Thanksgiving potluck ideas

Who brings what

At most Thanksgiving potlucks the host cooks the turkey and makes the gravy, and everyone else brings a side, a dessert or drinks. It works best when the host hands out the dishes rather than leaving it open.

Write the list before you ask anyone: every side you want once, two or three pies, and drinks. Ask each guest to claim one thing, and say how many people it needs to feed.

Share out the dishes

A list in the group chat is out of date as soon as someone changes their mind. Kitokoto keeps one list of every dish, and a dish that’s taken can’t be chosen again. Free, no account.

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Sides

• Stuffing

  Bake it at home and reheat it covered, so it doesn't dry out.

  Make aheadNeeds the oven

• Mashed potatoes

  Keep them warm in a slow cooker on low, with a splash of milk.

  Make aheadSlow cooker

• Sweet potato casserole

  Add the marshmallow or pecan topping at the host's, just before it goes in.

  Make aheadNeeds the oven

• Green bean casserole

  Bring the crispy onions separately and add them at the end.

  Make aheadNeeds the oven

• Mac and cheese

  A crowd favorite that holds its heat well in a covered dish.

  Travels well

• Cornbread

  Bake it the day before and bring it whole, then slice at the table.

  Make aheadTravels well

• Cranberry sauce

  Homemade keeps for days, and canned is fine too.

  Make aheadNo cooking

• Dinner rolls

  Easy to bring. Plan on two per person.

  Travels wellNo cooking

Mains

• Turkey

  Usually the host's job, along with the gravy.

  Needs the oven

• Glazed ham

  Fine warm or at room temperature, which makes it easy to bring.

  Travels well

• Stuffed squash

  A vegetarian main that looks the part next to the turkey.

  Make aheadNeeds the oven

• Mushroom pie

  Another vegetarian main, sliced like a pie at the table.

  Make aheadTravels well

Salads and starters

• Harvest salad

  Greens, apple, pecans and cheese, with the dressing in a jar on the side.

  No cooking

• Deviled eggs

  Make them in the morning and carry them in a tray with a lid.

  Make ahead

• Cheese board

  Cheese, crackers, grapes and nuts. Assemble it at the host's.

  No cookingTravels well

• Vegetables and dip

  Cut the vegetables at home, and bring the dip in its own bowl.

  No cooking

Desserts

Two or three pies is normal for a crowd. Ask for at least one pumpkin, then let people choose.

• Pumpkin pie

  The one people look for. Bring whipped cream in a separate tub.

  Make aheadTravels well

• Pecan pie

  Sturdy enough to carry anywhere, and good at room temperature.

  Make aheadTravels well

• Apple pie or crisp

  Warm it for ten minutes at the host's if there's oven space.

  Make aheadTravels well

• Pumpkin bars

  Easier to cut and serve than pie, especially for a crowd.

  Make aheadTravels well

Drinks

• Apple cider

  Warm it in a pot or a slow cooker, with a cinnamon stick.

  Slow cooker

• Wine

  A red and a white, or whatever the host asks for.

  No cooking

• Sparkling water

  For drivers, children and anyone pacing themselves.

  No cooking

• Coffee for after

  Bring the beans or a box of coffee from a café for dessert.

  No cooking

Easy things to bring

Short on time, or no kitchen to cook in? These need no cooking and no space in the host’s oven, and they’re always welcome.

• A pie from a good bakery
• Dinner rolls and butter
• Cranberry sauce in a nice bowl
• A cheese board
• A bagged salad, with extra toppings
• Drinks, or a bag of ice

Finger foods

Finger food goes out before the meal and keeps people out of the kitchen while the host carves. Anything you can eat standing up, in one or two bites, works.

• Deviled eggs
• Pinwheels
• Cornbread muffins
• Pigs in a blanket
• Cheese and crackers
• Stuffed mushrooms

How much food

The USDA says to allow 1 pound of whole turkey per person. For the rest, a side dish usually serves eight to ten, a pie cuts into eight slices, and most people eat two rolls.

Thanksgiving potluck at work

An office Thanksgiving potluck usually happens at lunch, with a microwave and no oven. Ask for dishes that are fine at room temperature or can sit in a slow cooker on a counter.

Good choices are mac and cheese in a slow cooker, a grain salad, a ham, rolls, cornbread and dessert bars. Set a start time, put out labels and pens for each dish, and keep the plates and cutlery on the list as well. Office potluck sign-up sheet.

Dietary needs

Questions

What is the easiest item to bring to a potluck?

Rolls, a store-bought pie, cranberry sauce, drinks or a cheese board. None of them need cooking or the host's oven.

What are the top 5 Thanksgiving dishes?

Turkey, stuffing, mashed potatoes, cranberry sauce and pumpkin pie are the classics, with green bean casserole and sweet potatoes close behind.

What are some good pre-made dishes to bring to a potluck?

A bakery pie, good rolls, a deli platter, a salad kit with extra toppings, or cranberry sauce in a nice bowl.

What's a good finger food to bring to a potluck?

Deviled eggs, pinwheels, cornbread muffins, pigs in a blanket, or cheese and crackers.

What should I bring to a Thanksgiving potluck at work?

Something that needs no oven: a slow cooker side, a salad, rolls or dessert bars. Label anything with nuts. Office potluck sign-up sheet.

How much turkey per person?

The USDA says to allow 1 pound of whole turkey per person. Plan a little more if you want leftovers.

How do you organize a Thanksgiving potluck?

The host does the turkey and gravy. Share a list of sides, desserts and drinks with how many of each, ask about allergies, and check the list a few days before. Thanksgiving potluck sign-up sheet.

Does the host provide the turkey at a potluck?

Usually, yes. It needs the oven for hours, so it's easiest cooked where it's eaten. Guests cover the rest.