Tips on Hosting Potluck Dinner Parties

Everyone contributes to the meal at a potluck dinner.

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Throwing a potluck dinner takes away some of the pressure you feel preparing an entire meal in the kitchen, but such parties require more effort in their coordination. Taking charge of a potluck puts on your shoulders the responsibility of ensuring that the hodgepodge of dishes brought has a cohesiveness when served. A properly pulled-off potluck should be a fulfilling feast for a fellowship of friends and family.

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At least two weeks in advance of the party, assign each attendee to the potluck a dish type to bring. To have enough food for a potluck party of 10 to 12 people, Francine Halvorsen in "Crowd-Pleasing Potluck: 225 Delicious Recipes Guaranteed to Win Rave Reviews," recommends serving two or three appetizers, two side dishes, bread and butter, two desserts, one salad and one main dish to serve one dozen people. Scale the amounts up or down as needed for the event.

Pick a Theme

Establish a theme to guide the guests in choosing dishes to bring for the potluck dinner. Ideas include picnic dishes, Mexican foods, Italian foods and regional favorites. With a theme, the dishes will have a connection and the meal will not seem haphazard or ill-planned. Have recipe suggestions ready for guests who cannot think of a dish to bring.

Last-Minute Preparation

When each guest responds to the party invitation, find out the dish he is bringing and any preparation needed just before the party. Set up the table for putting potluck dishes near an electric outlet if the guest's dish must be kept warm in a slow cooker. Have plenty of ice for keeping cold dishes cold. Clean out your refrigerator to store cold dishes until serving. Have at least one serving utensil per dish for the table and plates, eating utensils and napkins for everyone coming to the party. Set aside resealable food containers for guests to take home leftovers.

Labels and Recipes

Ask each of the guests bringing a potluck dish to provide a recipe for it in case other attendees want a copy. Set stacks of the recipes on a separate table from the dishes. Label each of the potluck dishes brought to accommodate those with dietary restrictions and allergies.

References"Crowd-Pleasing Potluck: 225 Delicious Recipes Guaranteed to Win Rave Reviews"; Francine Halvorsen; 2007"How to Organize Just About Everything: More Than 500 Step-by-step Instructions for Everything from Organizing Your Closets to Planning a Wedding to Creating a Flawless Filing System"; Peter Walsh; 2004"Vegetarian Times"; A Moveable Feast; Patsy Jamieson; December 1999Photo Credit Jupiterimages/Photos.com/Getty ImagesRead Next:

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