28 Ways To Have The Best Potluck Dinner Of All Time
Rules to live and feast by for both hosts and guests.
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1. Send out invites and create an event signup sheet so no one brings doubles under threat of a slow, painful death!
Browse online invites at Punchbowl (for free) or Minted (for a not-crazy fee). You can create a separate ~free~ signup sheet for dishes on Thing to Bring. Find out who eats what (like meat, gluten, dairy, etc.) to get a better sense of what should be served.
2. Set a strict rule about allowing only plate-friendly dishes so you won't have to bother with bowls. (Sorry, soup!)
Like the look of this Pomegranate Wild Rice Salad? Of course you do. Get the deets on this and other sure bets in our healthy summer sides to bring to a potluck.
3. Ban super-spicy dishes...unless this is a Buffalo wing-specific potluck. And if so, invite me plz?!
Not everyone's tolerance for tabasco sauce is the same. None of your guests need fire or smoke coming out of their ears a la Scooby and Shaggy.
And if you're going to that potluck, here are 23 Buffalo chicken recipes you need to try.
4. Don't forget to list desserts on your sign-up sheet.
Dessert dips. They're a thing!
5. Ask someone to bring non-food essentials like paper towels, napkins, plates, cups, etc. (Like maybe your friend who can't cook?)
Get four 44-piece packs of soak-proof plates from Amazon for $21.01.
6. Set the table with white tablecloths you can bleach later because someone, SOMEONE will spill stuff all over it.
It's also not a bad idea to throw some over your upholstered furniture if you're going to let people eat in your living area. Your space will just look all chic and *minimalist*.
Get it from Amazon for $9.99.
7. Prep dish and drink labels for stuff that guests signed up to bring with metallic tape and index cards.
Create a key (with a sign!) for dietary restrictions worth noting per each dish, like GF (gluten-free), V (vegetarian), etc. And make some blank cards for unexpected additions. There's always at least one wild card guest!
Get a roll of similar metallic tape from Office Depot for $2.99 and a 100-pack of unlined index cards from Amazon for $1.83.
8. Make servingware easily accessible so guests won't go hunting in your kitchen drawers for a fork.
Like, put out plates, utensils, and all that jazz right by the food so no one will go looking for such things!
9. Keep dips, casseroles, and a gazillion other dishes at the perfect temp -- even hours after you cooked them -- in an Instant Pot.
Amazing Review: "I was slightly intimidated when the Instant Pot first arrived, but I've since become adept at following recipes and even creating my own. I've taken my Instant Pot foods to potlucks and received rave reviews. I feel like being adventurous is easy with the Instant Pot and I've definitely tried many new things. All were good, most were great, and most were healthy." --MountainMama
Get it from Amazon for $99.99+ (available in three sizes).
Get some recipe ideas and practical advice on using this wunderkid of an appliance from one BuzzFeeder who tried it out here.
10. Have several veggie-based sides to help fulfill everyone's dietary preferences.
Your only veggie dish can't be cheddar bacon potato skins. We said ONLY, we didn't say you couldn't make them.
Get the recipe for this Parmesan Zucchini and Corn side from Damn Delicious and 16 more of our fave easy vegetable sides.
11. Invest in the Old Faithful of dinner parties -- a card table set -- if what you have won't comfortably seat your number of guests.
This set will easily fold up and away for storage when you're not hosting a feast.
Promising Review: "Table is sturdy but light and comfortable for resting your arms several hours playing cards. Chairs are pretty darn comfortable for the same time span. The entire kit is sturdy while still being light. We can stack all of it out of sight behind our piano when not in use and have fit it comfortably in the trunk with a bunch of other party supplies." --IrishPuterGeek
Get them from Amazon for $59.34.
12. And maybe also invest in this folding table that'll sidle up neatly to a wall as the perfect buffet surface.
13. Instead of fooling with a made-to-order cocktail selection, opt for a big-batch drink recipe.
Get the recipe on A Night Owl. Or check out these ~colorful~ big-batch cocktails for a bridal shower that, tbh, are perfect for any other kind of party.
14. Set up a self-serve wine station with whites and rosés in a cooler and keep table wine at the perfect temp with a Corkcicle.
This 4-in-1 chiller, aerator, pourer, and stopper is basically a dinner party magic trick.
