A potluck is a meal in which each guest brings a dish prepared at home and then gather at one place to enjoy it. While organizing a potluck meal, you need to set a theme too.
A potluck is a very interesting and economical party where a gathering of friends or coworkers meet together and enjoy a meal. The best part of this dinner or lunch is that each guest has to bring a prepared dish of their own to share among the group. As every guest brings at least one dish, it gives the hostess ample time to relax and enjoy the party without having to slave over the stove preparing dishes. As you never know what the guests are going to bring, it gives an air of mystery as to what you might have for the meal. The main thing to remember while deciding a theme for a potluck meal is not to order any specific food from your friends, but give them plenty of leeway to choose their own food. Given below are a few ideas for potluck themes that will work very well for any kind of gatherings.
Sandwiches and Salads
A great potluck theme for work is to ask your coworkers to bring sandwiches and salads. This works very well for people who cannot spend too much time preparing elaborate meals in the morning before coming to work. In this way your coworkers do not have to face undue pressure to create a tasty meal as they can prepare the filling for the sandwiches and the dressing for the salad a day before. Some easy salads that can be put together quickly are roasted beef and arugula salad, salmon and steamed asparagus salad with a lemon vinaigrette, chicken Caesar salad, pork and noodle salad, green bean salad and creamy potato salad. Some great sandwiches are grilled pork sliders, roast beef sandwiches, and grilled turkey and ham sandwiches.
Italian Potluck
Another great creative potluck theme is to ask your guests to bring a dish that is authentically Italian. Just make sure that all your guests do not end up bringing a pasta dish. Everybody loves Italian cuisine and they are quite filling and tasty. If you opt for this potluck theme, then make sure that the decor and table decorations match the theme. Some good Italian dishes that you can choose from are Tuscan bean and barley soup, three cheese lasagna, pan roasted pork loin with leeks, Italian tomato tart, grilled chicken pizza and cold pasta salad.
Turkey Potluck
If it’s holiday time and you are looking for a potluck theme, then what better theme than to center it around turkey. After thanksgiving is over, you can have a post party celebration by using any leftover turkey or even a fresh turkey. If some of your guests do not eat turkey then ask them to bring any other meat dish that are reminiscent of the holidays. Some good recipes that you can try for your potluck party are herb roasted turkey, roasted baby potatoes, pumpkin cheesecake, apple glazed pork loin, turkey cutlets and maple sweet potatoes. There are also many leftover turkey recipes that are easy to prepare and which can be served in a potluck party.
Comfort Food
A good theme for a potluck party is one in which potluck dishes can be prepared by your guests without too much of fuss. A potluck theme that your guests are sure to enjoy is a comfort food potluck. Everyone has a favorite comfort food be it fried chicken or a hearty stew that not only tastes delicious but also provides you with a sense of nostalgia and satisfaction. Ask your guests to bring their favorite comfort food and inform them that it is the theme for the potluck party. You will be surprised at the sheer variety of food that your guests will prepare. Some of the comfort food that you can choose from are fried chicken, creamy chicken soup, meatloaf with garlic mashed potatoes, macaroni and cheese, chicken potpie, minestrone, marinated pork chops and chicken dumplings.
Winter Potluck
For a winter potluck, the best bet is to opt for hot soups and spicy stews. These dishes are not only tasty but are also ideal during winter. Some great dishes that can be prepared for a winter potluck are butternut risotto, vegetable soup with corn dumplings, beef noodle soup, chicken and barley stew and Moroccan chickpea chili.
Some other themes for a potluck party that your guests might enjoy are:
- Mexican potluck
- Chinese potluck
- Crockpot potluck
- Seafood potluck
- Picnic potluck
- Casserole potluck
- Potato potluck
- Breakfast potluck
- Finger-food potluck
- Vegetarian potluck
If you want some new twist to your potluck party you can also have a sushi potluck theme. Let your guests bring different types of seafood and cooked sushi rice and have fun assembling your very own sushi rolls. Whatever theme for a potluck party you may pick, make sure that you cater to the needs of your vegetarian guests. Have fun at your potluck party!
