My mom and I are coordinators of our new church's potluck dinners. We only have 10 families(so far!). We eat after every Sun. am service. Here is what we're done so far: BBQ,fish fry,cold cuts, pasta,casseroles, cookout(burgers,hotdogs),breakfast foods, comfot foods(this Sun.,fried chicken etc). For future: foods we liked/ate as kids family faves your specialty baked potato bar heritage dishes(from past family recipes) dishes beginning w/ 1st letter of your name may need to just cycle back over past themes We received a thumbs down on Chinese and Mexican. I need some clever ideas. Everyone is willing to contribute their share as long as they have ideas. In the future we may drop to once a month potluck but for now, it's weekly so I am running out of ideas. Help?!! thanx
Posts: 16 | Location: Sadieville, KY USA | Registered: Nov 12, 2003
Based on your post, very Sabbath seems a bit too frequent for many parishioners. Why not less often? a theme that is seasonal = fresh fruits and vegetables while they last. a tasty & healthful eating contest.
Posts: 2227 | Location: NE of S.F. | Registered: Apr 13, 2006
The church I grew up in and attended when my son was small had a fellowship dinner (lunch) after church one Sunday per month. Everyone pretty much participated. Everyone brought what they wanted...no theme. We always had a great variety of food.
The only problem was that the teenagers were heading through the serving line for seconds before everyone had a chance for firsts. LOL We had to have only the one rule...
When our church has a potluck,there are a lot of college kids who don't bring anything. We always seem to run out of food-or forks. I would say half of the membership is college age.
green food or red foods or your favorite color finger foods or appitzers(sp) have just a cookie and coffee day or dessert with fresh fruit for the diabetics if any
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Posts: 687 | Location: WNY | Registered: Nov 19, 2006
Thanks for all the good ideas. Our Southern favorites went over great. This time they have been asked to bring a dish whose name begins with the 1st letter of their last name. I have meatballs, Mandarin cake and maybe macaroon cookie bars. Should be interesting. thanx again!
Posts: 16 | Location: Sadieville, KY USA | Registered: Nov 12, 2003
Layer.. Lettuce, cheese, (onion, muchrooms and olives if like) and tomatoes - then spread mayo over layer of tomatoes - repeat and repeat until dish full.. Top with Cheese or croutons. A pretty dish.
Didn't get a chance to read all. These may have been mentioned.
Decades: 40's were rationing years, with eggless, butterless, milkless cakes, and other stuff.
60's were filled with pineapple things, due to Hawaii becoming a state.
70's were the filled with health foods of the time, lovingly referred to as the sticks-and-twigs movement. Think Frances Moore/Lappe (?)
Another theme might be based on state "food". Each state has a state tree, state flower, etc and many have state foods--or things that can be made into food, such as a pecan tree, peach tree, etc.
Movie or TV show foods, or foods you think characters would eat: Dharma (of Dharma and Greg) was a vegetarian. Other movies and shows seem to feature food placement. Make a Kojak night, and feature foods from NYC street vendors, or famous NYC restaurants, and finish with homemade lollipops.
"Gross" foods that only some eat--brains, pig's feet, intestine (or whatever is in Menudo), or unusual foods, such as buffalo, snake, frog legs, etc.
Iron Chef method, where one food is featured in everything from appetizers to desserts.
Diner foods, which might also be 50's decade food, depending on your viewpoint.
Food of a certain color.
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Posts: 2423 | Location: Foothills of the Great Smoky Mountains | Registered: Jul 12, 2005
E foods; escarole, eggplant, endive. maines food I guess would be lobster (kind of expensive for pot luck!) or maybe blueberries. Some other themes: what would your favorite fictional character have eaten? What do you think is the most popular food eaten in different countries? no looking up, go with first response. Copying a menu from a specific year from a restaurant still in business over a very long time (they usually have these) My DD's family goes to a Medieval times theme restaurant, they have to eat with their hands. Maybe something like that. Carnival or fair food, picnic food. Food (within reason) your favorite animal eats.
Posts: 2918 | Location: Maine, not far from the ocean | Registered: Jun 27, 2004
Having dinner after church services every Sunday? I can see it once a month or every 5 Sundays..somebody is going to get burnt out quickly. We have a large congregation and we're doing Midweek Manna meals every Thursday and we're really having trouble getting volunteers. The Sr. citizens don't drive after dark, plus they can't be up there working 7-9 hrs. not to mention health issues. The younger set with children are running their kids to after school activities or games, or they work far away and don't get home in time to help. I come in with swollen feet that hurt so badly and very tired but find it hard to get to sleep.
A very easy 'theme' would be sandwiches. I realize the fall weather is here, and sandwiches are more the late spring/summer pereference, but this is easy and everyone can get quite creative. There are many fillers (meats/cheeses)as well as breads that can be used, so everyone can make 'their signature 'sandwich. Then, it doesn't stop there, but what about sides... chips, salads, etc.
Posts: 3 | Location: AZ, USA | Registered: Sep 22, 2002
As fall heads into winter, why not home made soup, or beans? Parishioners who are running ragged & those who aren't "cooks" can divvy up who brings tossed green salads & a variety of healthful salad dressings; the college kids can easily contribute rolls & butter.
As a friend said, next time we have a pot luck, I won't say "whatever" - 18 loaves of French bread was a bit much
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Posts: 2227 | Location: NE of S.F. | Registered: Apr 13, 2006
