I am starting to think pot pucks are a scam.

[AuntieM]

Oops obviously my title was meant to be potLucks!

 

Why is it that, in recent years, potluck requirements have escalated?

 

Perhaps it is just in the circles I've been in, but lately the bringing instructions include a main dish (supersized), sides and dessert (sometimes and/or sides/desserts). I end up bringing twice the quantity of food my family would normally eat at a meal. And there are *never* letovers, not only of my items, but nearly every dish on the buffet table looks licked clean.

 

The amount I bring is what each family is asked to bring. While

there may be some non-bringing guests, those are usually few and far between. Still, things just don't add up.

 

Any clues as to the economics of this? Do you find that you (ie, most people) just eat more than normal at a potluck? Ironic, because I usually eat

less, especially of the main dishes.

 

I wouldn't fret about this except for the fact that we seem to be having more opportunities for such and it messes with my grocery budget.

 

Yes, it's a small thing. But then, so is my grocery budget.

Edited July 17, 2010 by AuntieM

[Mrs Mungo]

The potlucks we attend usually split it up somehow with some people bringing a main dish, some people sides, some people desserts, etc. I think part of the problem is that kids tend to take too much food when there are a lot of choices.

[beccad777]

I always end up having leftovers from pot lucks, but then there are a lot of left overs from everyone's dishes. I tend to make more than normal just in case. I am surprised that the dishes at your church are always cleaned. That is rarely the case at our church.

[sassenach]

I only bring what can fit in a 9 x 13 casserole dish.

[G5052]

Every potluck I've been to in the last year has food left over. Usually there's enough for at least a family or two more if not more.

 

My church is especially generous for some reason. There's always plenty left over, really too much. I think that some families feel responsible for bringing way more than requested for some reason. We have one tomorrow, and I'm taking a big container of pasta salad, which is reasonable for me both in terms of the expense and time involved.

[Hillary in KS]

I usually bring only a normal-sized item. (9 x 13" pan, or a large bowl of salad, etc.)

 

We try a little bit of everything, though. I don't eat, for example, a regular serving of lasagne, but I might have a small slice. I like to taste a little of everything, rather than a whole lot of one thing.

 

It's not more than what I'd eat at home, but maybe if lots of people are doing the same thing dishes would be more apt to be emptied? I don't know.

[Plucky]

Make a delicious dish full of vegetables. The healthier the dish the more likely there will be some left. Sad but true.

[Daisy]

I feel the same way especially if it is a homeschool potluck. I always bring a ton of food and it is all gone. I usually feed my kids BEFORE we go just so they get something to eat. I find it rude that so many feel they can just show up with little to nothing and still eat a ton of food.

 

The last homeschool potluck I went to, my children could not even get to the dessert table because a group of 10 teenage boys literally stood around the table and ate their dessert while guarding the rest of the food for themselves. I told them to move away from the table and make room for others and they just ignored me.

 

Manners, anyone?

[ConnieB]

At buffets people tend to eat several times as much as they would at home. I like to think that even on a budget I am able to make enough food that my family can eat as much as they want at mealtime....but the few times that we've gone to those buffet restaurants somehow we all go through several times more food! I would NEVER think of having seconds on a dessert item at home....yet somehow when I go through the dessert table at a buffet I always have more than one item on my plate.

 

I'd take it as a compliment.....all the food is so wonderful that people just can't help themselves!

 

As for it hurting your budget.....I wouldn't bring such a large quantity in that case. If my theory above holds true than no one will go away hungry, but they also won't go away stuffed to the gills!

 

I don't know that I've ever been to a potluck where I was expected to bring main course AND dessert AND sides. Church and our hs group are the two most frequent potlucks....at both you sign up for the item you want to bring (and they have a limited number of lines for each course so we don't have all desserts, lol). I suppose people may sign up for more than one course, but I never have.

[StephanieZ]

My solution is to choose economical things to bring to potlucks, lol. I choose key items that are in my grocery/couponing stash that I have tons of and got for free or nearly so.

 

Last summer I had too much mayo and acres of free pasta, so I made a lot of mayo based pasta salads. Yummy and very inexpensive since I had free pasta, mayo, bacon & frozen veggies. Add a cuke & tomato from the garden and under $1 in staples/spices and I could feed an army. . . I have learned to look around and pick ingredients carefully. Potatoes are usually very inexpensive, so making a mess of potato salad is always cheap (french style if I don't have gobs of mayo on hand). . . Simple desserts are usually very cheap when you make them from scratch unless you pick a recipe with loads of berries or another expensive ingredient (unless you have good fruit in season & on hand, in which case I use it!)

