Economical and Popular Potluck Dishes

As a woman working in the IT field with predominate young male employees, I have participated in contributed meals with enough chips, soda, paper plates and plastic forks to supply the next three potlucks on the calendar. Sadly, though, there is often not enough "real" food to go around.

In my experience, good food equals good conversation and isn't that the point of gathering with our co-workers away from the office? Even technology geeks, who generally survive on Mountain Dew and Twinkies, will transform into thoughtful and well-mannered dinner partners while enjoying a simple home cooked meal.

Vegetarian Dishes

When deciding how to provide a satisfying dish for a large group of people, I not only consider the cost, but also preparation and transportation. There are some great options these days for food transportation and the subsequent serving away from home. Depending on the accommodations, I may take a slow cooker or covered dish of my own, but have actually found it easier to purchase something disposable that fits the need. There are a variety of aluminum and plastic containers for just a few dollars that make it hard to resist when factoring in clean-up and the return trip home.

If you are like me, there is a fine line between the flattery of seeing your dish empty at the end of the meal and the feeling of inadequacy at seeing it empty before the end of the meal. For bulk, I almost always use pasta. Rice is good, too, but in my opinion, pasta presents more variety.

Pasta can be served hot or cold; it is affordable, filling and a perfect base for any flavor. For hot dishes, I prefer sausage (a little bit goes a long way) and mushrooms in a cream sauce, or chopped chicken with marinara. Vegetables can be added for color and balance, or if there is a willing contributor, salad on the side is even better. Add bread, which even a kitchen novice is willing to pick up on the way to work and you have a complete meal.

For summer potlucks, pasta salad is refreshing and easy. Of course, there are a variety of recipes available, but it isn't really necessary to follow a template. Any fresh vegetables, along with black olives and maybe a few boiled eggs add flavor and color. For a pasta dish served an entree', I like to use Italian dressing. This can all be mixed up the night before. I sometimes will stir in fresh grated parmesan cheese just before readying the dish for travel for an extra touch of flavor and texture.

Sharing knowledge is important in the IT field because there is always something new or changing that we need to know to do our jobs. Sharing a meal and conversation helps to bridge those channels of communication with friendship.

Economical and Popular Potluck Dishes

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