# Recommend me something to bring to a potluck meal **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [October 18, 2011, 12:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/recommend-me-something-to-bring-to-a-potluck-meal/599984 "2011-10-18T00:20:35Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 13\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![AndrewL](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/3d9bf3/32.png) [@AndrewL](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AndrewL)\ **Post date:** [October 18, 2011, 12:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/recommend-me-something-to-bring-to-a-potluck-meal/599984/1 "2011-10-18T00:20:35Z")
I’ve been invited to a party this upcoming weekend, a sort of pre-Halloween get-together. The party is also a potluck dinner. I’ve been to several of these before. In the past I’ve brought shepherd’s pie, which went over reasonably well, and brought cookies a few times. This time I want to bring something hot, main-course kind of meal, and preferably something that can be eaten without needing much in the way of utensils or plates. For food-allergy reasons, whatever I bring has to be gluten-free and soy-free. And it needs to be something I can make at home over the course of a few hours before the party. Any suggestions or recipes anyone would like to recommend? ---
**Author:** ![CrazyCatLady](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/dfb087/32.png) [@CrazyCatLady](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CrazyCatLady)\ **Post date:** [October 18, 2011, 12:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/recommend-me-something-to-bring-to-a-potluck-meal/599984/2 "2011-10-18T00:31:22Z")
How about a fritatta? Cook some sliced taters in a skillet, pour in anything you want, dump some beaten eggs over the top, and pop it in the oven. Warm, main course-y without being heavy, holds up well under party conditions, can be eaten with your hands if needed, incredibly simple to make, can be adapted to suit any dietary restrictions except vegan. ---
**Author:** ![Drain\_Bead](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e47774/32.png) [@Drain\_Bead](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Drain_Bead)\ **Post date:** [October 18, 2011, 12:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/recommend-me-something-to-bring-to-a-potluck-meal/599984/3 "2011-10-18T00:43:15Z")
Pulled pork or chicken? ---
**Author:** ![aruvqan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/aruvqan/32/2891_2.png) [@aruvqan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/aruvqan)\ **Post date:** [October 18, 2011, 1:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/recommend-me-something-to-bring-to-a-potluck-meal/599984/4 "2011-10-18T01:18:08Z")
Boeuf Bourguinon? Beef, onions, carrots, wine, garlic, herbs, salt, pepper. I use [Tony Bourdain’s](http://projects.washingtonpost.com/recipes/2004/12/22/anthony-bourdains-boeuf-bourguignon/) version normally. It is also great if you turf in unpeeled new red potatoes to bulk it out =) Just do not add the flour to make the roux [if you use mashed potato flakes to add a bit of thickening it works out just fine. It can also go quite nicely served over rice based faux egg noodles, I get them at of all places a chinese grocery.] ---
**Author:** ![Senegoid](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/senegoid/32/6606_2.png) [@Senegoid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Senegoid)\ **Post date:** [October 18, 2011, 1:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/recommend-me-something-to-bring-to-a-potluck-meal/599984/5 "2011-10-18T01:40:56Z")
Does it havta be something home-cooked? Me, being the utterly clueless type who can’t even fry water (ETA: and can’t even be bothered to try), I always gets something from the deli at the supermarket. Whereas I usually shop cheap, when I (rarely) go to a party and bring something, I go to the deli at Whole Foods. Pricey, but they have vegan goodies, and everything has the ingredients posted. I especially liked the stuffed acorn squash, which they tend to have around this time of year. ---
**Author:** ![Little\_Nemo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/little_nemo/32/3120_2.png) [@Little\_Nemo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Little_Nemo)\ **Post date:** [October 18, 2011, 2:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/recommend-me-something-to-bring-to-a-potluck-meal/599984/6 "2011-10-18T02:27:05Z")
Italian dishes like lasagna or manicotti are usually popular. ---
**Author:** ![Arrendajo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/e0b2c6/32.png) [@Arrendajo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Arrendajo)\ **Post date:** [October 18, 2011, 2:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/recommend-me-something-to-bring-to-a-potluck-meal/599984/7 "2011-10-18T02:29:44Z")
Depending on the specific circumstances, a baked salmon can be a big hit. ---
**Author:** ![Alice\_The\_Goon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ed8c4c/32.png) [@Alice\_The\_Goon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Alice_The_Goon)\ **Post date:** [October 18, 2011, 2:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/recommend-me-something-to-bring-to-a-potluck-meal/599984/8 "2011-10-18T02:29:53Z")
> [@Little\_Nemo](#): > > Italian dishes like lasagna or manicotti are usually popular. But not gluten-free. ---
**Author:** ![aruvqan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/aruvqan/32/2891_2.png) [@aruvqan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/aruvqan)\ **Post date:** [October 18, 2011, 10:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/recommend-me-something-to-bring-to-a-potluck-meal/599984/9 "2011-10-18T10:23:02Z")
> [@Alice\_The\_Goon](#): > > But not gluten-free. You can make gluten free lasagne, just sub in either leaves of spinach or slices of eggplant or zucchini for the pasta sheets. It is really good either way. I personally like it done with spinach. ---
**Author:** ![Khendrask](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/3e96dc/32.png) [@Khendrask](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Khendrask)\ **Post date:** [October 18, 2011, 11:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/recommend-me-something-to-bring-to-a-potluck-meal/599984/10 "2011-10-18T11:01:58Z")
Something nice and simple, with a minimum of utensils would be something on a stick. Times like that, I usually end up making a Satay, both pork and chicken, with some peanut sauce on the side. ---
**Author:** ![Khendrask](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/3e96dc/32.png) [@Khendrask](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Khendrask)\ **Post date:** [October 18, 2011, 11:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/recommend-me-something-to-bring-to-a-potluck-meal/599984/11 "2011-10-18T11:03:31Z")
Something nice and simple, with a minimum of utensils would be something on a stick. Times like that, I usually end up making a Satay, both pork and chicken, with some peanut sauce on the side. ---
**Author:** ![AndrewL](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/3d9bf3/32.png) [@AndrewL](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AndrewL)\ **Post date:** [October 18, 2011, 1:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/recommend-me-something-to-bring-to-a-potluck-meal/599984/12 "2011-10-18T13:11:23Z")
**Senegoid** - I prefer making something home-cooked. I’ve cooked for this group before, I enjoy cooking, and the hostess of the party specifically asked me to cook something. Everyone else - good suggestions, I’ll look into these ideas and see what’s practical for me to make. ---
**Author:** ![Walkabout](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/46a35a/32.png) [@Walkabout](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Walkabout)\ **Post date:** [October 18, 2011, 2:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/recommend-me-something-to-bring-to-a-potluck-meal/599984/13 "2011-10-18T14:36:51Z")
What about chili? It just takes a bowl and a spoon to eat.