As you all know by now, I’m a huge fan of the idea of potluck meals. I really think that they are the best way to handle the work and cost of large family dinners. Potluck dinners allow everyone to share in the preparation work. Potluck dinners also allow hosts to spend the evening enjoying their guests rather than slaving away in the kitchen.
Don’t make the mistake of thinking that hosting a potluck dinner doesn’t require any planning at all. The last thing you want is to realize on the day of the dinner that everyone brought potato salad or macaroni and cheese. Although you don’t want to undermine the simplicity that makes potlucks so fun, there are some easy things you can do to guarantee a potluck dinner that everyone will enjoy.
Assign a meal category to each guest/family. Give your guests a little guidance about the dish they should bring to the gathering. You might ask one family to bring a bread (dinner rolls or home-baked bread). Another family might bring a potato or starch dish. You may even assign one guest to bring a dessert. Assign dish categories allows each guest the freedom to select their own dish without running the risk of having a lop-sided meal.
Keep ovens clear for incoming dishes. As guests arrive for your gathering, you may need to keep some dishes warm. Set your oven to a low setting and be prepared to slide dishes into the oven until all of your guests have arrived. While you’re at it, be sure to clean out your refrigerator, too. Some dishes will need refrigeration right away.
Clean up potluck dishes before your guests leave. Trying to keep track of everyone’s dishes and get them returned to the appropriate owner can be time-consuming. Instead, I always try to get each person’s dish washed and back to them before the night is over. Although it will take a little time, you’ll be glad to have it done.
Have plenty of utensils on hand. Since your guests are going to all of the trouble to bring food, make sure that you take care of providing the tools to serve their food. Lay out plenty of large spoons and knives for your guests’ use. You’ll also want to make sure you have a large supply of dishes for your guests to eat from whether you use traditional dishes or opt for disposable ones.
Content provided by Not Made Of Money: Holiday Entertaining – Focus on Potluck
Copyright Not Made of Money 2006-2009
This feed is for personal, non-commercial use only.
The use of this feed on other websites breaches copyright. If this content is not in your news reader, it makes the page you are viewing an infringement of the copyright. (Digital Fingerprint:
b9703745aff277a0f11931b4e757c90e (74.125.44.136) )
—
Related Articles at Not Made Of Money:
- So Much to Read; So Little Time Browsed through a bookstore today. So many books. Everyone looks…
- Google Adsense – The Unique Autobusiness Model So what is make money online? Google says it is…
Similar Posts:
- Celebrating Thanksgiving on a Budget
- Leftovers Management – Don’t Let That Food Waste in the Fridge
- Shepherd’s Pie – Cook At Home Day
- How To Host A Superbowl Party without Breaking Your Budget
- Planning a Frugal New Year’s Party
Leave a Reply