home sectionhome sectionA themed potluck dinner is a gathering of a group of people who each bring a dish to share that fits the theme. Potluck dishes are usually homemade, allowing the guests to taste each other's cooking. Themes for a potluck vary and include holidays, foreign foods and even movies or books. If you're hosting a themed potluck dinner, you'll want to provide loose guidelines for your guests so you'll have a complete dinner that fits your chosen theme.
When deciding what dish to bring to a potluck, keep in mind the location of the gathering and the tastes of the people who are attending. It wouldn't do to make a pot of hot soup in the middle of summer or bring turkey meatloaf to a potluck for vegetarians. Once you have the event's details, start thinking about which one of your recipes you feel comfortable making for a large group of people.
Unlike traditional dinner parties, potlucks require each guest to bring at least one dish, which means that the menu is always new and unexpected. These meals can be a good way to share the work and your favorite recipes with others, however, without structure, they can become a hodgepodge of unrelated dishes. Introduce a theme to your dinner to give your potluck a common purpose. Common ideas to spark your imagination include ethnic, historical, seasonal and literary potluck dinners.
If you don't have a lot of experience entertaining -- or you just want to keep things low-key -- an informal dinner may be the perfect event for you. You don't have to create a fancy menu or dress to the nines. All you need is good food (whether you cooked it or not), good guests and a sense of adventure. Wow your guests with your creativity, not just your culinary prowess, and your dinner will be a success.
While it is relatively easy to choose a healthy main course, such as picking a lean protein and a vegetable, many people get confounded when it comes to healthy side dishes. When making a side dish, it should be full of flavor but low in fat, calories and sodium. Bring one of these healthy, tasty side dishes to your next potluck.
Dens of Cub Scouts come together to celebrate the anniversary of the creation of the Scout organization every February at the Blue and Gold Banquet. A time of celebration in which scouts focus more on their bonds and brotherhood than on individual accomplishments, the banquet helps to strengthen the local scout community and the association's national identity. Successful dinner ideas for the Blue and Gold Banquet can help to further promote Scout community ideals.
Next time you're invited to a potluck brunch, bring a dish everyone will love. Whether you have expert skills in the kitchen or not, you can contribute something both tasty and healthy to the group meal. Develop a repertoire of familiar dishes within your level of cooking expertise that you can rely on whenever you're expected to contribute to a group meal.
Breakfast may be the most complicated meal to make into a potluck party. Most breakfast items--eggs, hotcakes and fruit--are not very conducive to being prepared a few hours in advance. In some cases, you may have to do a little food prep at the party.
If you are looking to bring a budget dish to a potluck dinner, think about using ingredients like budget cuts of meat, beans and pasta salads. You don't have to break the bank in order to bring a savory potluck dish. Many people work out before hand who is bring what part of the meal. Once this is determined, pick a budget potluck recipe that you think the guests at the party would enjoy.
Whether you love showing off signature dishes or dread coming up with something to bring, potluck dinners are delicious gatherings that also follow a few guidelines and safety considerations. Create a plate that will have all the guests paying their compliments to the chef.
