PSA: Potlucks

[noodleknitter]

And this is one of the reasons why I don't like potlucks. If everyone donated $10 or $20 then you could hire a caterer and make sure there was enough food. Honestly, I also don't like to eat food prepared in kitchens that I am not familiar with....

Catering is boring.

When our church, or other groups have potlucks, we have everything from barbeque to baklava and cheesecake.

And I worked for restaurants going through college. When those rolls drop onto the floor, they are picked back up and put into baskets...Let me say that just because something is institutionalized and supposedly regulated doesn't make it as clean as my kitchen.

to each his own, of course. I'm just more into personal involvement and creativity than mass produced food.

 

[sha_lyn]

I don't really do potlucks, b/c when you're vegetarian you tend to just eat what you made since nothing else works for you...

You would be all set at out gatherings, well except for the time this lady insisted that her casserole was vegetarian. It was a tune casserole.
That's the one story I usually tell that I forgot last night.
A friend invited a co-worker to one of our gatherings. Several friends from out of state were coming that are vegetarian, so it was emphasized that everything be labeled if it contained any animal "flesh" product.
This lady told everyone she was vegetarian and that she would bring her "famous" vegetarian casserole that everyone loved.
She even continued to insist it was vegetarian when one of the vegetarians asked her repeatedly after trying it. Finally someone asked to to list everything in it, and sure enough it was a tuna, broccoli, and rice casserole.
Her response: of course vegetarians eat tuna, that's how else are they to get any protein?

And I worked for restaurants going through college. When those rolls drop onto the floor, they are picked back up and put into baskets...Let me say that just because something is institutionalized and supposedly regulated doesn't make it as clean as my kitchen

LOL...anyone who thinks that a restaurant/caterer's kitchen is "safer" than a home kitchen has obviously never worked in a commercial kitchen.

And this is one of the reasons why I don't like potlucks. If everyone donated $10 or $20 then you could hire a caterer and make sure there was enough food. Honestly, I also don't like to eat food prepared in kitchens that I am not familiar with

How are you familiar with the kitchens of restaurants/caterers?

BTW.......After delivering food to restaurants for many yrs, my mother's boyfriend refuses to eat in most restaurants. He's seen what goes on behind the scenes and would much rather eat something out of a stranger's home that something prepared in a most restaurants.

 

[noodleknitter]

You would be all set at out gatherings, well except for the time this lady insisted that her casserole was vegetarian. It was a tune casserole.
That's the one story I usually tell that I forgot last night.
A friend invited a co-worker to one of our gatherings. Several friends from out of state were coming that are vegetarian, so it was emphasized that everything be labeled if it contained any animal "flesh" product.
This lady told everyone she was vegetarian and that she would bring her "famous" vegetarian casserole that everyone loved.
She even continued to insist it was vegetarian when one of the vegetarians asked her repeatedly after trying it. Finally someone asked to to list everything in it, and sure enough it was a tuna, broccoli, and rice casserole.
Her response: of course vegetarians eat tuna, that's how else are they to get any protein?

LOL...anyone who thinks that a restaurant/caterer's kitchen is "safer" than a home kitchen has obviously never worked in a commercial kitchen.

I know. Truly nasty places. It built up my "ick" stamina for having kids.

Thinking about your vegetarian, my mIL was always trying to do this to SIL. Crab cakes, chicken broth when she was ill. Some people just don't get it!

 

[mom2aredhead]

At my old office, this used to be a problem. I was always the idiot that stayed up late the night before making 3 lbs of baked ziti, and someone else would come in with a package of napkins and eat like a pig!

So after a while, a very smart person decided to send around a sign-up sheet that had columns. An entree column, an appetizer/dessert column, and a condiments/other column. The entree column was worth 5 points, the app/dessert was worth 3, and the condiments/other was worth 1. If you wanted to eat, you had to contribute 5 points. We usually had about 8 people make entree things, so they were done. But if you baked a batch of cookies (3 pts) or brought in a dip (3 pts), you also needed to bring in a sleeve of cups (1 pt) and a package of napkins (1 pt). We had a few younger guys that just went right down the "other" list and brought soda, napkins, plates, forks, and ketchup. It really worked out well. Some people are idiots when left to their own devices, but they will follow specific instructions reasonably well. Even if it means taking time out of their lunch break to go to the store and get what they forgot!

 

[sunlver]

For us this depends on how big the gathering is. If you are the ONLY one bringing chips, then yes, 4 bags is a good idea but if 10 other people are brining chips, I would only bring one or two bags. I know some people don't bring much to potlucks but like I said earlier, I have NEVER been to one where there hasn't been MORE then enough food to go around. Yes, you run out of some of the more popular things but never have had to scrounge for food to feed everyone.

Normally at our girlscout pot luck parties..one person is assigned chips, one is assigned soda etc...

 

[RUDisney]

At my old office, this used to be a problem. I was always the idiot that stayed up late the night before making 3 lbs of baked ziti, and someone else would come in with a package of napkins and eat like a pig!

