The modern execution of a 'communal meal, where guests bring their own food', most likely originated in the 1930s during the Great Depression. The word pot-lucke appears in the 16th-century English work of Thomas Nashe, and used to mean 'food provided for an unexpected or uninvited guest, the luck of the pot'. Other names for a 'potluck' include: potluck dinner, pitch-in, shared lunch, spread, faith supper, carry-in dinner, covered-dish-supper, fuddle, Jacob's Join, bring a plate, and fellowship meal. An assorted spread of different dishes at a potluck in Alberta, CanadaĪ potluck is a communal gathering where each guest or group contributes a different, often homemade, dish of food to be shared. That will make a lot of people happy.For other uses, see Pot luck (disambiguation). And if you want to (or have to) bring a dish, bring something awesome like pizzas from the 'fancy' Neapolitan pizza place in town. If you want to bring something to consume, go the beer or wine route. Bring paper goods like napkins, plates, cups, and utensils. We get it: Even if you're not comfortable in the kitchen, you still want to be invited to the potluck festivities.

If you're going store-bought, bring cured meats and cheese or pick up a great nut mix. Cracked, air-dried carrots + flavorless pepper strips + a gross ranch dip = yuck. Bring something fresh like a grain salad or a raw vegetable side dish for some variety. But the potluck plate often lacks crunch and brightness. And that's fine: they're easy, crowd-pleasing, and transportable. Potluck people tend to bring heavy, meaty dishes like chili, casseroles, and baked pastas. If you absolutely have to make a dish requires the oven, call the host ahead to ask if there's space. Try to make something you can either keep warm on the ride over or that can be served at room temperature. Yes, your macaroni and cheese only needs to be warmed in the oven for 15 minutes-but so do seven more guests' dishes. Plus, since people are bringing an array of different dishes, it's important that yours doesn't overpower the rest.ĭon't assume you'll get oven real estate. Things that are super garlicky, overly spicy, or have 'weird' ingredients make people hesitant to go for your dish. Avoid the triple-S: stinky, spicy, and strange.

Define pot luck