Going to a potluck? Sign up for a meal train for a new mama? Did somebody invite you over for dinner and ask you to bring the dessert? If you answered yes to any of those questions and felt the twinge of panic, wondering what in the world you’re going to bring: this potluck guide is for you! This is a simple list, one option for each food group. It’s fun to see the posts with 50+ ideas, but if you’re like me and suffer with information overload, you’ll appreciate this clear-cut list of proven winners.
I used to venture to be creative, trying out new things for these sort of occasions. I’ll never forget my first potluck experience in junior high. I saw a DELICIOUS looking scalloped potato recipe, and knew I was going to become famous in my church on their behalf. (What could be more praiseworthy for a potluck in Idaho than scalloped potatoes!?) Only, it was my first time ever making scalloped potatoes. I didn’t know how thin I needed to cut them, I didn’t know that I couldn’t just go off the recipe’s recommended time without testing them. I carried that dish of potatoes in with pride and let everyone know those were mine. Oh, the HORROR. THE HORROR! They were so far from done, they were still probably cold and starchy in the middle!
You would think after an experience like that, I would learn my lesson and only bring my best, tried and true meals to share with others from then on. Oh no… not me! I had to be humbled time and time again before I realized that it was okay to use old-news-to-me recipes when sharing food with others.
That said, pin this post and try these recipes out once or twice on your own at home. Once you know your way around these recipes, let this be the answer to the inevitable question when preparing food for others: “What am I going to bring?” Almost every time I share these meals, people ask me for the recipe!
Main Dish
Thai Chicken Curry. This suits most diets as it is gluten and dairy free. (Can be made vegan by subbing chickpeas for the chicken.) It is DELICIOUS, and very versatile— you can add whatever vegetables you have in your pantry at the time. (We don’t love it with mushrooms, though! But sweet potatoes are a delightful addition!). I always bring a side of rice to pour it over, so the rice doesn’t turn to mush.
Salad
Lemon Kale Salad. Again, this one is great for a variety of diets— whole 30, paleo, keto, vegan, sugar-free…pretty much anyone and everyone can eat this salad! It is bursting with flavor from the lemon, sweet from the coconut aminos, rich umami flavor from the brewer’s yeast… even when I had little kids, this was, and still is, their favorite!
Dessert
Fruit Crisp. This is easy to make up in the biggest pan you have to serve a crowd. You can use whatever fruit is available to you at the moment. You can even spread it out in a baking sheet to go further, just double the crumb topping. This is a healthy antioxidant-rich, low sugar, nothing-artificial dessert. It is easy, no fuss, and pleases EVERYONE. (Especially if you bring a little ice cream or whipped cream to go with it!)
Brunch/Coffee Bar
Low Sugar Cookies with Dates and Chocolate Chips. These are always a winner, among moms anyway! Everyone appreciates the lack of sugar, but the sweet chew of the dates. I have made them with cacao nibs instead of chocolate chips for an even lower sugar content, and they are, amazingly, still delicious!
Snack
Popcorn! Our pastor in D.C. always had great one-liners. One of many that has stuck with me is, “Wise men come bearing gifts.” Ever since then, if I can swing it without making a stressful time for my kids, I love to take food to meetings where nobody is expecting food. Be a wise person by being generous by way of bringing food with you! What a loving way to be thought of by others. My go-to meeting snack of choice is popcorn. Does this only work for me because I go to homeschool meetings? Maybe. But no one has ever been mad that I’ve brought it!
Bonus: Gift For the Hostess
I love to give the gift of my Stone Ground Sourdough Bread for hosts. It’s something that is more than affordable for me, I’m in the rhythm of making it, and is something that is received as pure love from everyone who is not gluten intolorent! 😉
Save this post!
Pin it, save it as a note—whatever it takes for you to remember that you have a plan of action for your next shared meal!
Leave a Reply