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So yesterday, Sunday July 1st, we had a potluck dinner at church. No, not for the 4th of July, but a Good-bye potluck for a couple moving away! Always one to observe, I have noticed food items changing at potluck dinners over the years. The #1 change I have seen is people bringing store-bought foods, because they are rushed for time. Not a bad thing, just a change that has happened over time.
What changes have you noticed in Potlucks? What foods are still really popular? New-comer foods that have really caught on? Foods that have all but disappeared? Trends? A favorite memory?
I'll start: A really popular food item at potluck events I have attended are wraps! I live in the west and lots of people watch calories, so wraps, any kind, are hugely popular!
Store bought foods including the salad kits are very common at our church. Also the hamburger, rotel and Velveeta type dip seems popular. Jello salads are no longer trendy lol.
In the deep south mustard greens, collard greens, fried chicken, specialty cake and pies, and field peas are a defacto standard still in my circles. Some newer items are things like Asian slaws especially broccoli slaw. There will usually be a ham for carving present. Then there are the deli items such as coleslaw and carrot salad present sometimes with deli multi grain breads and yeast rolls.
What changes have you noticed in Potlucks? What foods are still really popular? New-comer foods that have really caught on? Foods that have all but disappeared? Trends? A favorite memory?
We have neighborhood pot-lucks frequently and some "newcomer foods" that I see a lot are sushi and falafel. Standards are meatballs, deviled eggs, stuffed mushrooms, and crostini with smoked salmon & cream cheese. Always popular.
But I just realized that I was thinking more of appetizers than main-dish dishes.
I have a feeling that what you will see at a potluck will depend on what part of the country you live in. I have never been to a potluck where dishes were not homemade. Bread is sometimes store bought, but that is about it. Also many folks today don't know how to cook. I've seen several folks on this forum say quite often about a recipe "that looks like a lot of work". These being recipes we would make as an evening meal. Most folks I know would be embarrassed to bring something store bought.
It's been awhile since I went to a potluck. The last one was a car club and the cooks were all competing for "best cook", so it was wonderful, with a barbecue grill going and someone brought a huge slow smoked trip tip roast. There was baked salmon and fabulous desserts.
Other than that, at different potlucks, some good cooking, a lot of Costco food ( artichoke dip, frozen cream puffs), but the biggest previously unheard of thing was the number of people showing up with a bag of potato chips. I've actually been to two potlucks where there wasn't enough food for everyone, one can only assume because of the mooches
The last potluck I attended was at church as well and it seems that homemade pizza is still big along with cakes and pies and cobblers if you get the fruit fresh .a lot of deviled eggs , potatoe salad , macaroni salad etc . But my husband wont hardly eat any of it because of mayonnaise . His mother would use mayo in her chocolate cake and he said it used to make him gag and he was like no mom no thank you , a lot of the ladies who made the food noticed my husband does not eat much and when I told them he does not like mayo they were shocked that they had never heard of someone not eating mayo LOL . But yes those sorts of things I guess are standard at our church .
Most pot lucks I've been to recently tend to be a bit more thought out than random.
For example I recently organized a taco pot luck at work. I brought in a crockpot full of taco meat - everyone else provided a part of the meal. (cheese, hard corn shells, soft tortillas, tortilla chips, sour cream, beans, salsa, black olives, lettuce, chopped onion, tomato, guacamole etc etc). Someone else than finished the meal with a large bowl of mixed fruit. Was wildly successful, as each person knew what what they needed to bring and they were quick items to pick up or make.
I have a feeling that what you will see at a potluck will depend on what part of the country you live in. I have never been to a potluck where dishes were not homemade. Bread is sometimes store bought, but that is about it. Also many folks today don't know how to cook. I've seen several folks on this forum say quite often about a recipe "that looks like a lot of work". These being recipes we would make as an evening meal. Most folks I know would be embarrassed to bring something store bought.
You are very lucky that you have not encountered store bought foods. I worked at one place where over half of the food was fast food. Considering that I had made a pot of chili con carne, I decided that I would no longer participate when the other entree options were Taco Bell tacos and KFC chicken
Quote:
Originally Posted by oregonwoodsmoke
Other than that, at different potlucks, some good cooking, a lot of Costco food ( artichoke dip, frozen cream puffs), but the biggest previously unheard of thing was the number of people showing up with a bag of potato chips. I've actually been to two potlucks where there wasn't enough food for everyone, one can only assume because of the mooches
Costco is pretty much the same. People will pick up something at Costco and it is the same four or five options. And if you have three or four members, at least two will bring the same entree in.
I like potlucks. However, in Arizona, I won't attend those at church since the food sits out too long creating a toxic mess.
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These being recipes we would make as an evening meal. Most folks I know would be embarrassed to bring something store bought.
