I love a good potluck — they are one of the simplest ways to enjoy a variety of foods with minimal effort. Plus, my kids always find something they like, I only have 1 dish to wash afterward, and it’s a great opportunity to try some new foods!
However, after talking with several friends and family members, and after receiving many emails from readers over the years, I realized I might be one of the few weirdos who thinks potlucks are super simple.🤷♀️
Maybe this is because I’ve grown up with potlucks for almost every birthday party, holiday gathering, and church event.
Yup, I’m a fan!
Many people I talk with mention how difficult it is to decide what to bring, or how they always bring the exact same things every year, or how they can never get the timing just right and their food is either underdone or over-done and then doesn’t get eaten.
There are hundreds of “recipe round-up” posts out there — so I won’t share specific recipes with you today (although feel free to browse my online recipe box when you’re trying to decide what to bring to your next party).
Instead, I want to share some of the things I personally consider when I’m bringing a dish to pass at an office potluck, summer BBQ, church picnic, or holiday party.
If you’ve ever stressed about what type of foods you should bring to your next potluck party, I hope my tips below will help..
1. Choose a make-ahead recipe.
One thing you don’t want to mess with for potluck foods is last-minute prep work when you’re not in your own kitchen and when everyone is waiting to chow down.
Look for recipes that can be made the day before or the morning of, and then kept warm in the slow cooker during the party:
- slow cooker meatballs
- bacon-wrapped sausages
- make-ahead lettuce salad
- cookies, bars, or cake that can be made the day before
Even a pan of lasagna can easily be assembled the morning of and then just pulled out of the oven before you leave (after baking for an hour, it should stay hot for a long time!)
By choosing a recipe you can make ahead, you’ll eliminate stress from the day of your party, and enjoy the party more.
2. Consider food that can be eaten at room temperature.
The food will be hot (or cold) for the first round, but what happens after it’s been sitting out for an hour or more?
- Your ice-cream dessert will melt (I’ve seen this done SO many times and still wonder why).
- Fried food will get soggy and cold.
- That egg dish that only tastes good hot will either need to be reheated, or you’ll end up taking it all home again.
- That pasta salad with mayo will get warm and could go bad.
There are so many recipes to choose from, look for one that tastes good and is safe to eat at room temperature — or bring a bowl of ice or a slow cooker to keep it at an appropriate temperature.
3. Serve small portion sizes.
When I have 30 food options sitting in front of me, the last thing I want to do is take a monstrous serving size of one particular food. I want to take a tiny bit of everything so I can try it all!
Whenever I bring food to a party, I keep this in mind and make sure the food I bring is in “mini form”. I’ll make my cookies bite-size, I’ll make mini muffins and mini cupcakes instead of more traditional full-size items. I’ll cut larger chunks of meat or cheese into bite-size pieces and always set out a knife next to my food for anyone who only wants a half.
4. Bring food you can serve with one hand.
Although I love a good soup and salad buffet, or a make-your-own-sandwich/taco bar, those types of food are usually not practical for large crowds of people all standing in line waiting for those ahead of them to move forward.
Anything that involves using both hands to add a variety of toppings or extras will back things up — not to mention create chaos for parents trying to assemble plates for multiple small children!
I stay away from any recipe that involves adding toppings or “extras” — unless it’s adding whipped cream to pie. I also try to choose foods that can simply be scooped onto a plate relatively quickly and easily with just one hand, so the other hand is free to hold a tray or a squirming child.
5. Plan ahead for “wet” foods.
In general, I try to stay away from liquidy foods that spread all over the plate.
However, if you plan to bring something soupy (baked beans, fresh salsa, etc., make sure you bring small bowls or cups to serve it in (you could even pre-fill some of the cups to help the line move faster).
6. Choose food you’ll eat as leftovers.
It can be frustrating to come home with most of your dish because people didn’t show up or there were too many other options — especially if it’s a food that doesn’t taste great as leftovers.
For this reason, I always try to bring foods that our family will happily eat as leftovers.