[fairfarmhand]

I feel the same way especially if it is a homeschool potluck. I always bring a ton of food and it is all gone. I usually feed my kids BEFORE we go just so they get something to eat. I find it rude that so many feel they can just show up with little to nothing and still eat a ton of food.

 

The last homeschool potluck I went to, my children could not even get to the dessert table because a group of 10 teenage boys literally stood around the table and ate their dessert while guarding the rest of the food for themselves. I told them to move away from the table and make room for others and they just ignored me.

 

Manners, anyone?

 

That WOULD make me livid. Teen boys with no manners are one of my pet peeves. I know you're growing and hungry, but SO ARE SOME OTHER PEOPLE!

 

To the OP, no that is not the case around here. I usually have plenty of leftover stuff. To be honest, I'd rather take, say 2 pans of a main dish than several different things. But I bet it would be annoying to stand by the trash can and watch what is thrown away.

[PrincessAriel]

I wouldn't feel badly about food not being left over. I wouldn't want to eat it after a lot of people have picked in it, especially those adults and children who do not wash their hands. Actually the last few potlucks I went to, I didn't think that making a dessert is the same cost wise as a main dish and I always seemed to get the main dish to bring. You can make a dessert for a lot less than a main dish. It just doesn't equal out when the same people have to keep bringing the same type of dish.

[LeeAnn Balbirona]

At my mother's church they have a monthly potluck, but the dishes are assigned. If you are in the main dish group you will be told to bring lasagna one month or chicken and rice the next month. So there is just one main dish, although twenty or thirty pans of it (with varying recipes and levels of um, culinary expertise). I think this is a neat idea.

 

My potluck pet peeve is when people take such large portions that my own family doesn't even get a spoonful of the dish I brought. I've had that happen a few times. :(

[milovany]

Oops obviously my title was meant to be potLucks!

 

Not that I care, but did you know you can fix your titles? If you edit your message, and then go to the Advanced editing window, the title is available to edit. At least it was the last time I tried this.

[FaithManor]

Dh and I have started skipping potlucks at church. For the most part, except for salad, people only make what they would make at home unless its something like potatoes or macaroni and cheese, oh and lots of white breads, rolls, and biscuits.

 

But, no one brings fresh vegetables, fruits, or any cooked veggie except nasty #10 cans of corn or peas....ugh. The simple carbs at these meals is just ridiculous. Tons of scalloped potatoes, tons of pasta tossed with some sort of sauce but if there are veggies in it, it's barely a splash of color, rice with some sort of soup over it (usually more than one crock pot of that), three big bowls of corn, tons of macaroni and cheese...if we eat at them, we end up feeling horrible for a couple of days.

 

The church provides the meat, usually fried chicken purchased the day before from the Walmart deli and then warmed up in the roasters (again, nasty to us but most people like it because frankly, healthy eating is not the norm amongst our fellow church goers....when I have complained about the lack of healthy foods at these dinners, the response was from both the church and deacon board, "But that is how everyone eats and what they want!"), or even worse, a ham...a nasty, water added ham that looks like compressed wafer board painted pink! It is tasteless and tough but feeds a lot of people and everyone around us downs it like it's their last meal.

 

Personally, I would be a huge fan of the BANNING of the church potluck. It is too expensive for anything healthy to be served to such a large group.

 

Faith

[AuntieM]

You have each touched on some things I've been thinking about. Mrs M, I'm sure you are right about kids - especially unsupervised ones - taking way more than they'll actually eat. I first noticed the "bring several dishes/everything scraped clean" phenomenon at a church with many large families. I bet all those kids had a lot to do with it.

 

I also am not really wanting leftovers - I don't tend to save stuff that's been sitting out for free access to both bugs and five year olds! I just want to be able to bring a normal amount of food without feeling like I'm skimping on bringing my requested "fair share." I like the 9x13" pan idea. And truly, I may just have to stop following requests and not feel like I have to bring sides and desserts and toothpicks and... I mean just bringing my offering back to the size I brought in the old days when one item was all that was asked for (and still that one item would feed more than my family).

 

I do try to think of economical things - truly, I don't want to be stingy - maybe next time I'll make some chicken noodle soup.