So after a while, a very smart person decided to send around a sign-up sheet that had columns. An entree column, an appetizer/dessert column, and a condiments/other column. The entree column was worth 5 points, the app/dessert was worth 3, and the condiments/other was worth 1. If you wanted to eat, you had to contribute 5 points. We usually had about 8 people make entree things, so they were done. But if you baked a batch of cookies (3 pts) or brought in a dip (3 pts), you also needed to bring in a sleeve of cups (1 pt) and a package of napkins (1 pt). We had a few younger guys that just went right down the "other" list and brought soda, napkins, plates, forks, and ketchup. It really worked out well. Some people are idiots when left to their own devices, but they will follow specific instructions reasonably well. Even if it means taking time out of their lunch break to go to the store and get what they forgot!

At my last job, people would signup to make various things. There was no point system because sometimes more time and money goes into an appetizer than an entree. A committee would make sure that we had enough substantial things to eat and would charge all of the napkin, plate, soda people a set price for lunch. From that they would buy the paper products, soda, cold cuts (if needed to supplement), condiments, etc.

It worked out very well that way.

This was concocted because one year, a man that brought olives (an SVP, mind you) ate like a pig and was ready with his tupperware to take leftovers home.

He ruined it for everyone who just wanted to do the minimum to get into the luncheon.

The first floor always catered their luncheon for Christmas because no one wanted to form a committee and no one wanted to bother with anything. One of the secretaries would take the money and call the caterer.

 

[Towncrier]

The same thing happens every year at the marching band potluck. Fortunately, this was our last dinner. Even more fortunate is that seniors and their families eat first. The poor freshman class has oftentimes had nothing to eat. In fact, it was common practice to bring a bag of burgers from McDonald's to hold in reserve in case the food ran out.

We traditionally brought meatballs in a crock pot to the potluck. The first year we brought 100 meatballs. Not enough. The next year 150. Still not enough. This year, my wife filled two roasting pans with meatballs and tomato sauce. And they were gone by the time the freshman class got in line.

I cannot tell you how many times a family of 5 or 6 would show up with a paper plate with a dozen cookies on it and then proceed to mound their plates with enough food for two or three meals. I am constantly amazed by how clueless people can be.

Our church has all but given up on potluck dinners and that is a shame. My childhood memories include countless potlucks with plenty of food for everyone and lots of leftovers. I guess that those days are long gone.

 

[AprilShowers]

The same thing happens every year at the marching band potluck. Fortunately, this was our last dinner. Even more fortunate is that seniors and their families eat first. The poor freshman class has oftentimes had nothing to eat. In fact, it was common practice to bring a bag of burgers from McDonald's to hold in reserve in case the food ran out.

We traditionally brought meatballs in a crock pot to the potluck. The first year we brought 100 meatballs. Not enough. The next year 150. Still not enough. This year, my wife filled two roasting pans with meatballs and tomato sauce. And they were gone by the time the freshman class got in line.

I cannot tell you how many times a family of 5 or 6 would show up with a paper plate with a dozen cookies on it and then proceed to mound their plates with enough food for two or three meals. I am constantly amazed by how clueless people can be.

Our church has all but given up on potluck dinners and that is a shame. My childhood memories include countless potlucks with plenty of food for everyone and lots of leftovers. I guess that those days are long gone.

You know, I've been thinking alot about this problem. I think part of the problem is that EVERYONE thinks they're soooo busy. So "I'll just bring cookies, or chips, all those non-busy people can bring their special homemade stuff."

Well, EVERYONE IS BUSY THESE DAYS!! Suck it up and prepare a decent dish, or buy one if you have to. I mean you would have had to feed your own family anyway if you weren't coming to this potluck. What would you have fed them? BRING IT!!

 

[cccm]

Thank you for opening this thread! It is a timely reminder to some, but of course they will never be willing to admit that they don't bring enough. They don't see it that way. They are completely oblivious.

Sorry its only been two days since the last potluck! I'm still peeved.

I have someone in mind now who is the continuous offender in our group. She brings a log of cookie dough for us to make, doesn't bother making it herself.
Meanwhile her family of 3 piles onto the plate. They don't stay to clean up. She is just a mean, mean person.

Please, oh please remove this woman and family from my dealings.

 

[noodleknitter]

You know, I've been thinking alot about this problem. I think part of the problem is that EVERYONE thinks they're soooo busy. So "I'll just bring cookies, or chips, all those non-busy people can bring their special homemade stuff."

Well, EVERYONE IS BUSY THESE DAYS!! Suck it up and prepare a decent dish, or buy one if you have to. I mean you would have had to feed your own family anyway if you weren't coming to this potluck. What would you have fed them? BRING IT!!

LOL, that is it in a nutshell!

The "point system" would drive me nuts. I can't stand being that anal! But I know very few stingy people, too.

