From pasta salads to meaty casseroles, these kicked-up recipes are sure to secure a guest-of-honor invite to any upcoming soiree. These simple potluck ideas were created with you in mind! There's something for everyone and every budget. Bringing a tired dish to a potluck is no way to get the party started. That will make a lot of people happy.Find an opportunity to take a break and break bread with your coworkers! Reduce stress, get creative, build relationships, and share a healthy meal in your department. And if you want to (or have to) bring a dish, bring something awesome like pizzas from the 'fancy' Neapolitan pizza place in town. If you want to bring something to consume, go the beer or wine route. Bring paper goods like napkins, plates, cups, and utensils. We get it: Even if you're not comfortable in the kitchen, you still want to be invited to the potluck festivities. If you're going store-bought, bring cured meats and cheese or pick up a great nut mix.

Cracked, air-dried carrots + flavorless pepper strips + a gross ranch dip = yuck. Bring something fresh like a grain salad or a raw vegetable side dish for some variety. Add in olive oil, minced garlic, lemon juice, parsley, red chili flakes, salt and pepper. Transfer the eggplant to a mixing bowl and mash to a smooth consistency with a fork. Allow water to drain out for 10-15 minutes. But the potluck plate often lacks crunch and brightness. Once cooled, scoop out the flesh of the eggplant and place in a colander. And that's fine: they're easy, crowd-pleasing, and transportable. According to the CDC, every year 1 in 6 Americans gets sick after consuming a contaminated food or beverage. No matter what you call them, potlucks are scary. Potluck people tend to bring heavy, meaty dishes like chili, casseroles, and baked pastas. Whether youre in charge of bringing a small bite, a main dish, or a sweet ending, these impressive and easy potluck recipes will be the star of the spread. Potlucks can go by many names carry-in dinners, pass-a-dish, potlucks, or covered dishes. If you absolutely have to make a dish requires the oven, call the host ahead to ask if there's space. Try to make something you can either keep warm on the ride over or that can be served at room temperature. Yes, your macaroni and cheese only needs to be warmed in the oven for 15 minutes-but so do seven more guests' dishes. To appease the sweet tooths in the gang, take a peek at our recipe for Chocolate Banana Baked French Toast (page 4). Plus, since people are bringing an array of different dishes, it's important that yours doesn't overpower the rest.ĭon't assume you'll get oven real estate.

Things that are super garlicky, overly spicy, or have 'weird' ingredients make people hesitant to go for your dish.

Avoid the triple-S: stinky, spicy, and strange.

Pot lucks