My friends are having a barbeque tonight. Instead of buying all the food themselves, they have asked each of the invited guests to bring a dish to share and to bring their own booze. It’s a great way to make sure there is enough food for everyone and that each guest likes to eat and enjoys at least one dish (the one that they brought, most likely).
I find potlucks are a great idea and an awesome money-saving trick for a party or get-together since both guests and hosts tend to spend too much at a conventional gathering: hosts spend a wad of cash on the food and drinks and the guests spend to bring a gift for the host (like wine or flowers). With a potluck everyone contributes and takes the money pressure off, especially for the host.
Want to throw a party but are on a tight budget? A potluck might be the perfect answer for you. I’d go a step further… Find out if your guests have allergies or diet needs/food restrictions then try to accommodate these by planning a menu with everyone invited. Ask each guest to commit to a dish with the appropriate ingredients for everyone. This will also ensure the party won’t have 3 macaroni salads and 10 desserts and too little entrees.
Looking for more tips to save some cash? Then be sure to visit the Saving Tips section of this website. Craving Cheap Food Recipes? Visit the Cheap Eats section of this website for some tasty meals. For more organizing tips and stories, visit the Organizing section of this website. Or how about reading on how money affects our relationships? Read the Money and Relationships section.
I’m all about potlucks! Great idea to replace mundane and expensive gifts with edible goodies to share! I saw a variation on the potluck on a cooking show once. Each guest is assigned an ingredient to a pasta dish: fresh pasta, tomatoes, shrimp, olives, etc. Since each person is responsible for just one ingredient, chances are all the ingredients will be fresh and of high quality. The host is in charge of combining all the items into a delicious pasta dish.
Hi Helen,
Thanks so much for sharing that cooking show idea, it sounds awesome. I have a group of friends that I have attended potlucks with for years and this is definitely something that they will be happy to try out!
Margarita
Great idea! I LOVE potlucks for two reasons. One, you get to try other people’s favorite recipes. People always bring the ones the love best and are the best at making! And two, if it’s your party, it’s much less stressful to only have to worry about one part of the meal! Super suggestion! I’m glad to hear other people think potlucks are a great idea too!