For example, this brocoslaw actually tastes better the next day, and we love leftover cheesy potatoes and meatballs. Almost all cookies, brownies, bars, crackers, and cheeses taste fine a day later too.
7. Consider the type of party.
Are you going to a church potluck where everyone is bringing something random? Are you attending a smaller Thanksgiving gathering with adult friends and you were asked to bring something specific? Or are you headed to a pool party with all the neighborhood kids?
Where I’m going and who I’m feeding will definitely affect the recipes I choose.
For example, while I’d probably choose finger foods that could withstand summer heat for the pool party, I might go with something more sophisticated and adult-palat-friendly for the adult Thanksgiving party.
8. Think about the presentation.
Some foods, no matter how delicious they might taste, just look very unappetizing (think oatmeal, refried beans, and some casseroles!)
I certainly don’t think all potluck and party-going foods need to look like they were crafted by a professional chef, however, when you bring a pot of chili that looks like road-kill or a cheesy dip that looks like orange slim, it might not go over as well as you were hoping.
Now, if the food you bring is something you’d love to eat as leftovers (see #6 above) then you’ll be fine. However, if you don’t want to bring it home with you, pick a recipe that is more visually appealing!
9. Accomodate dietary restrictions.
If you have a few go-to recipes that are naturally gluten-free or dairy-free, I’m sure they will be appreciated by anyone with those allergies.
However, even if your recipes is not allergy-friendly, you can still take a few minutes to write the allergens on a note card (or put the recipe card on the table).
I don’t want to be the one who caused them to get sick, so by listing out the ingredients, I feel like I clear myself and make it easier for those people to know if they can or cannot eat my food
10. Choose a signature dish.
Don’t make this harder than it needs to be. Take 5 minutes right now to come up with 3-5 easy recipes that comply with the “guidelines” listed above. Then make one of those recipes every time you get invited to a party.
One of my favorite things to bring to almost any party is cheesy potatoes because they are SO simple to make, can be made ahead of time, kept warm for hours in a slow cooker, taste great as leftovers… and EVERYONE loves them. They also go with almost any type of meat and work almost any time of the year.
Trays of cookies, brownies, rice krispy bars, and other hand-held desserts are also staples for me as they can be made ahead of time and cut into small bite-size servings.
Of course, there are occasions when I take a little extra time to whip up my famous holiday four-layer chocolate, peanut butter, caramel fudge — BUT for the most part, I find it’s so much easier and less stressful if I keep things simple!
And don’t feel bad if you go the store-bought route. I happily scooped up a piece of store-bought triple-chocolate cheesecake at a recent potluck this weekend and I savored every last crumb!
Where to find your next potluck recipe!
If you’re looking for a good recipe to take to your next potluck, picnic, or party, I would suggest searching through my recipe box (all those recipes are simple), searching Pinterest, and browsing AllRecipes.com — you are bound to find at least 10-15 recipes that use ingredients you have in the house and won’t take more than 20-30 minutes to whip together.
If all else fails, just Google “super simple potluck recipes” and see what you come up with!
What are your tips to bring the best potluck foods?
Jennifer says
When I have to bring something for a brunch potluck, I often just bring a pile of bacon! I never have leftovers.
Andrea says
yup — I’m sure you don’t come home with any leftovers… I mean, who can resist bacon! this is a great idea!
CB says
Just curious… do you only take 1 dish to a potluck? Typically, when I make food for a potluck, it’s a main dish, side dish and dessert. Or they’ll specify, main dish plus side OR dessert. Can’t say they’re my favorite! 🙂 Seems like only having to take 1 dish would make it simpler.
Andrea says
It depends on the potluck. Often, for larger gatherings, I just bring “A DISH” to pass. Our church regularly provides the main dish and then asks for salads and desserts — it might be people with last names from A-M bring salads and people with last names from N-Z bring desserts.
However, if it’s a smaller gathering and I’m coming with 6 hungry people, then I’d usually bring a hot dish and a cold dish, and probably some munchies or dessert items too.
I do think that in-general (at least around here) a potluck assumes you will be ONE dish, unless otherwise specified.
CB says
Thanks for responding! This has been interesting!
