topic Re: How do you judge how much food to take to a potluck? in Kitchen

How do you judge how much food to take to a potluck?

house_cat — Sun, 25 May 2014 15:27:44 GMT

I'm always afraid to bring too little.

As a result, I usually bring too much.

How do you judge?

Re: How do you judge how much food to take to a potluck?

mima — Sun, 25 May 2014 15:34:26 GMT

It would totally depend on how many I was bringing to eat. One person going wouldn't take as much as a big family. It also depends on what you bring. I always bring a main dish because a lot of people bring sides that are cheaper to make and you end up with not enough main dishes. I would bring large main dish if 2 people are going (such as DH and I). If 4 people are going (2 adults and 2 kids) I'd take one family sized casserole and then something the kids would like to eat such as a platter of ham and cheese sandwiches or peanut butter and jelly.

It makes me mad when a family of 6 shows up and brings a bowl of baked beans.

Re: How do you judge how much food to take to a potluck?

Pook — Sun, 25 May 2014 15:35:33 GMT

I always bring more because it's better to have too much than too little. Most others only bring something small thinking there will be others bringing food but it's so disappointing to have certain things run out before everyone gets some. Bringing more - even if there are leftovers - doesn't leave anyone disappointed in the variety. Even if there are any leftovers of what I bring there are always many who will want to take some home.

I've been to so many that most of the dishes ran out after only a few of the guests had taken some because so many brought only small quantities and the only things left were food that wasn't very good and no one wanted. No one usually only takes a small spoonful of anything.

Re: How do you judge how much food to take to a potluck?

Zhills — Sun, 25 May 2014 15:57:06 GMT

At Thanksgiving last year, we sat 8 to a table and everybody brought enough of one dish to feed 8. Too much food! Had 3 pots of mashed potatoes to feed 8; that's 24 servings! I usually take about the amount we (people with me) would eat and an extra serving or two!

Re: How do you judge how much food to take to a potluck?

Kathlen — Sun, 25 May 2014 16:02:04 GMT

Normally - whoever is hosting the potluck says to bring enough to feed ??? people. My usual is a big pan of lasagna.

Re: How do you judge how much food to take to a potluck?

boby — Sun, 25 May 2014 16:36:32 GMT

I try to bring enough for four to six if its an entree, more if its something like a salad or dessert.

Re: How do you judge how much food to take to a potluck?

lolakimono — Sun, 25 May 2014 16:52:06 GMT

I bring enough that if there are leftovers I could eat them once. Ideally, there wouldn't be anything to take home!

Re: How do you judge how much food to take to a potluck?

lovesrecess — Sun, 25 May 2014 16:55:10 GMT

when we attended potlucks at our church, we were asked to bring enough to feed our own family plus one more person....we always had plenty of food but not so much it went to waste.

Re: How do you judge how much food to take to a potluck?

kittyloo — Sun, 25 May 2014 17:11:46 GMT

I go to LOTS of potlucks. it's never been mentioned or addressed how much to bring. Its always been up to the bringer. I usually have a clue as to how many will attend.

cookies, etc. I always make a double batch. Casseroles, a 9x13 is usually fine. salad is just a larger size bowl.

don't sweat the small stuff.

Re: How do you judge how much food to take to a potluck?

chickadee — Sun, 25 May 2014 17:13:33 GMT

Unless it's for a large group where not everyone is bringing something, I usually just make however servings the recipe turns out. Except if the recipe is a smallish one that only makes 3-4 servings. Then I'd double it.

I used to make huge batches of stuff for pot lucks at work, and it got to where everyone depended on me to be the provider of the belly filling stuff and they would just have to show up with rolls or canned green beans. Okay, a couple others broght something, lol. But I was feeling a little ... used.

They would heap up their plates, go back for seconds of my stuff, but they only brought enough for everyone to have one roll. Or one cookie. And, of course, you always have a couple of people who don't care how many others are there, and if there are 50 people there, and someone brought exactly 50 of something to feed everyone...some has to take several portions, leaving others without any.

You really can't win either way, lol. But if you don't worry about it, you can't lose, either. ;-)Sooooo, all that to say bring however much you are comfortable bringing and enjoy yourself.

Re: How do you judge how much food to take to a potluck?

sunshine45 — Sun, 25 May 2014 17:36:24 GMT

i really NEVER have this problem with any type of party.......because i always make TOO MUCH! i just make sure i have plenty of giveaway containers so that people can take doggie bags.