 

I just think, in many ways, this trend may be compatible with our whole "supersized" culture. I mean, what did a potluck look like in the early church? What does it look like in a third world country?

 

Obviously I am overthinking this. Probably because it's grocery day and tomorrow is another potluck day.

 

Milovaney, thanks for the tip. I thought titles were forever. The advanced edit box does not show up on my phone screen but I'll give it a go later on the computer.

[Ellie]

I always feel as if I've been successful if I bring home an empty dish from a potluck. :-)

 

My pet peeve about potlucks is being assigned what to bring. It's a potLUCK. If there are all desserts, how kewl is that? :D And if I usually bring something I will eat, so it doesn't matter if everyone else brought stuff that is less than tasty (to me).

[Pippen]

All the potlucks we do require require a main dish plus a side or dessert, and most of it is gone. I've been making more economical choices and have started bringing smaller quantities since my goal is not to have any leftovers.

[Impish]

Wow. I'm rare to the potluck scene, but I've always heard it as 'or'...as in main dish or side or desert. Not 'and'. Including sign up lists to ensure that there aren't 200 of the same thing. And phone calls to ensure you're sticking to it, and showing up.

 

One of the reasons I'm rare to the scene is that well...they kinda ick me out. I don't know how something was made, either in ingredients or cleanliness. I've become my Dad's daughter at last, it seems, in preferring to only eat either my own, or someone who I know pretty well's cooking.

 

Probably has to do with folks trying to force gluten on me one too many times, to be honest. Its grey, and grey is not a happy edible item colour, people. It doesn't matter what sauce you attempt to hide/drown it in, grey = bad, mmmmkay? I gag watching Wolf eat it.

 

*Perhaps gluten isn't always grey, I don't know...but every.single.person. in Wolf's afamily that's made it...its grey*

[LibraryLover]

Potlucks were new to me as an adult. We did not grow up with potlucks. (Although I do remember bringing food to Girl Scout events). If mom invited friends over she made all of the food. However, we have done potluck swith our various groups of music friends, homeschoolers, knitters, etc. I really enjoy them. I like to sample such lovely and diverse foods.

 

My hippie -drumming- and- homeschool friends always bring amazing and healthy food and and there is enough to go around.

 

There is rarely absolute junk (maybe some sugar, but it's what I call 'thoughtful sugar'...baked goods like zuke or banana bread, pretzles, popcorn, baked potato chips as opposed to fried, Veggie Booty etc) There are always leftovers for people to take home, but I always leave my leftovers with the host, who had the most work of organizing and providing. It's really very nice.

 

I personally love a nice mac & cheese. We dont see much of that now because of the heatwave. I would think dishes with pasta and rice would be popular because they are not as costly to prepare for large groups. We also see a lot of corn on the cob and watermelon, but I think that is nice. The season is so short.

 

I hope we continue out streak of good luck, as it's nice to gather this way.

Edited July 19, 2010 by LibraryLover
typos/clarity

[Impish]

Oh, and I thought this thread was about pot pucks...Those disk things are that are supposed to keep water from boiling over. I was given one once, but couldn't bring myself to actually *use* it, so was interested in what others had to say :lol:

[Audrey]

You have each touched on some things I've been thinking about. Mrs M, I'm sure you are right about kids - especially unsupervised ones - taking way more than they'll actually eat. I first noticed the "bring several dishes/everything scraped clean" phenomenon at a church with many large families. I bet all those kids had a lot to do with it.

 

 

.

 

 

I always thought the rule was to bring 2x the amount of what your own family would eat of the dish you bring. For us, a 9x13 pan or 4 quart bowl of something far surpasses that. Now, if a family of 10 brought the same amount of food, that dish might not even feed them, so that's not fair at all. I think a little common courtesy on this would go a long way.

 

Also, I was always brought up that you do NOT go to a potluck without bringing food, so those who show up, eat a big plate full, but haven't contributed are being moochers and very, very rude. Certainly, there will be some rare occasions when someone simply cannot contribute and you look the other way, but then there are those who think potluck means free food. That's just plain gauche.

[Audrey]

Oh, and I thought this thread was about pot pucks...Those disk things are that are supposed to keep water from boiling over. I was given one once, but couldn't bring myself to actually *use* it, so was interested in what others had to say :lol:

 

 

When I read "pot pucks" I thought she meant those disks of peat that you use to start seedlings! :lol:

[Impish]

:lol:

New thread: "What Does 'Pot Pucks' Mean To You?"