Margaret says
At church potlucks, everyone drops the food in the kitchen before the service, and we put out a stack of folded index cards and pens. Everyone writes allergens on their cards (usually wheat, soy, dairy and nuts), and also whether or not the dish is vegetarian/vegan.
All the hospitality has to do is keep the cards and dish together when they’re setting up. Simple and effective.
Andrea says
I love this idea! I will often put the recipe right with my food for larger gatherings (like a church potluck) so anyone who wonders can just look at the recipe.
Beth says
We say ” bring a dish to pass”‘ too. But sometimes we say,”bring a hot and a cold”, meaning…bring an entre and a salad or dessert.
Andrea says
yes, we do the same. Bring a “hot dish” or a “cold dish” 🙂
Diana says
I made your layered salad for a 4th of July potluck and every bit was eaten. It was really nice to be able to make it ahead, and I went ahead with a cold dish because I knew there wouldn’t be many other fresh veggies on the table. I forgot to put the grape tomatoes in, so then I had a brilliant idea to make a flag decoration with the tomatoes, so I put them in stripes alternating with the parmesan and used chopped green onions for the star part. Not quite traditional colors but it definitely made it look appetizing!
These are great tips. I almost always have to bring a full meal at a potluck because we have had some food allergies, and if I (or my child) wants to eat a full meal, I have to bring some of everything. That definitely makes it harder! But once you do something several times it gets a lot easier, and in a situation like that, I just make the same thing every time. I make a double batch of polish sausage and sauerkraut, rolls, and cooked veggies the night before. Then I take the leftovers (I portion them out beforehand so we don’t double-dip) to the potluck. Sometimes we just go without dessert and sometimes I manage to bring one of those too.
Linda says
What is the dessert between #7 and #8? It looks fabulous!
Andrea says
haha — those are my yummy chocolate peanut butter cookie bars. They are fabulous (and SUPER easy!) Here’s the recipe: https://andreadekker.com/chocolate-peanut-butter-cookie-bars/
Nancy Johnson says
A few years ago, I rediscovered our big cooler – or as I now refer to it, the “temperature maintainer.” One Thanksgiving, a turkey hotline posted that your turkey can be kept at temperature for a couple of hours in your “cooler.” What an epiphany that was! I now use it to maintain temperature on any number of hot main dishes that I want to fix ahead of time and not have to be working in the kitchen when guests arrive. Lasagna is moist and delicious, cheesy chicken moistens while it sits, etc. I usually sit the pan on a thick folded towel in the cooler so it won’t melt the cooler and I keep the food covered as well.
Andrea says
this is an awesome tip! Thanks Nancy!
Christine @ The (mostly) Simple Life says
People always seem to underestimate a good, simple dish. Just a fruit or veggie tray is so simple, but everyone always eats it all up. Or cheese and crackers. Sometimes when you’re eating a lot of different dishes you’re not used to, some basic food help your stomach not feel funny.
Andrea says
agreed! Sometimes (often) simple is best!
AnnTV says
When our children were small, and we were going through the food line at a potluck, I found it challenging to hold their plate & mine at the same time. My solution? Stack the child’s empty plate under my plate & fill my plate generously. When I sat down at the table with my child, I would then fill the child’s plate. (from my own plate) It was much easier! As a parent you know what they will like and eat!
Andrea says
Yup, that’s what I do — and I always grab LOOOOOOOTS of extra napkins!
Dee says
These are all great tips, but I would add one more. If you take a dish that needs to be refrigerated, put it in a sturdy dish with a hard flat lid on it. Refrigerator space may be limited and dishes will need to be stacked. You can’t do this if they are covered with plastic wrap or aluminum foil.
Andrea says
Great tip Dee!
Deb says
“food that looks gross” bahahahaha
And if you are in doubt, send a couple pre teen boys through first and watch their reaction! 😉
Andrea says
or a 4 year old with a VERY opinionated personality 🙂
She’ll just blurt out that something looks gross or weird or yucky right in front of everyone!
