# Worst potluck disappointments **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [March 7, 2015, 12:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/worst-potluck-disappointments/714402 "2015-03-07T00:27:35Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![araminty](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/b5e925/32.png) [@araminty](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/araminty)\ **Post date:** [March 7, 2015, 12:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/worst-potluck-disappointments/714402/1 "2015-03-07T00:27:35Z")
This terrible thing happened today: I spotted a tray of charmingly irregular cupcakes. Thinking this denoted homemade, hence, quality, I seized on a yellow one (rather than brown), not minding if it were lemon or vanilla or whatever. What I _didn’t_ expect was canned frosting. FAUGH. Please, people. If you’re going to the trouble of making something at home for a potluck, at least take the time to stir some milk/butter/whatever into some powdered sugar. Even if you use a box for the cake (it’s fine!), make the frosting properly. We can tell. There was also a crock-pot full of queso, but the off-brand tortilla chips and fluorescent coloring thereof was enough to put me off, so probably likely save there. What’s your worst? ---
**Author:** ![TruCelt](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/trucelt/32/523_2.png) [@TruCelt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TruCelt)\ **Post date:** [March 7, 2015, 12:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/worst-potluck-disappointments/714402/2 "2015-03-07T00:41:03Z")
At an elementary school potluck, what looked like a dish of rice with bits of meat and celery in it. It was The. Hottest. Thing. I have ever put into my mouth. Now I understood all the children crying around the room. Yes, I want you to bring your national dishes for the children to try, but for the luvva Pete if it includes Scotch Bonnet peppers you could WARN us!!! ---
**Author:** ![JohnGalt](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johngalt/32/184_2.png) [@JohnGalt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JohnGalt)\ **Post date:** [March 7, 2015, 1:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/worst-potluck-disappointments/714402/3 "2015-03-07T01:51:57Z")
This was a number of years ago, but a nice looking dessert was a white cheesecake type thing with fruit on top of it. One bite of it revealed it was made of lard (and slightly rancid lard, at that). This is from a farming community where “whole foods” means you use all of the pig, and that means lard gets used whenever butter would be used. ---
**Author:** ![WolfpackJeep](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wolfpackjeep/32/2921_2.png) [@WolfpackJeep](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WolfpackJeep)\ **Post date:** [March 7, 2015, 5:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/worst-potluck-disappointments/714402/4 "2015-03-07T05:13:14Z")
I tend to stay as far away from casseroles as possible. After passing by the casseroles at a company potluck, I saw what I thought was a pan of yummy cornbread. I sliced a piece and put it on my plate, where it collapsed into a pile of mush. Turns out that I should have kept walking a bit further – it was a corn casserole. ---
**Author:** ![Ruken](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/f475e1/32.png) [@Ruken](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ruken)\ **Post date:** [March 7, 2015, 1:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/worst-potluck-disappointments/714402/5 "2015-03-07T13:23:20Z")
I had someone bring pile of soggy McDonald’s hamburgers to a potluck at my house once. This was the same couple who, after coming over for Thanksgiving dinner, stopped at Burger King on the home. ---
**Author:** ![panache45](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/panache45/32/64_2.png) [@panache45](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/panache45)\ **Post date:** [March 7, 2015, 1:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/worst-potluck-disappointments/714402/6 "2015-03-07T13:37:53Z")
In the middle of a potluck table sat what looked like a cat’s litter box. A very used one, in every detail. Totally edible, of course. ---
**Author:** ![salinqmind](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/3ec8ea/32.png) [@salinqmind](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/salinqmind)\ **Post date:** [March 7, 2015, 4:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/worst-potluck-disappointments/714402/7 "2015-03-07T16:21:02Z")
I always, fondly, think of the domestically challenged co-worker who brought some kind of pumpkin bar mess to the office potluck. Looked like the leavings of a Great Dane, it did! Even she said, “I know it doesn’t look that great, but it TASTES okay.” :rolleyes: No one was that hungry!..I brought a pan of delicious baked beans I had labored over, and everyone was afraid to touch them because, noisy after-effects. We worked in a social services type organization and delivered all the leftovers to a homeless shelter later. ---
