Tips for Hosting a Potluck Thanksgiving Dinner

Preparing for Thanksgiving dinner can make you feel anything but thankful. From all of the house cleaning to the preparing, cooking, and afterwards clean up, it can be extremely exhausting. That's where a potluck dinner comes in. By having everyone bring something for the meal, there is far less work involved for the host. To plan the perfect Thanksgiving holiday potluck, start early. You want to start your preparations the first week of November.

Invitations. You need to know how many people will be attending your Thanksgiving, and you also have to talk to them about it being a potluck dinner. Most people will agree to spending a little time and money of their own to help make the load lessened on you. Call and invite your guests during the first week of November. If they tell you they are indeed planning on coming, tell them you will be calling in a few weeks to let them know what to plan on bringing.

Plan the menu. Most Thanksgiving dinners are pretty similar in terms of menu selection. Of course there is the turkey, and then there's the mashed potatoes, cranberries, and stuffing. In addition to these you could have some form of bread product, desserts, and vegetables. Each family member or guest who will be coming to your potluck dinner needs to bring something. As the host, be gracious and offer to take care of the turkey. This is the main entree, but it will need a lot of sides. When you call your guests to follow up with them, assign them specific foods to bring along.

Here is a sample menu you can use for your potluck.

Guest One: Mashed Potatoes and cranberries
Guest Two: Sweet Potatoes and Green Beans
Guest Three: Dinner rolls and vegetable casserole
Guest Four: Two pecan pies
Guest Five: Two pumpkin pies