Brandi Clevinger says
I don’t know what I enjoyed more – the simplicity of picking a dish or the delicious looking recipes! Either way, thanks for making potlucks easier to cook/bake for. Merry Chrsitmas!
Andrea says
Thanks Brandi — Merry Christmas to you too 🙂
Jennifer C says
I find “finger food” often the best item for a potluck. For a breakfast potluck I love to bring my hash brown casserole or a baked egg dish, since everyone else has brought muffins and cinnamon rolls. If I can’t cook and/or am being lazy, frozen taquitos go super fast at any potluck I bring them to. It just depends on the potluck! Great tips Andrea.
Melissa D. says
Are all of the recipes for the photos of the foods in this post available on your website? They look very yummy! And, perhaps “a dish to pass” is more of a midwest thing? We say it in WI all the time! 🙂
Demagogue says
i like to bring deviled eggs. I have a tray from P.Chef that I freeze so they stay cold. I try to buy the eggs the week before because I have found over the years that the ‘freshest’ eggs are the most difficult to peel. I don’t ever bring any home. I use Hellmans/BestFoods mayo, pepper and a dash or two of Tobasco sauce if I have it (and, no, doesn’t make them spicy.) people RAVE about them and it is two-four ingredients and my time. I always laugh to myself when someone asks me for the ‘recipe.’
Kristen @ Joyfully Thriving says
I bring a lot of dips…and a variety of desserts as my standbys. At a potluck, most people want to try little bits of everything (I know I do!) so to me, side dishes do better than heavy main dishes. I do have a great slow cooker creamed corn that I bring too. Yay for potlucks!
Suzanne says
What is the crescent roll type, yummy looking meat items just above #5? I want to eat one just looking at them? Thanks!
Andrea says
Hi Suzanne, Those are my stromboli bites — SO yummy and SO easy!
Leigh says
What is that picture under #10, the bars right above “Bonus Tip”? Is that a recipe of yours, or just a beautiful picture? Whatever it is, it looks delicious!
Andrea says
haha — those bars are the four-layer caramel, peanut-butter fudge that I mentioned right above the picture 🙂
They are amazing!
Tara says
I’d like to comment to the success of bringing the same dish every year/month/week. Our church has a potluck every month and it used to stress me out to think of what to bring. Then I thought back to the church we attended when DH was in dental school. As a mission to the many students who attended, they had potluck every week. Most people brought the same dish every week. And those dishes were the ones we LOOKED FORWARD TO all week more than any of the variables.
So I picked a simple recipe with ingredients I almost always have on hand. It’s easily adaptable if I’m missing one or two ingredients. Now, when I bring my dish to church for potluck people get all excited and say, “Mmmm! I can’t wait to have your curry! I hope it doesn’t run out before I get to it!” I come home with an empty pot and rice pot (I start my Tiger rice pot in our church kitchen before I head to service) every time. In fact, I happen to know that the potluck crew typically dishes themselves out servings before putting it out on the table for everyone else.
So, my tip is to find something simple that gets good reviews and bring it every time. You’ll save yourself a lot of stress. People will look forward to your dish. Save the spontaneity for another day. 🙂
Diana says
I do that too! Mine is polish sausage and sauerkraut. I make a double batch the night before, and we eat it for supper. Then I take the “leftovers” to the potluck, either in a crockpot or glass dish depending on whether there’s a microwave or not.
These are great tips and recipes! I always appreciate ingredient lists too, coming from a food-sensitivity (though not true allergy) lifestyle.
Andrea says
I had to laugh because I’m doing the same thing for a party later this week. I’m making a double/triple batch of one of our favorite pasta dishes so we can have some for dinner the night before and then bring the rest to our party the next day 🙂
Andrea says
Thanks Tara — great point. I definitely don’t think there is anything wrong about bringing the same dish over and over again (especially if you know people love it). I guess what I was thinking of when I said “don’t be afraid to try something new” are the people (many of whom are coming to mind right now) who always bring the same thing because it’s really cheap or easy and no one really likes it. Or, the people who complain about bringing the same thing and want to try something new but just don’t dare to try.
I have had LOTS of those situations over the years — so that point was more directed at them.