[PiCO]

My hippie -drumming- and- homeschool friends always bring amazing and healthy food and and there is enough to go around.

 

I agree- the best pot-lucks I've been to have been with my hippie/granola-type friends. I think because we all tend to eat healthy, fresh, locally grown foods. To be honest, I bring better pot luck items when I know the crowd will appreciate it. It's hard to bring myself to bring a healthy main dish if I know the kids will just throw it away because it's yucky to them.

[Peela]

I agree- the best pot-lucks I've been to have been with my hippie/granola-type friends. I think because we all tend to eat healthy, fresh, locally grown foods. To be honest, I bring better pot luck items when I know the crowd will appreciate it. It's hard to bring myself to bring a healthy main dish if I know the kids will just throw it away because it's yucky to them.

 

:iagree:

I will make more effort when I know the crowd will appreciate it. And I love healthy potlucks.

 

I generally bring about the same amount of food as my family will eat, and a bit extra. But only one dish. If it's all desserts, well, we eat desserts. Its usualyl balanced enough.

If I was asked to bring mains, sides AND dessert I would seriously consider not going to whatever it was, or just bringing mains. It woudl be easier to eat at home. POt Lucks are meant to be convenient...for everyone...not jsut the host.

 

We dont eat that much, though. Perhaps the host isnt bringing food? Or you just have friends with huge appetites? There are usually leftovers at the pot lucks I attend.

[elizabeth]

I always enjoyed them and they are one of the things I miss so much as I cannot sit in the chairs at the social hall at church. Darn neck problems!! Anywho the point of this is to say bah. I love them, I love cooking for them . There is nothing that says I love you like a carefully prepared wonderful dish. I always make either eastern european or Lebanese food and would be crushed if there were a bite left over . Knock on wood it has not happened yet.:lol:

[Cinder]

My pet peeve about potlucks is being assigned what to bring. It's a potLUCK. If there are all desserts, how kewl is that? :D And if I usually bring something I will eat, so it doesn't matter if everyone else brought stuff that is less than tasty (to me).

 

Here's a story I've never heard before. A friend of mine said their church no longer did potlucks--they just had church lunches catered. (Small church) Why? Because they had too many occasions where too many people brought JUST a bag of chips. And since most of their potluck days were for meeting the new people attending it looked bad when there wasn't enough food for everyone.

 

Cinder

[Rebecca VA]

I love potlucks, and I love preparing for them. I try to make lots of healthy food. It's my way of serving others -- I'm not gifted in many areas, but I can prepare food that people will enjoy. I love eating what other moms bring in as well.

 

It's discouraging, though, to work hard and proudly bring the food in, only to hear about how people can't eat it because of their special diets or their allergies. In one group I'm in, we have people with four different kinds of allergies. It's a challenge trying to prepare items that won't harm anyone, and I frequently feel like a failure because the ingredients get analyzed to death and people decide they can't eat it after all. (I know they have good reasons for doing that, but still.)

[PiCO]

I love potlucks, and I love preparing for them. I try to make lots of healthy food. It's my way of serving others -- I'm not gifted in many areas, but I can prepare food that people will enjoy. I love eating what other moms bring in as well.

 

It's discouraging, though, to work hard and proudly bring the food in, only to hear about how people can't eat it because of their special diets or their allergies. In one group I'm in, we have people with four different kinds of allergies. It's a challenge trying to prepare items that won't harm anyone, and I frequently feel like a failure because the ingredients get analyzed to death and people decide they can't eat it after all. (I know they have good reasons for doing that, but still.)

 

Maybe you should try to prepare food for just one allergy group at a time, instead of all 4. You could rotate who you prepare food for. Wouldn't be as difficult for you, and would probably please more people in the long run.