Promising Review: "If you know anyone who drinks white wine, this is an EXCELLENT hostess gift instead of the usual bottle of wine. I've given so many away and they are universally raved about -- i love mine too!" --DaisyH
Get it from Amazon for $24.95.
15. Turn any flat surface into a primo banquet with this trivet table runner that looks pretty, works hard.
Promising Review: "I used it on my countertop for a party. It's sturdy, so I used it for display (pre-dinner). Then I used it to serve all the hot dishes. I like that it is pretty, but it's subtle and practical -- which is what I was going for. I haven't even taken it down and may leave it year-round! It's about 3 feet long and the thickness of a silicone hot pad." --sumanness
Get it from Amazon for $25.97 (available in four colors).
16. Over prepare with a set of serving spoons because no living human ever just happened to own enough serving spoons for a potluck's worth of dishes.
Promising Review: "Huge and perfect for a large party and everyone waiting in line to get their food. One scoop is plenty for anyone! Very strong, sturdy, and cupped perfectly so the food stays in the scooper." --seeds1969clint
Get a set of six from Amazon for $24.95.
17. Don't forget about spatulas! It's wise to buy a few extras, too.
Promising Review: "These are really nice. You can use them for everything. It's getting harder and harder to find good spatulas these days, but these fit the bill." --Carol A. Stevens
Get them from Amazon for $6.39.
18. Show up with a bottle of something the host will drink in hand -- even if you didn't RSVP for it.
19. Keep seasonally appropriate dishes in mind before you commit to bringing your famous sweet potato casserole to a July family reunion luncheon.
Figure something out with the help of our 27 perfect potluck dishes for summer.
20. Volunteer to bring something that can easily stay hot or cold and transport it in a way to help with that.
Hosts will hate you if it has to be reheated or arranged in a tedious way.
Promising Review: "We gave this as a gift and a week later we got it back FILLED with hot food. They traveled from 3.5 hours away and the food was still HOT! This could be the gift that keeps giving. They are great for hot or cold and very sturdy." --Big Jon
Get this Pyrex insulated set with a hot/cold pack from Amazon for $25.02.
21. When picking a potluck dish, keep in mind that something with a high-fat content or cheese is a crowd-pleaser 99.9% of the time.
This'll probably be everyone's "cheat" meal anyway.
Get the recipe for these super-cheesy scalloped potatoes from Gimme Some Oven.
22. Go simple. If you have to explain your dish, people will be afraid to eat it.
23. DO NOT under any circumstances bring a crudite tray. If you're dead set on a tray, make it a cheese and/or meat tray.
You can also pick those up from your local grocery chain. Here's an explainer on assembling a quick-and-easy cheese board from Spoon Fork Bacon.
Get a ~fancy~ everything-but-cheese starter from Mouth for $74.50.
24. Don't ask the host for ingredients or equipment for your dish. Either bring it made, or all the stuff you need to make it.
25. If you can't cook, volunteer to pick up something ~tasty~ or bring non-food essentials like napkins, cups, or utensils.
Now is not the time to try that dish from your GOALS Pinterest board. Ask the host to confirm the final guest count and prep for a few extras before you buy supplies.
Get a 24-pack of rose-gold plastic forks from Target for $5.41.
26. Tote along enough trivets for your dishes.
These silicone multi-use ones work as jar openers, spoon rests, coasters, hot pads, and potholders.
Promising Review: "GREAT product that can be used as a trivet, potholder, and jar opener due to the flexibility of the material it is made from. I now use these instead of the 'usual' fabric potholders." --The Agora
Get a pair from Amazon for $12.90 (available in eight colors).
27. Let someone else be the worst guest at the pot luck.
28. Never leave behind another casserole dish by divvying up your dish's leftovers in some takeout containers for the host and other guests.
These def cost less than your favorite Pyrex you don't want to have to awkwardly retrieve later. Have you ever tried to get back a dish you left at a potluck? It's tough, even if you see the hosts on the reg!
Promising Review: "LOVE THESE! I got these for leftovers for family members when we have big dinners. They're the perfect size and I don't have to worry about getting anything back!" --bundyak
Get them from Amazon for $16.99.
Get ready to floor everyone with your superior potluck skills.
