How do you judge how much food to take to a potluc... - Page 2

sunshine45 · ‎03-09-2010

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.

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"The world is a dangerous place, not because of those who do evil, but because of those who look on and do nothing." - Albert Einstein

chrystaltree · ‎05-10-2010

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.

GCR18 · ‎07-03-2013

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.

nun ya · ‎03-09-2010

I usually triple a recipe.

betteb · ‎03-09-2010

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.

It's God's job to judge the terrorists. It's our mission to arrange the meeting. U.S. Marines

brewhaha · ‎07-25-2010

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.

DiamondGirly · ‎03-10-2010

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!!

Pickwickpapers · ‎06-24-2013

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.....

DiamondGirly · ‎03-10-2010

**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!

missy1 · ‎03-10-2010

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.