[Julie in CA]

My problem with our church potluck meals is that people honestly do not bring enough food. It's not enough to bring just one dish, and just to bring enough of it to feed your own family. You wouldn't give your family just one serving of a main dish and no sides, so how could it be enough food if you only bring your own sized family main dish? :confused: I try to make sure there's enough food that guests can feel free to stay even if they haven't brought anything. That usually means that I cook enough for an army, which means I have to stick to cheap food. I usually have to go with starches with a small amount of veggies or meat. We also have several gluten-free folks in our congregation, so I'm trying to do cheap starches with no gluten, that will still be tasty and attractive. It's a little tough. :glare: Most of the ladies have their set dish that they make for every pot luck. The problem with that is that all of them are pasta-based casseroles. I definitely feel the pressure to provide for the gluten-free eaters, because I know no one else is. Honestly, I find myself slightly indignant when I see what other people bring, though I try to temper that. One of my sister-in-laws consistently brings just two servings of leftovers from their dinner the night before, and then their family of three piles their plates high. She has money, she has time, she just doesn't seem to realize...? :001_huh:

[Ellie]

I need to go to a potluck so I can take this Paula Deen dish. What do you think?

[Rebecca VA]

Ellie, what a wild mish-mash of ingredients! You could tell people you were using up everything you could find in the refrigerator. You mixed everything together, and this is what came out!

[DarlaS]

Not that I care, but did you know you can fix your titles? If you edit your message, and then go to the Advanced editing window, the title is available to edit. At least it was the last time I tried this.

 

It doesn't work once anyone has replied.

[Cricket]

I love potlucks! I have to bring my own food now because of my restrictive diet but I still think they are fun. We grew up having lots of people over for dinner so maybe that's why I like them.

 

I've always brought one main dish and then either a side dish or a dessert. My family eats a lot and some people just don't bring enough. We had a potluck at our tae kwon do school once. We all RSVP'ed via email and said what we were bringing. One family said they would bring buns. My dh wanted to respond that we would bring the butter for the buns. :glare:

 

Bean salads are inexpensive and healthy. I love cold, marinated black-eyed pea salad. I took some to a potluck a few weeks ago because I could eat it. Not many other people ate it though. I'd suggest looking for some inexpensive recipes. One church we attended had a potluck after every service. Sometimes people would bring pb&j sandwiches (it gave picky kids something to eat) and a bunch of grapes. The food doesn't have to be fancy. It's the fellowship that should be the focus.

 

And for those of you who try to cater with people with allergies, thank you! I always make sure one dish I bring is something I can eat or I just bring a plate of my own food. I think anyone with an allergy has the responsibility to do that. I don't think you should feel obligated but it is very nice of you to do that!

[Mynyel]

I like potlucks but only if I am not dictated to. The last couple potlucks I attended I was supposed to bring a certain item. Like a side dish or some such thing. I can't stand that. The best potlucks I have ever been to are ones that allow you to bring what you want. Which is typically going to be better because it was something you wanted to cook rather than something you had to cook.

 

The last one I was at I was supposed to bring a vegetable dish.

 

I brought a carrot cake. :tongue_smilie:

[Brindee]

Our church is pretty health-oriented. It's a small church too, and I know every single person well. So I love our potlucks! Once my boys were a bit older I started bringing more to potlucks. I feel like we're a family of 5 so I should contribute more than a couple with no children, or a grandma and grandpa! Plus I want to make sure that anyone who shows up can stay for potluck. Sometimes people forget it's potluck week. Sometimes people come to church that week and don't know it's potluck. I always want us to be able to say, "Don't worry, we have plenty of food!" I try to take a large salad. With a Costco membership we can get the lettuce and things cheaper. We don't buy soda or sweets, well, not MUCH sweets. ;) We spend that on getting the fresh produce instead. I love salad so have salad ingredients available all the time!

 

We aren't told what to bring, nor how much. Most people bring enough for themselves and others too. There are some that don't bring things. We have a guy that shows up only on potluck day, which is once a month. It's okay. We have one couple that bring nothing or one small dish. When they DO bring a dish, the little wifey makes a big deal of how hard she worked on that dish, and how very special it is compared to some of the other things she sees that people brought. She nor her husband help in setting things up for potluck after church, nor clean-up after potluck! That irks me! She'll say she's done so much, she'll let other people do that! He sits in a chair and watches while some of us women carry out tables and chairs to set up! :(

 

HOWEVER, it's a neat fellowship time, usually good food, and plenty of it, and we like it! :D

[Ottakee]

I LOVE potlucks. They are a great time of fun and fellowship so I view them as entertainment/recreation for the budget as well. That said, try to bring something that is on sale, something you have stocked up on, etc.

 

At our church it is a main dish and a salad OR dessert per family. We want a nice variety of foods and as someone said you eat more than just a main dish at home so the sides are nice.

 

I do stress to my kids to ONLY take what they will eat in SMALLER amounts. Kids must go through the line with their families OR wait until the adults are through and go at the back of the line. We try to let the elderly, guests and families with toddlers/preschoolers go first through the line.

