Inviting friends and family for a party can be one of the most fun aspects of homeownership. Food, companionship, and the promise of new favorite memories are the hallmarks of any good gathering. But what if you don’t want to cook? Lack of skill or patience in the kitchen doesn’t need to keep you from having guests over to your home if you host a potluck. Keep our tips in mind to make sure everyone leaves feeling full and happy.

Create Structure for Food Dishes

Start by picking a theme to give the party a direction. A good theme can make it easier for guests to brainstorm meal ideas. Create your own theme or pick from one of our suggestions with instructions to bring:

• A dish from a different country where everyone signs up for somewhere specific
• Your favorite comfort food and introduce each other to a new favorite
• Food of a particular color, so you’ll have a rainbow meal
• Game day dishes inspired by the teams that are playing
• Finger food, if you’re short on seating, and guests will need to stand

Conversely, if you want to cook for everyone, try having a potluck for drinks or desserts instead!

Communicate and Delegate 

Just like a theme can provide structure, sometimes it’s easier for guests to pick what to bring if they have some boundaries! Be clear in your instructions for what to bring or create a digital sign-up sheet to reduce confusion around responsibilities. A sign-up sheet ensures you won’t have more salads than main dishes. Organize your sign-up sheet with categories like main dishes, sides, salads, breads, desserts, and beverages, and swap or prioritize categories accordingly. Consider sending reminders closer to the event date so everyone has time to prepare.

Get to Planning

Now that your guests can think about their role during the gathering, it’s time to focus on yours. As your guests decide what they’ll bring, be sure to ask about their allergies and if they’ll need specific ingredients to be labeled by other partygoers. If guests will be serving themselves to eat, consider using place cards with a list of ingredients to accompany each dish. Check in with invitees to determine if they’ll need to heat their offering once they arrive at your home. Don’t forget to ensure you have enough dishware and cutlery to serve everyone! Looking for some background music to have at the ready to keep the conversation going during mealtime? Try our Ultimate Dinner Party Playlist to set the perfect mood.

Expect the Unexpected

When it comes to parties, sometimes things don’t go as planned. However, with the right backup strategy, you can anticipate some common hiccups and be prepared to adapt. For example, consider having a few backup side dishes in your freezer if a guest cancels at the last minute or has a cooking catastrophe. This way, you’ll have something ready to keep everyone fed—or fed until delivery pizza arrives! You also may not know when your guests will arrive or in what order. Consider planning to be the one to offer light snacks for everyone to enjoy while all of your invitees arrive and their food is set up for serving. If you think you might have plenty of leftovers, consider providing reusable containers for guests to take some of their favorites home. You can swap containers back at the next event!