**Author:** ![billfish678](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/7bcc69/32.png) [@billfish678](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/billfish678)\ **Post date:** [March 7, 2015, 5:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/worst-potluck-disappointments/714402/8 "2015-03-07T17:00:49Z")
Spam Sushi. And probably not actually Spam spam but offbrand spam. ---
**Author:** ![Dendarii\_Dame](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/bbce88/32.png) [@Dendarii\_Dame](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dendarii_Dame)\ **Post date:** [March 7, 2015, 5:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/worst-potluck-disappointments/714402/9 "2015-03-07T17:04:08Z")
My parents once went to a potluck picnic at their church. The church provided the buns and hot dogs, and every family brought a side dish. Every single family brought baked beans. After that, there was always a form to send in, indicating which side dish you wanted to bring. ---
**Author:** ![PapSett](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/ecc23a/32.png) [@PapSett](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/PapSett)\ **Post date:** [March 7, 2015, 5:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/worst-potluck-disappointments/714402/10 "2015-03-07T17:44:59Z")
Nit pot luck, but buffet. There was what looked like beef tips in gravy. I got a heaping spoon and dug in back at the table. It was LIVER in gravy… which I despise. WHY would they not label liver?? ---
**Author:** ![Chefguy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chefguy/32/138_2.png) [@Chefguy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chefguy)\ **Post date:** [March 7, 2015, 6:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/worst-potluck-disappointments/714402/11 "2015-03-07T18:08:58Z")
Chili made by a Marine. He used jarred spaghetti sauce and hot dogs. It was ghastly. ---
**Author:** ![Elemenopy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/b5e925/32.png) [@Elemenopy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Elemenopy)\ **Post date:** [March 7, 2015, 6:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/worst-potluck-disappointments/714402/12 "2015-03-07T18:35:04Z")
Last Thanksgiving my very sweet but somewhat touched aunt-in-law (think Aunt Grace from National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation) made the oyster dressing. Looked fine, tasted like she made it last year. ☹ My 3 y.o. daughter loved it, but I had to surreptitiously remove it. I don’t know if it was rancid oil or old bread or what… And I don’t know what it is about the crock pot of meat balls or smoked sausage in sweet BBQ sauce (?). Good God, that is nasty. I always want to try it, thinking, “This time, for sure!” and I always want to get sick after one nibble. That’s not a real grownup recipe, people, that’s some stoner food. Maybe. Even worse, a few years back there was a trend to have a big crock pot of what seemed like uncooked chocolate cake goo. I don’t even. ---
**Author:** ![Ruken](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/f475e1/32.png) [@Ruken](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ruken)\ **Post date:** [March 7, 2015, 7:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/worst-potluck-disappointments/714402/13 "2015-03-07T19:16:03Z")
> [@Elemenopy](#): > > Last Thanksgiving my very sweet but somewhat touched aunt-in-law (think Aunt Grace from National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation) made the oyster dressing. If the OP will pardon the tangent, where is “oyster dressing” a thing? I’ve encountered it once, in rural southeastern PA. ---
**Author:** ![Chefguy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chefguy/32/138_2.png) [@Chefguy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chefguy)\ **Post date:** [March 7, 2015, 8:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/worst-potluck-disappointments/714402/14 "2015-03-07T20:47:53Z")
> [@Elemenopy](#): > > Last Thanksgiving my very sweet but somewhat touched aunt-in-law (think Aunt Grace from National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation) made the oyster dressing. Looked fine, tasted like she made it last year. ☹ My 3 y.o. daughter loved it, but I had to surreptitiously remove it. I don’t know if it was rancid oil or old bread or what… > > And I don’t know what it is about the crock pot of meat balls or smoked sausage in sweet BBQ sauce (?). Good God, that is nasty. I always want to try it, thinking, “This time, for sure!” and I always want to get sick after one nibble. That’s not a real grownup recipe, people, that’s some stoner food. Maybe. > > Even worse, a few years back there was a trend to have a big crock pot of what seemed like uncooked chocolate cake goo. I don’t even. It’s ‘Aunt Bethany’, but I feel your nausea. ---