 

One thing I have brought lately is taco rollups. They aren't too expensive and work great as a side dish:

 

1 can refried beans

1 8 oz. cream cheese, softened

1 packet taco seasoning mix

 

Mix together and spread on 10-12 flour tortillas. Sprinkle with finely shredded cheese if you want and roll up. Chill and cut into small rolls.

 

For $10 you could bring a dessert and main dish:

1 large bag frozen meat balls (bought on sale)

1 bottle BBQ sauce

put the meatballs in crock pot, cover with BBQ sauce, heat.

(cost--$6 for meatballs, $1 for BBQ sauce)

 

Cake, cupcakes or brownies

boxed mix with frosting---each bought on sale for $1 or less

$1 for eggs/oil, etc.

(cost--$3)

 

For a family of 5 that would be about $2/person which isn't the cheapest you can go for a meal but very reasonable for the fun/fellowship/"eating out" experience, etc.

 

I would not count on a potluck to be a source of the healthiest meals but OK for the fellowship, etc.

 

Oh, and as summer approaches, look for fresh fruits or veggies you can bring--garden stuff if you have it.

[Nestof3]

This only works if no one has responded to it.

 

Not that I care, but did you know you can fix your titles? If you edit your message, and then go to the Advanced editing window, the title is available to edit. At least it was the last time I tried this.

[holdoll]

My pet peeve is people who do not supervise their children at potlucks. I've seen too many runny-nosed little ones pick something up, take a bite and put it back while mom is visiting. Every one around the child groans but doesn't say a thing. I always tell them to take whatever they touched. One child touched the whole platter of cookies! So I told him to take it with him. He had a hard time explaining it to his parents. {sigh} DH and I have taken to bringing food but not eating any ourselves. Our kids just usually drink juice and eat a piece of fruit.

 

My favorite this year is I was just invited to a friends birthday party at her house - you guessed it - it's a potluck! :001_huh: I was brought up that if you invite people to your own party, you supply the food. Maybe that's not the way it is anymore. I think I'm getting grouchy in my old age! :tongue_smilie:

[Rebecca VA]

Actually, I think the new normal is: If you're willing to host an event, which means cleaning your house, etc., you're EXEMPT from providing food!

[Nestof3]

When we house-churched, I would always make an extra large serving of something whether it be a pasta salad, chili, Mexican dish, etc. Sometimes I would also bring fruit and/or dessert.

 

If I brought dessert, I would bring enough so that almost everyone could have a small piece. I never understood it when people made a very small loaf of banana bread, for example. By the time one family made it through the line, it was gone. There was always tons of garden salad left over though. :)

 

I didn't keep leftovers, though, because some children used their fingers to grab diced fruit, for example, and the flies got all over the food after a while. I just don't think young children serving themselves after playing in dirt and such is a very good idea. I always threw out the leftovers, and I never went back for seconds.

[happi duck]

I hate potlucks.

 

I don't like to eat other people's food so I usually end up just having a little bit of what I brought. (weird, I know)

 

I like to cook but not in mass quantities. The stress of being told to bring a lot is too much.

[Ottakee]

My favorite this year is I was just invited to a friends birthday party at her house - you guessed it - it's a potluck! :001_huh: I was brought up that if you invite people to your own party, you supply the food. Maybe that's not the way it is anymore. I think I'm getting grouchy in my old age! :tongue_smilie:

 

Actually that is quite the norm around here. I would not expect to bring a gift, etc. but bringing a dish to pass would be just fine with me. It takes pressure off the host (birthday person here) and helps ease the financial burden of having friends over. In our area unemployment is 25% or more and many people can't afford to host a group but could still enjoy a lot of fun with a group of friends if everyone chips in something.

[Pippen]

I need to go to a potluck so I can take this Paula Deen dish. What do you think?

 

I think if I were bringing it, I wouldn't put my name on my dish just in case. ;)

 

For our last church potluck in addition to a main dish, I ran home a little early and make a big pan of baking powder biscuits and brought them back hot on the baking sheet. They were cheap and they went fast. Next time I'll probably mix up the dry ingredients ahead of time.

