs, it’s important to ensure there’ll be options for everyone to have a meal.
- Let attendees know if there’s anything the menu needs that it’s lacking. It’s good to have a balance of sides, mains, desserts, beverages, etc. One of the many great things about potlucks is everyone contributes – it’s not all on the host – so asking attendees if they could bring something that’s missing is more than appropriate.
Step 4: Set up
- If you’re hosting, use that to your advantage – prep hot and/or cold dishes, since you have the ability to keep them at temp.
- In terms of decor: don’t feel a need to go all out; the people will bring the vibes. But some candles or cozy lighting or a tablecloth (even if it is just a sheet) never hurts!
- Layout the space by creating separate areas for buffet-style self-serving and eating/gathering – this way there’s plenty of room for people’s plates, and a balanced flow of traffic.
- For kitchenware: I encourage you to use reusable dishes and utensils – you can ask people to bring their own if you don’t have enough, and people can help wash afterwards. That said, I understand this isn’t always feasible – if you’re going to use single-use kitchenware, you can always request some people bring these supplies in place of a dish.
Step 5: The main event
- Label dishes to note common allergens/dietary restrictions.
- Consider games/acitivites: While everyone’s together, it could be fun to play some games! Fun ideas include “Who Brought It?” (guessing who brought what dish) & “Dish Superlatives” (voting for dish titles such as “most unique”, “best all around”, etc.). Another is using markers & a table covering that allows people to doodle/write on the table. Something I’ve seen online is having a “_ cake” – like a “hear me out cake”, or an “accomplishments cake” – where attendees add a little topper to a cake based on a prompt,
- Have fun! Last but certainly not least – perhaps the most important step. Enjoy yourself, that’s all!
While on the subject of potlucks, I’d also recommend any of you Old North Enders check out the ONE Community Dinners, every second Thursday at the ONE Community Center; there’s delish, free food and you get to connect with your neighbors.
Well, cats, I hope this blog has found you well. There is so much gathering and celebration and delicious dishes to look forward to. Happy potlucking!
