Monday, July 6, 2009

Controversial Monday: Potlucks and Picnics

I don't like it when I have to bring a food item somewhere. Basically, I don't like to cook and I am not good at advance prep.

At our house the night before the potluck:

9pm
J- are we going to the potluck tomorrow?

N- I don't know. Maybe we should. Maybe not. Potlucks are so sketchy (Noah doesn't like "mixed together" food. He likes his steak. His mushrooms. His onions. His potato. All separate and all from the grill.

J- well, if we went then we wouldn't have to cook tomorrow.

N- no, we would just have to keep the kids from dumping lemonade on each other's heads.

J- remind me to bring L a sippy cup

J- What should I make?

N- don't know. Do we have anything?

conversation ends.

11pm

J- I suppose I should throw something together for the potluck. Do you think anyone would eat orange/lime/blue rasberry jello mixed together with...um...maybe some canned apricots cut in? Oooo...score! I have a brownie mix....but no eggs...

I guess we could just pick up some chips and potato salad.

N- if we are going to do that, we may as well just pick up some steaks and eat at home.


My potluck philosophy is that I bring whatever I have that I can throw together quickly. And yes, I wouldn't advise you to attend potlucks with me.

My mom likes to bring things that my dad doesn't like but she does.

Some people always bring the same thing.

Others like to test out new recipes.

What is your potluck standard? Do you always bring the same thing? Do you even go? Or are you the awesome one who brings the fried chicken from the deli?

9 comments:

Rachel said...

I'm so with your mom - I always like to bring something I like, but Paul doesn't care for. He's a little like Noah - for the most part he prefers meat and potatoes -not lots of salads. He is partial to the potluck desert table, though. We have a potluck/picnic this coming Sunday. I hate the preparation part - always falls on me. Guys (who don't do the cooking) don't realize that a potluck is practically more work than just eating at home.

Anonymous said...

I HATE potlucks.......mostly because I think it's more expensive to make a big batch of food to share with everyone and then we don't even get the leftovers. Also I don't usually like what other people bring:( Maybe I'm just a penny pinching food snob:(

Julie "I forgot my google password"

Kim said...

I always bring a huge taco salad, the one with seasoned beef, kidney beans, lettuce, tomatoes, cheese, and nacho cheese doritos, all mixed around with western dressing.

My husband is hilarious. When we go to meals where many people are contributing, he only eats my food. Stick with what you know right?

Billi Jo said...

Interesting...I do NOT enjoy LARGE potlucks, for most of the same reasons mentioned above, but mainly because there is rarely enough food after everyone gets done "sampling" all the dishes. I do, however, like when a few families get together and everyone provides part of the meal. It makes a great opportunity to "try" new things.

On a side note...a few of us at church have been getting together to provide larger portions of the same thing...i.e. Sloppy Joes, Chili, etc. Things that can be lumped together to create less of a smorgasbord and to help make the "potluck" stretch further.

Momma Bear said...

I either make a dish and leave it at home as I'm overwhelmed getting everything together to go, getting everyone in the car and then just getting there.

Or I don't make a dish and lie saying I left it at home, like this past saturday.

Matt said...

In general I enjoy potlucks - a good selection of food (I like to try a little bit of everything), and a convenient time to meet and chat with friends (or people you haven't met before).
Lately we've had other dinners or events around the same time as the potlucks - so we've been making the same dish for two events, which works out well. (And by "we've" I really mean "Becki", as she has made the dish for the last several potlucks).
The parts I don't like about potlucks - overeating, and feeling like I wasted a week's worth of exercising.

Auntie Kendy said...

I like potlucks so I can eat the things that I don't make for us at home. But it's kinda gross to go through the line late cuz things have been mixed up or messed up and then don't look so good. Goal... if we're gonna go, go early and be first in line!

Grandma Debbie said...

I make a variety of things, but I don't do hot food, because I don't own a crock pot. I like to make a broccoli salad that no one in my family but me eats.

I have learned to eat only a few items at a pot luck. Eating a little of a lot of different things doesn't usually make my stomach very happy. However, I will make an exception if the desserts are plentiful and varied.

Elise said...

I think potlucks are best when they have some direction. The last pot luck we had at church, people either brought soup or a dessert and then church provided rolls and crackers. It was really nice and you didn't end up with that weird mix of food that so often happens at an "uncontrolled" potluck.