Kitchen

[house_cat]

I'm always afraid to bring too little.

As a result, I usually bring too much.

How do you judge?

[mima]

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.

[Pook]

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.

[Zhills]

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!

[Kathlen]

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

[boby]

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

[lolakimono]

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

[lovesrecess]

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.

[kittyloo]

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.

[chickadee]

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.