Potlucks are a way of life for boaters and cruisers. With a small group, it’s pretty easy to set out or pass dishes and there usually isn’t a particular line for the main meal.
But that all changes with a larger group of people. People can spend anywhere from 15 to 30 minutes in line, which can be boring or hunger-inducing.
I’ve seen two really good ideas to keep people happy while in line:
- Put the appetizer table approximately halfway down where you expect the line to extend. People who line up early can grab their appetizers on their way to the head of the line (where they will probably wait a few minutes for the food to be available, so they’ll have a chance to eat it) and those further behind get to pass by the appetizer table, pick some up and eat while in line.
- Pass appetizers hand-to-hand along the line, from the back of the line to the front. This is particularly good if people brought their own plates; otherwise, send appetizer plates down the line first. I really like doing this with a large group who probably don’t all know each other, as people will naturally start talking as they pass the dishes. It’s a great icebreaker!
If you’re organizing the potluck and plan to do the “pass the appetizers down the line” it’s a good idea to request that appetizers be finger food and not hot dishes.
Want some help with that tiny refrigerator? Check out our step-by-step how-to:
And check out our other courses and products
PAPERBACK
Gena Beckett Olson says
good idea!