By the way, your curry sounds amazing!
Rachel says
Thanks for suggesting an ingredient list. As the parent of a kid with a food allergy, I would find that incredibly helpful. I would never expect it but it’s a nice idea!
Holly Moran says
Very good tips! I am from the south & have never, ever heard the phrase “bringing a dish to pass” so that is interesting to me—we always call it Pot Luck. And I am totally CRACKING UP at the road kill reference! That is probably my favorite thing you pointed out- if something doesn’t look good I am not going to try it!
Alicia says
I’ve never heard that phrase, either! Coming from the north west. 🙂
Andrea says
Seriously! But isn’t that what you do? You bring a dish to pass and share with everyone else — and then you sample the different dishes everyone else has brought 🙂
lily says
Ha ha! Actually, when I first quickly read your title, I thought it was an article about which dishes NOT to bring (ie: dishes to “pass” on or not use at a gathering)!! Then I re-read it and figured out what you meant. Coming from the west & mid-west, we said/say Pot Luck or “bring a side/dessert/something to share”. Interesting hearing new terms!
Andrea says
Yes Holly, we call them “potlucks” too. But for a potluck, everyone “brings a dish to pass”. Or for a holiday party, everyone “brings a dish to pass”. Or for the anniversary dinner, we all “bring a dish to pass”.
right?
Angela R says
I’m also from the NW and had never heard this term 🙂 We say bring “a dish/item to share”. It is ” to pass” part that is new. I like your version though. It is fun to read differences in vernacular.
Andrea says
that’s so interesting… I’ve heard and said that phrase hundreds of times 🙂
Laura says
From Illinois, we say all the time
Debbie says
Looking at the pictures of these dishes is making me hungry. We’re not thinking of hosting any parties yet but we are going to a couple of them and required to bring goodies. I’m making Mexican Caviar for tonight and I prepared it ahead last night. All I need to do is add the chopped avocado and tomato, bring the chips and we’re ready. The other party this Saturday is a little more complicated. It’s a Filipino party and we’re asked to bring a main dish and dessert, enough for 10 people. Not so easy task because if you know Filipinos side dishes are not considered main dish. They’re also not into lasagnas or other dishes that can be prepared ahead. I’ve got a plan but I’ll need to make it a few hours before the party. Not so fun.
Summer says
Great tips, as always! I, too, love to bring a dish to pass! It’s so simple and that way everyone contributes and it takes pressure off one person to do it all.
I have to comment though, off topic of holiday gatherings, but with some children who have graduated. I can’t believe the amount of times it would have been so much easier, less expensive & less wasteful to have a potluck for school/sporting events. I can’t tell you the amount of times I had to chip in at least $100 for the end of season meal, coach gifts, cake ect. and, so often it was pasta served from a restaurant and half the cake went in the trash. For a family of six on a strict budget sport budgets can be challenging.
I’m interested to see how YOU go about these types of activities and school once your little ones start! And I wish I had your helpful hints yeeeeears ago!
Happy Holidays Andrea! Many blessing to you and yours!
Andrea says
yes, I totally understand about all the sports dinners. My sisters and I each played 3 sports in high school — and 2 in college (so a lot of team dinners!) However, I will say that almost every single one was potluck style with the parents bringing the food. If they would have asked my mom for $100, I think she would have rallied with other parents to do their own thing 🙂
Emily says
Great tips!! We have house church twice a month and we always have a potluck. Meatballs are my go to recipe plus some type of cookie or bar that is easy to grab. I like your idea about bite sized portions. Potlucks are awesome!!
Meredith says
#4 is critical, and something my mom always taught me growing up—if you’re bringing food, make sure the food is easy for people to eat! SO many times I’ve seen entire cakes go untouched because people don’t want to be the one to cut into it. In college we had a little “end of semester” party for one of my classes; I bought the pull-apart cookie dough and threw them in the oven. People gobbled them up and were so impressed that I “baked”—it was barely any more effort than buying some Oreos. 🙂
Andrea says
Simple is almost always better at potlucks or group parties… I’m reminded of this over and over and OVER again!