Re: How do you judge how much food to take to a potluck?

chrystaltree — Sun, 25 May 2014 19:06:19 GMT

I make a big pan or pot or loaf of whatever I take but I do not bring brought to feed all the guests because there will be many dishes served and people do not sample every single dish. When I host a potluck, I hate having too much food.

Re: How do you judge how much food to take to a potluck?

GCR18 — Sun, 25 May 2014 19:40:30 GMT

I bring enough to feed 10. We have potlucks throughout the year at work. I figure 75 will show up and likely 20 won't bring anything. And settled on 10.

Re: How do you judge how much food to take to a potluck?

nunya — Sun, 25 May 2014 20:53:33 GMT

I usually triple a recipe.

Re: How do you judge how much food to take to a potluck?

betteb — Sun, 25 May 2014 21:00:34 GMT

I just went to a family potluck yesterday and we always have too much. Better too much than too little, IMO.

I think it really impossible to get close to a guess, because some will eat some things and not others, so I just take enough to feed an army, LOL.

I did bring a plate of food home.

Re: How do you judge how much food to take to a potluck?

brewhaha — Sun, 25 May 2014 21:05:37 GMT

On 5/25/2014 betteb said:
I just went to a family potluck yesterday and we always have too much. Better too much than too little, IMO.

I think it really impossible to get close to a guess, because some will eat some things and not others, so I just take enough to feed an army, LOL.

I did bring a plate of food home.

We do that all the time.

Re: How do you judge how much food to take to a potluck?

DiamondGirly — Sun, 25 May 2014 21:32:34 GMT

Almost every potluck or BBQ that we've gone to, there has either been just enough of something...or too much of other things.

I used to take a HUGE dish of whatever I made, but I saw that it was just TOO much! Leftovers are fine, but if you don't want leftovers, make less..

My salads/Jell-o or otherwise...I take about 3-4 quarts. One group of friends, we let the hosts know what we are bringing, so things don't get doubled-up on or even tripled...(this can happen with beans/pasta/potato/macaroni-type salads, as well as Jell-o salads). This works out great. It turns out all of us have ended up with a favorite for the crowd, and they're so happy if we make that dish every time! That makes it easy. If there's too much, we leave what's left with the host, if they want it.

I've never thought about how large a family is related to how much food they should bring?? If a large family shows up with one pot of beans, it's fine! After all, those large families need their food to feed their family! Ha!

I have NEVER been told how much to take?? It's funny how different crowds can be...nothing wrong with it, just not the practice here.

We are going to a BBQ today, and I've got my Pineapple Cheese Salad ready to go...and it's a favorite! One ingredient is impossible to find here, since it's not made too much anymore, but I improvised, so we will see if we have a NEW favorite...later!

*If it was just me or my spouse and me going to a BBQ/event, I would still take more than WE could eat, or there would only be 2 servings of our dish-hardly enough to share!

Good luck with what you decide!!

Re: How do you judge how much food to take to a potluck?

Pickwickpapers — Sun, 25 May 2014 21:34:04 GMT

In our family we usually assign dishes (really there isn't much assigning because over the years most have their signature dish). Since our family totals about 30 if everyone attends, most will bring enough for 30. On desserts, several will bring different things so we might end up with two cakes, a pie, a plate of cookies, etc. My dear sweet aunt who has since passed away, made a great pot of baked beans but she and my uncle were childless and she never understood about bringing more so her bean pot usually only served about six. So we would have someone else fix beans too. My aunt's baked beans were great but you had to be in the buffet line first to get any. On the main dish which is usually a meat, two might go in together or for summer cookouts, each family might contribute a little cash. Since my grandparents passed away, we also rotate homes for the dinners. Luckily most of live within a few hours of each other. So if I make potato casserole or spinach salad I make enough for 30 to eat. On Easter my sister and I got together on the meats......I baked a ham and she did a roasted turkey......we usually have leftovers but that's good......we make plates for take home.....

Re: How do you judge how much food to take to a potluck?

DiamondGirly — Sun, 25 May 2014 21:37:12 GMT

**PS...On Christmas, my daughter hosted the dinner, and she bought take-out dishes so she could divide up the leftovers into meals for people to take as they departed. It was really nice to have those meals for the next day...after so much hustle and bustle of shopping/presents/celebrating/and cooking!

*They made a deep-fried turkey, and she always wants our traditional turkey as well, so there was for sure leftovers!

Re: How do you judge how much food to take to a potluck?

missy1 — Sun, 25 May 2014 22:01:19 GMT

I bring only pre-packaged items ( unless it's my parents house). Whatever I feel like bringing, no set amount. Not into eating homemade items from strangers at potlucks, but will attend.