Item for potluck that travels well and no refrigeration?

[ksr5377]

All I can think of is brownies.  I don't even like brownies.  Maybe cookies.  I was hoping for something more interesting but may have to settle.  

[regentrude]

Something baked:
Sourdough bread, focaccia, rolls, scones, pumpkin bread, muffins, cheese straws, pie

[HomeAgain]

How long are we traveling for, lol?

In the summer I think lemon bars are refreshing.  Same with watermelon (cut on site). My own kid would vote for twice baked potatoes served room temp but he's an anomaly who will eat potatoes in any form except potato salad.

[regentrude]

or fruit.

[Arcadia]

All the Panda Express dishes travel well. What I do if I want them warm is to cook and put them in large microwave containers to heat up on site. Most places we go to long distance has a microwave we could use. 
Baked goods definitely work.

How long is the travel and what time. My husband loves to drive by night to reach around 9am so colder food is still feasible. So very different from if we leave home at 8am and reach at 6pm, because our car trunk would be warm enough to keep food warm. 

[ktgrok]

Corn Pie (despite the name it is a side dish, not a dessert)

1 can corn (drained)

1 can creamed corn

1 8oz container sour cream

1 stick of butter, softened

1 box Jiffy cornbread mix

2 graham cracker crusts (premade storebought is fine)

Mix all ingredients (other than pie crust, lol) and pour into crusts. Bake at 375 for about 45-60 minutes until set in middle and edges are golden brown. Can serve warm or room temp. Everybody raves about it! 

[Katy]

For years when we’d travel back to a potluck at DH’s college friend’s home we’d stop almost there and get a huge fruit platter and several bags of chips from a local grocery store. 

[ksr5377]

Traveling for 4 hours, but with 2 longer stops on the way, so food will probably be in the car about 8 hours.  I had thought of picking up something on the way, but the closest decent store for this is about 30 minutes before we have longer stopover.  At least for getting something like a premade platter.  Thanks for all the ideas everyone!

 

Edited August 19, 2022 by ksr5377

[Forget-Me-Not]

Rice Krispies treats 

If you have an ice chest, salami and cheese and crackers 

[marbel]

If you are thinking brownies but don't really want them, how about blondies?

Chips and unopened jars of salsa so they don't need to be kept cool?  

I like the idea of cheese, salami and crackers if you have a cooler. That is my typical thing to take to a potluck; I started when my kids were little and I knew that was something they would eat, and for ease of it just kept on. (Unless I an assigned something else of course.)

 

[Bootsie]

I live in a climate where prolonged stops in a car are so hot that even things like lemon bars or brownies are likely to be a hot gooey mess by the time I arrived.  I would probably take a marinated bean salad, putting the salad in smaller storage containers in an ice chest, and bringing along a nice serving bowl.  Or, perhaps some type of dip in a cooler with veggies.  My standby item would be a large jar of Pace picante sauce and bags of chips.  

[Forget-Me-Not]

15 minutes ago, marbel said:

If you are thinking brownies but don't really want them, how about blondies?

Chips and unopened jars of salsa so they don't need to be kept cool?  

I like the idea of cheese, salami and crackers if you have a cooler. That is my typical thing to take to a potluck; I started when my kids were little and I knew that was something they would eat, and for ease of it just kept on. (Unless I an assigned something else of course.)

 

Actually I guess the salami and pre-cut cheese would be easy to purchase once you’re where you are going too 

[teachermom2834]

The choices at groceries stores for pre made trays and side and even main dishes keep getting better and the bar for what passes at a potluck keeps getting lower. 
 

People are busy. Nearly every potluck event I go to has people coming in from the store and opening packages and setting out precut veggie/fruit/meat/cheese trays or chips and dip or crackers and hummus or prepackaged potato or pasta salad. Or takeout pizzas or buckets of fried chicken etc.  

I hate making extra stops so I’d probably throw something in a cooler with plenty of ice that was easy and not fragile. Like cheese and meats that I could set out with crackers or a dip or cheese spread. 
 

I will admit that I used to kind of be a snob about potlucks but I am not anymore. People are busy and it is hard enough to just get yourself and your family anywhere. People are more important than food so just bring something easy. People are also pickier eaters and have more allergies and sensitivities than they used to and simple foods can be easiest on them. 
 

 

[vonfirmath]

1 hour ago, ktgrok said:

Corn Pie (despite the name it is a side dish, not a dessert)

1 can corn (drained)

1 can creamed corn

1 8oz container sour cream

1 stick of butter, softened

1 box Jiffy cornbread mix

2 graham cracker crusts (premade storebought is fine)

Mix all ingredients (other than pie crust, lol) and pour into crusts. Bake at 375 for about 45-60 minutes until set in middle and edges are golden brown. Can serve warm or room temp. Everybody raves about it! 

This sounds really good and I'm saving the recipe to make it

 

[ScoutTN]

tabouleh or other grain salad
 

[alisoncooks]

I don’t know that I’d trust anything in the car that long. I’d stop somewhere and get a deli tray or bakery item once I got to the destination. 

[ktgrok]

If there will be kids or teens there you can get a platter of nuggets from Chik Fil A with sauces, if they have one near there. 

[Ottakee]

If you have a cooler you can do taco roll ups.

 

1 can refried beans

1 packet taco seasoning mix

1 8oz cream cheese, softened

mix well and spread on flour tortillas (warmed a few seconds in the microwave), sprinkle on a bit of cheese and roll up.  Chill and cut into pinwheel slices.  Can serve plain or with salsa.

 

[Drama Llama]

Lentil salad, cowboy caviar, something like that.  If you could put that with an ice pack it will be fine.

Or store bought hummus and baby carrots, again with an ice pack. If you'll have the ability to cut things up, I'd bring a knife and some red or yellow peppers and cucumbers too.  

Or fruit, I have brought basic things like bananas and cutie oranges to potlucks and people always comment how it's so nice to see something their kids will eat!

[KungFuPanda]

I’m repeating the Rice Krispy treat idea. Very few items can match its reward for the effort. Nobody in the history of potlucks has ever come home with a rice Krispy treat; only empty platters. That’s just science. 

[barnwife]

Ditto Rice Krispies.

If it won't be too hot, be extra fancy. Melt a bag of chocolate chips and frost them.