Potlucks are my favorite group activity – they’re fun and CHEAP!
Hubby and I got involved with a board gaming group that meets up once a month at different homes for board gaming and FOOD. We hosted a few and I’ve fell in love with the whole thing. Here’s how we break it down:
The host provides the main dish and sends E-vites to all the members of the group with the info and main dish idea. All the members that plan to come RSVP and post their idea for a side dish that they’ll bring unless they have no idea. This usually eliminates duplicate dishes. When the day of the party arrives, all the host has to do is make gaming room in their house and clear a space for everybody’s food. Easy, fun, and so yummy!
Here’s a quick example from a potluck we hosted a couple of months ago.
We provided chili, rice, and iced tea. Our friends brought the rest of the fixings (shredded cheese, fritos, cups, ice, dessert, and random appetizers). Everybody had a great time and we gamed until 2am. It cost us about $15 and our guests spent anywhere from $3 to $10 on their contributions. We all had a great time and nobody paid an arm and a leg for the evening.
What about you? Do you enjoy potlucks or do you have alternate ideas?
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4 weeks ago
When my wife and I get together with friends now, it's usually just heading over to each others housing and hanging out for a few hours. No games involved as we're constantly keeping an eye (read playing) on our daughter. They do the main course and we'll bring dessert or vice-versa. Very inexpensive, but we still have a great time.
ReplyDeleteOur nights end much earlier, usually home by 7:30 at the latest. Things are slighty different as parents. :-)
Go out? We don't usually go out late at night with our daughter. She goes to bed around 6:30pm. I do have certain moms' nights out that I attend. I usually bring some baked goods or cheese and crackers or a bottle of wine to things like book club. Or we go out to a restaurant. I don't really drink so my meals are usally less than $10.
ReplyDeleteMy husband doesn't go out at night either. He's usually too tired. His recreation consists of playing basketball or pullups/running on the treadmill in the basement.
Being a parent with a child that likes to go to bed early (used to be 6pm!!) severely impacts our social life. Most things we do involve our daughter (playgroups, some kind of parent & me class, etc.).
MikeS, that sounds like it works for you and your friends and the kids...perfect! An early evening would be fine with me, but my friends and my husband are true night owls. I'm just satisfied if I can successfully stay awake until everybody leaves (that doesn't always happen).
ReplyDeleteJulie, if you're ever around Houston, I will babysit for free. This will remind me to take into account that all my readers are parents in the future...
ReplyDeleteMaybe y'all can have a weekend day potluck?
BFS, I am super excited to let you know that my office is having a potluck on Wednesday for St. Patrick's Day. I am making Irish Potato candy. I went to the super walmart by work to pick up the ingredients. Total part of my bill for it was about $6. It would have been less if I hadn't run out of cocoa powder ($2.50).
ReplyDeleteJulie, aren't potlucks fun!?
ReplyDeleteI hope your Irish Potato candy turns out well. At first I thought that candy made from potatoes could be gross, but I looked up a couple of recipes...candy that just looks like mini-potatoes sounds delicious! Good luck!