Potluck Feast Ideas

When you have a large get-together like a family reunion, holiday gatherings, church get-togethers, or whatever other large gathering you have planned, having a potluck is a great idea. It’s inexpensive to have everyone cook one or two dishes and you get to try a lot of different kinds of food. Here are some potluck feast ideas you can use for your next large gathering.

How to Have a Potluck Gathering

* Create a theme. If you are doing a holiday potluck, then it’s clear what the theme is. But for a family reunion or church get-together, you’ll want to let your guests know if you’re doing a south-of-the-border theme or an all-American theme. This way your guests can choose an appropriate dish to complement every other dish.

* Ask your guests to let you know what they are making and keep a list, so you get a good variety of foods and everything from appetizers to dessert rather than just all dessert or appetizers.

* Have a list of recommendations that your guests can bring in case you get someone who is unsure what to bring.

* Don’t forget about the kids. Make sure people bring a kid-friendly dish if there will be children there. You can ask your guests to just make a slight variation of their meal for the kids. If someone is bringing stuffed shells for the adults, ask them to bring some plain shells for the kids who might not be too crazy about the stuffed shells.

Theme Ideas for Your Next Potluck Feast

* An around-the-world potluck feast – Have your guests bring something from their heritage. Or just give a specific country of origin. Have Italian, Chinese, Mexican, French, German, Indian, Moroccan, Greek, Japanese, and Thai food. It will be bold and engaging and the possibilities are just endless.

* A Mexican Fiesta – A Mexican fiesta is all about family so this is perfect. Serve tortilla chips, tacos, guacamole, fajitas, and enchiladas. All of these are great Mexican foods you can have with your family.

* A comfort potluck – Have a theme filled with comfort foods, from macaroni and cheese to meatloaf; from mashed potatoes to apple pie. All of these foods bring up warm, happy memories. And what better thing to build a theme around than warm, happy memories.

* A BBQ – The possibilities are endless when it comes to barbeque. And who doesn’t love a good barbeque! You’ll need ribs, chicken, and pork. Then include some wonderful sides like cornbread and potato salad and pasta salad. Don’t forget the coleslaw.

* A letter potluck – Have your guests bring whatever they would like, but the thing is it must be something that begins with the first letter of their last name. So the Smiths can bring spaghetti and the Jones family can bring Jerk. It will be fun to see what everyone comes up with using the first letter of their last name.

That’s how you throw a potluck feast that everyone will be sure to remember. Have fun with it. Whether it’s for a family reunion or your next holiday get-together, just enjoy some great food with great friends and family.