[KnitWit]

I wanted to comment on the previous comments about the problem possibly being large families. I have no doubt that *could* be a possibility, however, in my experience, it was not. We used to attend a church with several large families. When we started having potlucks, I ALWAYS made sure I took what my crew normally eats, plus a bit extra. I noticed derogatory comments though, about the amounts of food, so I started taking double...just so we could NOT be accused. People were constantly complaining that there was not enough food and about the number of kids. SO, the other moms of many and I talked together and compared notes. We were ALL taking double!! But there were times I'd take all that food and my kids would STILL go home and eat.

 

We quit going. Eventually the other large families did too. Guess what? They still run out of food. ::snort:: Once we quit staying to eat, we started noticing singles and couples staying who brought nothing. Now, I don't care, I'm happy to share...but don't accuse my kids. Frankly, my budget couldn't keep up.

 

Now, all that is aside from the other stuff mentioned here. I don't like potlucks due to unsupervised kids and ADULTS who use their fingers and then LICK them, or people who stand over food and cough etc. But that's just me.

 

Hi, I'm Polly and I've been Potluck Free for 5 years. LOL!

[Nestof3]

My pet peeve is people who do not supervise their children at potlucks. I've seen too many runny-nosed little ones pick something up, take a bite and put it back while mom is visiting. Every one around the child groans but doesn't say a thing. I always tell them to take whatever they touched. One child touched the whole platter of cookies! So I told him to take it with him. He had a hard time explaining it to his parents. {sigh} DH and I have taken to bringing food but not eating any ourselves. Our kids just usually drink juice and eat a piece of fruit.

 

First, I wouldn't have brought my child to something if the child were snotty-nosed, but I have seen it happen. Second, I agree about children making the whole experience disgusting. I have been in groups where the children didn't do this, but I've been in some where they do. The thing about kids is they have to be supervised and taught during the potluck experience. Often they see unfamiliar foods that they aren't sure they want to try, so they may change their minds. Since this doesn't happen at home, I have to teach them when we are in a group setting like that. When they're really young, I think it's best for the parents to serve the food.

 

My favorite this year is I was just invited to a friends birthday party at her house - you guessed it - it's a potluck! :001_huh: I was brought up that if you invite people to your own party, you supply the food. Maybe that's not the way it is anymore. I think I'm getting grouchy in my old age! :tongue_smilie:

 

I think that's very odd. I think there is a difference between inviting people to a party and mutually getting together as friends. If it's a birthday celebration that my child is invited to, I assume all refreshments will be provided by the family. If the family cannot afford to provide a meal, then just have friends over between meal times and serve lemonade and cupcakes.

 

When we get together with other family friends, I always offer to bring something and so does my friend when I do the inviting. This has been the norm for me. I also don't see anything wrong with asking if other families want to join up for a potluck get-together.

[In The Great White North]

 

My problem with our church potluck meals is that people honestly do not bring enough food. It's not enough to bring just one dish, and just to bring enough of it to feed your own family. You wouldn't give your family just one serving of a main dish and no sides, so how could it be enough food if you only bring your own sized family main dish? :confused:

This has been a major problem at some potlucks we've been to. It wasn't the large families either - it was the ones with only children! At one class potluck (class of 34!) several families brought a small bowl of couscous and nothing else! Two thirds of the class didn't get to eat at all. :glare:

[Ellie]

Ellie, what a wild mish-mash of ingredients! You could tell people you were using up everything you could find in the refrigerator. You mixed everything together, and this is what came out!

I know, right? I'm thinking that's exactly how Paula came up with this!

[Mrs Mungo]

I think that's very odd. I think there is a difference between inviting people to a party and mutually getting together as friends. If it's a birthday celebration that my child is invited to, I assume all refreshments will be provided by the family. If the family cannot afford to provide a meal, then just have friends over between meal times and serve lemonade and cupcakes.

 

I agree. There have been times that I didn't want to deal with cooking, so we scheduled a party for 2 pm and just did cake and ice cream.

 

When we get together with other family friends, I always offer to bring something and so does my friend when I do the inviting. This has been the norm for me. I also don't see anything wrong with asking if other families want to join up for a potluck get-together.

 

I agree with this too. We have a big house. As a result, we often host get-togethers with our circle of friends for all of those times we're together and someone says "when are we doing the next get-together?" The cooks (some are women and some are men in our circle) get together and I say "I'm making this and this. What would you guys like to bring?" If Mary Jane says "oh, I don't care," then, I say "will you bring dessert/an appetizer/your fabulous crab bread/whatever." That is different than hosting a party.