Recipe: Pot Luck Theme Ideas & Organization

Hello!

Pot Luck is when every family brings in a home-made dish to contribute to the menu.

The menu might have a theme. The theme might coincide with the month. For example....

January Italian Foods

February Hearty Casseroles

March Irish Foods

April Easter Theme

May Cinco De Mayo (Mexican)

June Beach Party Bingo

July 4th Of July (Picnic food)

August Basque/Spanish Food

September French Food

October Octoberfest (German)

November Harvest Time

December Christmas

Always prepare a Master List with all the familys' names and what they are bringing. They should call you and then you can tell them "yes" or someone else is bringing that. The fun for these folks is in finding out what foods are indigenous to a country or era...anad dressing up.

Also, check a calendar for all types of holidays.

If it is a weekly thing, then you can come up with:

Hawaiian Night (everybody wears leis, tiki lights are lit, hawaiian music is played)

Back to the 50's (everybody wears Do-Wop clothing, jeans, rolled up tee-shirt sleeves, slicked back hair, 50's type foods and drinks are served, old vinyl records can be strung on fishing line from the ceiling, oldies music, etc.)

Disco Fever Time (remember the 80's?...platform shoes, fondue, wedgies, spandex, Boogie Woogie Nights music, etc.)

Spanish Theme (Lots of "tapas" style dishes, flamenco music, long skirts and boleros for the ladies and the gents wear black and hats)

French Theme (ooh la la, men with mustaches, ladies with plume hats, lots of frensh foods and pastry)

German Theme (Alpine dress is the rigueur here, lots of beer and bratwurst and german dishes)

Irish Theme ( everyone wears green and has to contribute an Irish dish)

Pajama Party Theme (everybody wears pajamas)

Prom Night Theme (a fun time to go to the thrift store and don a prom dress and a tux...you can even make it a Nerdy Prom Theme- oooh, what fun!!!)

Halloween Night Theme (who doesn't like to dress up in a costume and bring some sort of party food?)

Thanksgiving Theme (a time for harvest and celebration dishes)

Sadie Hawkins Theme (everybody likes getting dressed up like the Clampett's) Bring a southern dish to this one...

Valentine's Theme (everything pink and red)

Do a search on POT LUCK THEMES/PARTIES on the web and you will be amazed at what pops up. Remember though, that master list so there is no repetition of dishes.

Good Luck and let us know what is successful!

Gina