In defense of a good potluck

by Marisa McClellan, Posted Oct 23rd 2008 @ 8:55AM

About a week ago, I came across a post on Yahoo's Shine blog called Why I hate a good potluck. In it, the author announces that she isn't a fan of potlucks and proceeds to detail the eight different kinds of potlucks that she's observed over the years and the reasons why she don't like them.

While I believe that everyone has the right to their own opinion, I feel I must speak up in defense of the potluck. I have a deep appreciation for potlucks (or depending on your region of the country, covered dish or church suppers). I see them as opportunities to taste new foods, visit with friends and family, share recipes and generally enjoy the company of your fellow human beings. Sharing food and eating communally is one of the oldest practices known to humanity and too often these days, we isolate ourselves during mealtime, choosing the television or the newspaper over interaction with our fellow diners.

I realize that I'm in a unique position when it comes to potlucks as I've had a more than normal exposure to them over the years. My parents' 1970 wedding was a potluck (not that I was in attendance, but that event made them a legitimate way to cater a large gathering). Growing up, my family attended a weekly Monday night potluck dinner at our Unitarian church. In high school we potlucked our way through play rehearsals and in college my roommates and I hosted many an impromptu communal meal. I feel that potlucks enhance life and should be embraced as a way to spend time with friends and neighbors. As the economy tightens, they are also a viable way to socialize without spending vast amounts of money.

I invite you to embrace the potluck. Why not throw a simple one together this weekend? Invite people over for brunch and ask them to bring a dish (muffins, quiche, orange juice and fruit make a wonderful spread). Sunday afternoon, make a pot of soup and invite a few neighbors over to partake, asking them to bring bread, salad and some little sweet. However you do it, gather together and share some food. Your life will be better for the experience.

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Filed Under: On the Blogs
Tags: potluck defense, PotluckDefense, potlucks, shine blog, ShineBlog, yahoo

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Reader comments (Page 1 of 1)

10-23-2008 @1:40AM Monika said... I can't relate to one thing on that list, but am much more amused by the paranoia in the comments. yeouch.
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10-23-2008 @9:34AM Erin said... I love potlucks. My group of friends is truly international, and luckily, we all love to cook. In this case, that makes for an amazing, unique, international and very delicious potluck. We love them so much that we have them monthly!
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10-23-2008 @10:14AM ericamklein said... Most of those people (including the original blogger) need to calm the hell down and stop worrying about every little stupid thing that can go wrong at a potluck. So maybe the food isn't always gourmet, so maybe you don't know exactly what the cooks did while preparing it, so maybe some people cop out and bring store-bought cookies. But a potluck that is properly planned, with basic ground-rules set (for example, no pre-made foods, include a card that lists a dish's ingredients to warn people with allergies, etc.) can be awesome if you get off your high horse and are willing to enjoy some possibly less-than-gourmet vittles. And anyway, the appeal of most potlucks is the social element - its an opportunity to share something of yourself (namely, food) and spend time with people you care about or get to know new people. I almost always enjoy them even if the food is less than stellar because of the opportunity to socialize, and I've certainly never gotten sick at one. Its amazing how neurotic and paranoid these people are!
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10-23-2008 @10:21AM Teresa said... we have a group that does "iron chef potlucks" where there is a theme that everyone tries to fulfill in their dish. it has been so much fun, and it's a great way to get together without putting a huge burden on one person to make food for everyone.

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10-23-2008 @10:56AM Pyrofish said... My family gets together all the time. Any reason to throw a party, we'll throw one. My dad even built a tiki bar in his back yard. Everyone brings something. Even holiday meals have turned into this type of event. Everybody does their part, no one gets overwhelmed. The best part about that is, we each pick something we're really good at. Which makes the entire meal great from appetizers to desert. Not a poor representation of anything.

Good thing too, because my sister-in-law isn't very good at stuffing, and my stepmother makes instant mashed potatoes. I always make sure someone else gets those ;-)
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10-23-2008 @12:29PM Megan said... I love potlucks. The only gripe I ever have is people who always bring a bucket of KFC and a box of Oreos. Yuck. Be a little more creative than that !
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10-23-2008 @12:56PM lefawn said... My roommate and I have been throwing potlucks for years now. It's a great way to get everyone together without breaking the bank. We send out a evite to just about everyone we know announcing a theme or special ingredient. Friends will invite friends (we're pretty relaxed about who shows up - we trust our friends not to be friends with totally weirdos) and we've had the opportunity to really expand our social circles. While almost everyone brings a pretty amazing hot dish, sometimes we get a newcomer or single guy who doesn't cook and will bring wine or beer instead. And it's always worked out because they know to bring enough to share with the group.
I've had some great meals at these potlucks and have tried tons of new dishes. It's also challenged me as a home cook - I never would have tried to make my own frog legs if we hadn't had a French night. The key is to relax, trust your friends (these are your friends, right? If not, why are you inviting them?) to be gracious guests, and have fun.
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10-23-2008 @1:53PM Sarah said... Our social group does a get together a couple times a year and they are usually potlucks. The difference is we all know each other and our weird dietary habits - so no one has to worry. That and all of us are pretty paranoid with food safety.
Bit different if I don't know the people there. I don't eat a lot then.
The KFC bucket comment had me laughing....every time someone brings it. And people eat it! I swear it is a guilty pleasure for some people - they would never go to KFC...but hey, free chicken? woo-hoo! ;-)

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10-23-2008 @6:30PM Rt said... I'm guessing these personal pot luck dinners are a recent phenomenon (in the last 20-30 years). I'm not saying they are a bad thing, I just haven't been exposed to them. They may also be a socio-economic thing. Dinner parties were planned and executed by the hostess so she had control of the menu (email had years before it appeared). Guests reciprocated by hosting their own. The church was where the pot lucks were held, and man could those ladies cook!

I agree about the author's fears and other aversions. Isn't there some personality disorder associated with each item? Just kidding, everyone is indeed entitled to their opinion.

I love Sarah's fried chicken comment :) I don't mind KFC personally but I prefer Church's or Popeye's. KFC used to the only game in town, and not in our town for years so it was a real treat when we got some.
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