**Author:** ![kaylasdad99](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kaylasdad99/32/3398_2.png) [@kaylasdad99](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kaylasdad99)\ **Post date:** [March 7, 2015, 8:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/worst-potluck-disappointments/714402/15 "2015-03-07T20:50:00Z")
> [@Elemenopy](#): > > Last Thanksgiving my very sweet but somewhat touched aunt-in-law (think Aunt Grace from National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation) made the oyster dressing. Looked fine, tasted like she made it last year. ☹ My 3 y.o. daughter loved it, but I had to surreptitiously remove it. I don’t know if it was rancid oil or old bread or what… It was probably oysters, which are actually pearl factories, and are not made of food. ---
**Author:** ![Sattua](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sattua/32/11906_2.png) [@Sattua](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sattua)\ **Post date:** [March 7, 2015, 8:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/worst-potluck-disappointments/714402/16 "2015-03-07T20:58:36Z")
That “barbecue meatballs” recipe in which you put a bag of frozen meatballs into a crockpot with bottled barbecue sauce and _a jar of grape jelly_. It’s every bit as awful as you’d imagine. I mean, bottled barbecue sauce isn’t sweet enough…? ---
**Author:** ![Flywheel](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/eb8c5e/32.png) [@Flywheel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Flywheel)\ **Post date:** [March 7, 2015, 8:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/worst-potluck-disappointments/714402/17 "2015-03-07T20:59:00Z")
> [@Chefguy](#): > > Chili made by a Marine. He used jarred spaghetti sauce Well, [what else would you expect](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Marinara_sauce)? ---
**Author:** ![Eureka](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/74df32/32.png) [@Eureka](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Eureka)\ **Post date:** [March 7, 2015, 9:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/worst-potluck-disappointments/714402/18 "2015-03-07T21:58:12Z")
> [@Dendarii\_Dame](#): > > My parents once went to a potluck picnic at their church. The church provided the buns and hot dogs, and every family brought a side dish. Every single family brought baked beans. > > After that, there was always a form to send in, indicating which side dish you wanted to bring. Not quite that bad, but I once took lasagna to a potluck. Also at the potluck, 2-3 other lasagnas, 2-3 baked ziti/spaghetti, 2-3 mac & cheese and . . . well, not enough other things (or enough people) to justify the amount of baked pasta. So I ended up taking 90% of my lasagna home, when the goal had been to bring 10% home and let other people eat the rest. And most of the other things? were dessert. It was a very starch heavy potluck. I like starchy foods as well as the next person, but some more fruit or veggie laden dishes would have been ice. ---
**Author:** ![tumbleddown](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/e9bcb4/32.png) [@tumbleddown](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tumbleddown)\ **Post date:** [March 7, 2015, 10:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/worst-potluck-disappointments/714402/19 "2015-03-07T22:48:00Z")
At a recent potluck, I took a hearty serving of tuna and macaroni salad, because it was one of the few things on the spread I could eat. It seemed pretty normal, looked and smelled like a nice tuna salad, but I took the first bite and found that rather than tuna, it was chicken. (Apparently it was canned.) Who makes chicken macaroni salad, especially with chicken so broken down it looks and smells like canned tuna? Garbage food. ---
**Author:** ![california\_jobcase](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/9d8465/32.png) [@california\_jobcase](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/california_jobcase)\ **Post date:** [March 7, 2015, 11:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/worst-potluck-disappointments/714402/20 "2015-03-07T23:31:57Z")
Back in the day, I would really have enjoyed the all baked beans potluck. Baked beans are like brands of root beer: they all taste a bit different, but none of them are ever really bad, IMHO. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/worst-potluck-disappointments/714402.md?page=2)