Potlucks suck

[Dionysus]

Man, I really don't like doing potlucks. I'm a picky eater, and I don't want hurt people's feelings if I choose not to eat their dish. I also don't like it when people reject my dish, because it hurts my feelings. The last two potlucks I've been to I took the easy way out, I brought my things from the store. I'm doing the same this season.

Yes they do.

When I was a collegian and we'd do potlucks, everybody wanted to bring the 7 Layer Bean Dip.

Nobody really wants to put in the effort/thrown down some cash and bring a good entree.

[PhoenixAzul]

oh man, I loooove potlucks. We're having one at the postal facility I work at this christmas. I'm bringing my mom's reuben dip and bread, and maybe a nice black bean and corn chowder.

[valkyrie]

HAHA I don't mind potlucks, but I usually just eat whatever I bring and not much else. Potlucks can be scary for vegetarians.

[The_Grip]

Paper plates and plastic utensils are the key to potlucks. No fuss, no muss and you don't have to worry about getting your casserole dish back.

[DolphinChicaDDD]

We just had out church's quasi potluck. After years of doing potluck, and everyone wanting to bring salads or desserts, we started ordering a few trays of food (antipasto, chicken francaise, penne vodka, some kind of garlic broccoli and pasta goodness, and mac and cheese and hotdogs for the kiddies) and everyone brings a dessert. Its much easier this way.

[_Lisa_]

I kind of like potlucks at work because we've got so many different cultures represented. There are Indian dishes (often cooked by the wives of the men who work there), traditional french dishes, and some Irish dishes too! And then there is always some fried chicken too.

I generally bring something storebought too, though its only because I can't really cook.

[Glitter650]

The past two potlucks at my work have been AWESOME. Everybody brings excellent food, and we make sure to have vegetraian options too. The key to potluck is to have a sign up ahead of time.

[The_Grip]

Originally Posted by Glitter650

The key to potluck is to have a sign up ahead of time.

But whatever you do, avoid being the owner of the sign-up list.

[Eclipse]

I don't eat everybody's food so I look for the containers I know came from the store or I don't eat it. I am usually hungry after work potlucks.

There was a woman at my current job who told some of her coworkers thta she lets let dogs lick her dishes before she put them in the dishwasher. She was hurt when no one ate her dish.

[aephi alum]

I love potlucks! At the last potluck I was at, the theme was international foods - cook something from any cuisine you like. We had an amazing diversity of foods. I made kofta (Indian spiced meatballs) and it was the second biggest hit, after the Jamaican meat patties that a Jamaican coworker brought.

It can be a problem when everyone wants to bring salads or desserts so they don't have to cook. But at all the potlucks I've been to, there's always been enough people who want to cook (including myself) that hot food isn't a problem.

I almost always bring something Indian, and I don't get offended if people don't like it - my curries bite back.

[honeychile]

I think potlucks rock - but maybe I've been very, very lucky. Most of the foods that I eat now but didn't grow up with, I first tried at a potluck. Of course, dishes made by dog-licking lady or someone similar, I'd avoid like the plague - but the vast majority have been ones where you end up asking for recipes. Maybe it's a burgh thing?

[AGDee]

I love our work potluck too. This year, they catered in pasta, egg rolls (Shrimp and vegetarian), chicken wings(3 flavors), deli trays and quesadillas (cheese or chicken and cheese). Then people brought salads, hot side dishes, desserts or pop (yes, it's pop in Michigan). It's always awesome. One guy brings a dish called "potatoes elegante" every year and I look forward to that. Another gal always brings pretzel jello. It's a very culturally diverse group so we also had all kinds of ethnic foods. There are so many dishes and so much variety that nobody could taste all of it and nobody would pay attention if you tried something or not. It's just too big (125 people). This year, to bring a dessert, it had to be homemade and was part of a dessert contest. This really upped the ante on the desserts and they were all incredible! No boxed sugar cookies from the grocery store that way! Anyway, ours was great. My S'mores cheesecake didn't win an award though...

[AOIIBrandi]

I'm with the OP, I don't like pot lucks. I can't really say why, except at work I feel like it's a "command performance" - you know be there and participate or the gossip starts that you're not a team player...

[BetteDavisEyes]

We had our work one yesterday. It was o.k. except there were at least 22 desserts that I counted and only 3 main dishes. I ended up eating a brownie, 7 layer dip, & an eclair b/c the main dished were all gone.