It bugs me when people bring lame things to a potluck

[Anonymous]

I find this thread so fascinating.

PP, how do you ensure that you never eat food prepared by people who have cats?

And PPs with the aversion to finger licking - how many people have you kissed in your life?

[Anonymous]

Who doesn't enjoy a bag of chips? That's usually the first to be snacked on.

[Anonymous]

They need to make the list sent to everyone so that people don't bring the same things

This may seem efficient, but it also feels bossy. There's a fine tipping point.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Who doesn't enjoy a bag of chips? That's usually the first to be snacked on.

If I never see another bag of plain Lays or Ruffles potato chips in my life it will be too soon.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Three pages and I'm the only one with reservations about the food other people prepare?

Cleanliness of other people's kitchens, do they lick their fingers inbetween, worse, and so on?

I'm not a clean freak but it does skeeve me quite a bit.

do you eat at restaurants?

[Anonymous]

I never realized potlucks were meant to demonstrate everybody's culinary skills or creative palate. I always thought potlucks were thrown in celebration of someone/thing, and since the host was too lazy to do it all on his/her own, he/she requested that everybody bring a dish.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Most of the potlucks I attend are at work and anything I bring from home has to commute with me through 5 blocks on foot, a bus ride and a Metro ride (for which I may or may not get a seat). We have only one car, so I can't drive in for the day. I have an infant and a 2-year-old, and am an exclusive pumper whose husband works until 10:30 every night. At least 75% of the people in our office are childless/empty nesters who drive everywhere. Bottom line I'm not going to feel guilty about bringing a bad of chips or a box of plastic forks.

I work in DC and most people come by metro. Typically if there is a potluck people pick up stuff by the office from Whole fooods, Trader Joes or a local restaurant.
If you want to protest potlucks, dont attend. Bringing in something lame is just unfair to others who took the time to make or buy something. If everyone thought the way you did then potlucks would be a bunch of people standing around a few bags of chips and some forks.

Also please don't assume 75% of your office is less busy that you are b/c they are childless or their kids are grown up. As we discussed in another thread, you have no idea what their personal obligations are. Maybe some of them take care of a sick or elderly family member. Maybe they are sick themselves. Maybe they just go home and veg. Who knows, not me and not you.

I love chips and lots of plastic forks! I never buy either, so I gorge on chips at these parties, and take the extra boxes of forks to my office for whenever lunchtime. It's a win all around!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Three pages and I'm the only one with reservations about the food other people prepare?

Cleanliness of other people's kitchens, do they lick their fingers inbetween, worse, and so on?

I'm not a clean freak but it does skeeve me quite a bit.

do you eat at restaurants?

You might want to read the whole thread.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Most of the potlucks I attend are at work and anything I bring from home has to commute with me through 5 blocks on foot, a bus ride and a Metro ride (for which I may or may not get a seat). We have only one car, so I can't drive in for the day. I have an infant and a 2-year-old, and am an exclusive pumper whose husband works until 10:30 every night. At least 75% of the people in our office are childless/empty nesters who drive everywhere. Bottom line I'm not going to feel guilty about bringing a bad of chips or a box of plastic forks.

I work in DC and most people come by metro. Typically if there is a potluck people pick up stuff by the office from Whole fooods, Trader Joes or a local restaurant.
If you want to protest potlucks, dont attend. Bringing in something lame is just unfair to others who took the time to make or buy something. If everyone thought the way you did then potlucks would be a bunch of people standing around a few bags of chips and some forks.

Also please don't assume 75% of your office is less busy that you are b/c they are childless or their kids are grown up. As we discussed in another thread, you have no idea what their personal obligations are. Maybe some of them take care of a sick or elderly family member. Maybe they are sick themselves. Maybe they just go home and veg. Who knows, not me and not you.

I love chips and lots of plastic forks! I never buy either, so I gorge on chips at these parties, and take the extra boxes of forks to my office for whenever lunchtime. It's a win all around!

I like you! You are (strangely) positive.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I find it incredibly annoying when people bring lame things to a potluck--a bag of potato chips, a box of cheap cookies, a bag of mini carrots, etc. If you're invited to a nice potluck, bring something substantial--and put a little time and effort into it! If you don't like to cook, that's okay--there are plenty of things you could bring that don't involve cooking (nice salad, veggie tray, etc.) And if you don't even want to do that then just go to Whole Foods or somewhere nice and pick up a few large side dishes.

I'm always the person who takes the time to cook something homemade for a potluck or brings a main course, and then is always disappointed when the rest of the food sucks. What is wrong with people? Aren't they embarrased to bring such a paltry contribution to the potluck? Does this bother you too?

"Nice potluck" is an oxymoron but I get what you're saying. It's annoying when people don't contribute equally to things.

[Anonymous]

Wow, no, I don't care at all. I'm not a good cook, so I usually just buy something nice at whole foods for a potluck, but I never care what other people bring. I like chips fine, I like baby carrots fine. It isn't a big deal to me.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Most of the potlucks I attend are at work and anything I bring from home has to commute with me through 5 blocks on foot, a bus ride and a Metro ride (for which I may or may not get a seat). We have only one car, so I can't drive in for the day. I have an infant and a 2-year-old, and am an exclusive pumper whose husband works until 10:30 every night. At least 75% of the people in our office are childless/empty nesters who drive everywhere. Bottom line I'm not going to feel guilty about bringing a bad of chips or a box of plastic forks.

I work in DC and most people come by metro. Typically if there is a potluck people pick up stuff by the office from Whole fooods, Trader Joes or a local restaurant.
If you want to protest potlucks, dont attend. Bringing in something lame is just unfair to others who took the time to make or buy something. If everyone thought the way you did then potlucks would be a bunch of people standing around a few bags of chips and some forks.

Also please don't assume 75% of your office is less busy that you are b/c they are childless or their kids are grown up. As we discussed in another thread, you have no idea what their personal obligations are. Maybe some of them take care of a sick or elderly family member. Maybe they are sick themselves. Maybe they just go home and veg. Who knows, not me and not you.

Thanks for this.
Also, this is pretty much why we don't do potlucks at our work. Everyone is happier chipping in $5-10 and bringing in catering.

[Anonymous]

If I don't bring a great dish, maybe I shouldn't eat much. I think this sometimes. But people get their feelings hurt if their dish isn't eaten, and are unhappy if it's left over. They want everyone to rave about it, and people make a fuss over it. I'm doing them a polite favor by eating it.

And they get to complain about other people too!

[Anonymous]

If you're throwing a potluck, you've already crossed the tacky line. What people bring is not the main issue.

[Anonymous]

I always bring something homemade unless there's a good reason why I can't... Distance, time is day etc. I don't have a car so that's a factor. That said it's not that hard to put together a carrot raisin salad or something similar, and it's surprisingly popular. I've also been known to bring a good homemade pieor banana cake. Pies can be labor intensive but there are plenty of other things that aren't. I mean seriously, how hard is it to cook some pasta, add some sauce and cheese, throw it in the oven to let the flavors blend and call it a day. Dishes like that are easy and taste better the second day. No excuse not to put together something simple and homemade.