What to bring to a potluck

What makes a good potluck dish

A potluck dish spends time in a car, then an hour or two on a table, and gets served by whoever is standing nearest. The dishes that do well have a few things in common.

• It travels in one dish

  A dish with a lid, or a tray you can cover with foil. Nothing that needs plating when you arrive.

• It's fine warm or at room temperature

  The host's oven and fridge are full. Pick something that needs neither.

• It's easy to serve

  Something that scoops, slices or picks up with fingers. A roast that needs carving slows the line down.

• It feeds a crowd

  One big batch of something simple goes further than a fiddly dish in small portions.

Easy potluck ideas by course

Five ideas for each course, all of them easy to carry and easy to serve. If the host hasn’t said what’s needed, a side or a dessert is the safe choice.

When you have no time to cook

Buy it, or put it together from things you bought. A store-bought dish is fine at a potluck, as long as it’s on a plate and ready to eat when you walk in.

• A cheese board

  Three cheeses, crackers and grapes, arranged on a board in ten minutes.

• Cut fruit

  A tub from the store, or a melon and some berries cut at home.

• Chips and two dips

  Salsa and guacamole, or an onion dip from the chilled aisle.

• A rotisserie chicken

  Pulled off the bone and piled on a platter.

• Bakery cookies or a pie

  Dessert is the easiest course to buy.

• Drinks and ice

  Sparkling water, juice or soda, and a bag of ice. Hosts are always glad of extra ice.

How much to bring

A 9 by 13 inch pan or a large salad bowl is the usual size. With plenty of other dishes on the table, that covers 15 to 20 small servings, since nobody takes a full helping of everything.

For a big crowd, or a potluck where only a few people are cooking, make a double batch. If the host gives a number, plan a small serving for each person.

What not to bring to a potluck

Most potluck trouble comes from one of these.

• Anything that needs the oven

  Everyone else wants it too. Bring it hot, or bring something that doesn't need heating.

• A dish to assemble on the spot

  Unless you bring everything for it and do it yourself, away from the kitchen.

• Very spicy food with no warning

  Put a card on it, or make it mild and bring the hot sauce on the side.

• Food that spoils in the heat

  Mayonnaise salads, seafood and cream desserts need ice under them on a warm day.

Potluck etiquette

A few habits that make the host’s day easier.

• Ask what's needed

  A quick message to the host before you shop means each dish turns up once.

• Bring a serving spoon

  Or tongs, or a knife. The host won't have enough for every dish.

• Label it

  The name of the dish, and anything like nuts, dairy, gluten or meat.

• Put your name on the dish

  A strip of tape on the bottom, so it finds its way home.

• Take your leftovers

  Unless the host asks you to leave them.

• Come on time if you bring a main

  The meal waits for the mains. A dessert can arrive late.

If you're organizing the potluck

Most potluck mix-ups happen because nobody knows what anyone else is bringing. Write a list of what’s needed, with how many of each, and let people claim a dish.

Ask about allergies at the same time, and do the main yourself if you can, since it’s the dish a potluck can’t do without.

Know who's bringing what

A potluck planned in a group chat can end up with three pasta salads and no main. Kitokoto is a free potluck sign-up sheet where each dish is claimed once. Free, no account.

Start a potluck sign-up

Questions

What should I bring to a potluck?

Something that travels well, tastes good at room temperature and serves a crowd: a pasta salad, a dip with chips, baked ziti or brownies.

What is the easiest potluck dish?

A dip with chips, a vegetable tray, a pasta salad or a pan of brownies. All of them can be made the night before.

What to bring to a potluck when you have no time?

Something you can buy: a cheese board, cut fruit, bakery cookies, a rotisserie chicken, or drinks and a bag of ice.

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

Deli potato salad or coleslaw, a vegetable tray, a rotisserie chicken or a bakery pie. Move it into your own dish if you like.

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

Deviled eggs, caprese skewers, pinwheel sandwiches, meatballs on toothpicks, or cookies.

What is the cheapest thing to bring to a potluck?

Pasta salad, chili, rice dishes and cornbread feed a lot of people for very little.

What not to bring to a potluck?

Anything that needs the oven or last-minute assembly, and food that spoils fast in the heat, like mayonnaise salads or seafood.

How much food should you bring to a potluck?

A 9 by 13 inch pan or a large salad bowl is the usual size. With plenty of other dishes on the table, it covers 15 to 20 small servings.

What to bring to a work potluck?

Something easy to eat standing up or at a desk, with a label for allergies. Sides and desserts are always welcome. Office potluck sign-up sheet.

What to bring to a Christmas potluck?

A warm side like mac and cheese, a plate of holiday cookies, or a ham that's already cooked and only needs slicing. Christmas potluck sign-up sheet.