 

[Todd&Copper]

When we did work potlucks, there was always a sign-up sheet. If you wanted to cook an entree, you had to make enough for a certain # of people. If you wanted to make a dessert or a salad/side, you also had to bring a given amount and you had to contribute a small amount to the "other" fund (maybe $2 or 3). If you didn't want to bring anything but wanted to eat, you had to contribute a larger amount to the "other" fund (maybe $7 or 8). After everyone signed the sheet, the $ was collected and we looked to see if there were any "holes" in the meal - i.e., were there a few salads/sides/fruit/veggies, enough entrees, at least a few desserts? For the holes, someone went to BJ's or Costco and got the needed food items. The rest of the money went to cups, plates, napkins, silverware, and drinks. We did not always have to buy more plates/cups/etc. if we had leftover ones from the previous time.

One Thanksgiving, we had people who wanted to cook make sides and desserts, and the non-cooks each contributed money towards a deep fried turkey from Popeyes. That worked out very well for everyone.

 

[missypie]

Our Sunday School class has occasional pot lucks...the group wil be 14-22 people. One lady, bless her heart, always opens a can of something and puts it in a bowl-like a single can of corn or whatever. She's never going to change, so we sort of act like she hasn't signed up at all-like if we want 3 people to bring veggies and she signs up for veggies, we make sure 4 people are signed up for veggies.

This happens at our neighborhood block parties, esp. with people who bring the main course-they'll bring 8 pieces of chicken for maybe 40 people. I always bring a spiral sliced ham, so no matter what anyone else brings, there will be plenty of ham.

 

[kpm76]

LOL...anyone who thinks that a restaurant/caterer's kitchen is "safer" than a home kitchen has obviously never worked in a commercial kitchen.

How are you familiar with the kitchens of restaurants/caterers?

BTW.......After delivering food to restaurants for many yrs, my mother's boyfriend refuses to eat in most restaurants. He's seen what goes on behind the scenes and would much rather eat something out of a stranger's home that something prepared in a most restaurants.

How are you familiar with every restaurant/caterer?? Sounds like we are both guilty of generalizing. We are particular about what restaurant we dine in and what caterers we chose for our events. Of course, nothing is 100% safe but I will take the folks who are regulated any day over the 90 year old lady from church who makes brownies with the toilet water....sorry, to each their own, but potlucks are not my thing...thankfully, they don't happen very often in our circles.

 

[sha_lyn]

How are you familiar with every restaurant/caterer??

Never said I was, but I am familiar with several in the area, and my mother BF is extremely familiar with most resturants in the area other than fast food and some of the chains that do all their food shipping in house.

So tell me about the lady that uses toilet water to make brownies, and why would she do that over using water from her kitchen sink.

 

[noodleknitter]

How are you familiar with every restaurant/caterer?? Sounds like we are both guilty of generalizing. We are particular about what restaurant we dine in and what caterers we chose for our events. Of course, nothing is 100% safe but I will take the folks who are regulated any day over the 90 year old lady from church who makes brownies with the toilet water....sorry, to each their own, but potlucks are not my thing...thankfully, they don't happen very often in our circles.

Well, I'll take 90 year old women who care enough to cook to rude snobs any day of the week. Thankfully I am able to avoid most.

 

[RUDisney]

One year, my bosses' secretary signed up to make chicken with pasta. The committee gave her money to buy the chicken since it had collected enough from the non-cooks. This lady had the nerve to bring in this chicken dish and brag to everyone that of the 10# of chicken that she bought with her coworkers' money, she only felt that she needed to use 4#, so she was going to use the rest to make Christmas dinner for her DH's family.

 

[binny]

potluck on Sunday here. We are Nazarene, it is in our blood. LOL Some of the best food in the world comes from potluck Sundays!


Anyway, I was asked to bring a side so I emailed the leader and said " Snicker salad or a REAL side?" she emailed back and said "YES PLEASE and I consider snicker salad to BE a real side."

So I guess thats what I am bringing. But I always make a huge double or triple batch. There are usually a bit of leftovers but everyone loves that sort of thing and its dead easy to make. We dont seem to have a problem with people not bringing things.

Some of these stories though I guess if you dont grow up doing this sort of things ( the 5th Sunday months in our case and a few extras thrown in for good luck) you might not know what youre supposed to do.

 

[dbogen]

Anyway, I was asked to bring a side so I emailed the leader and said " Snicker salad or a REAL side?" she emailed back and said "YES PLEASE and I consider snicker salad to BE a real side."

I have to ask, what is a snicker salad?

 

[NMAmy]

, nothing is 100% safe but I will take the folks who are regulated any day over the 90 year old lady from church who makes brownies with the toilet water.

Wow, what kind of 90 year old ladies do you know?

We have potlucks at work all the time and we always have tons of leftovers. I usually bring in a huge Crockpot of chili and it's usually scraped clean but there is always plenty of other stuff for everybody. Sometimes a person or two will have had something come up where they can't bring something or have forgotten but they always make it up at the next potluck.

 

[kpm76]

Well, I'll take 90 year old women who care enough to cook to rude snobs any day of the week. Thankfully I am able to avoid most.

I assume I am the rude snob. It's too bad that we can't have civil discussions and express differing opinions without resorting to name calling