10 Tips for a Successful and Great Potluck Party

1. Plan well ahead. Maybe 2 weeks before. This gives you lot of time to be creative and make the party a success.

2. Maintain a group list of all the members you are inviting for the party. By this way, you can make sure that each one is informed about the party details. You can also make sure that the items (recipes) doesn't duplicate by confirming the items with each person and letting others know through group mail.

3. If you are inviting more than 10, make sure you have enough space for the party. If you have a big house, then no worries. But if you live in an apartment, consider hosting it in a clubhouse or a big hall. This way, you can avoid your potluck party look too crowded and the kids will have room to play and run around.

4. Use Paper plates, Plastic Tumblers etc for t he party so that you can just use and throw it. This avoids a lot of after party work.

5. To avoid the food becoming cold, make sure to start the party on time. This should not be a problem as you would have already contacted all your party members through the group mail. Also eat first. You can enjoy later. Eating first gives you lot of energy to participate and mingle with the crowd.

6. Share the leftovers. Many a times, potluck dinner/lunch ends with a lot of leftovers. Do not throw it. I bet you won't. Instead, take them home. Make it a point to take a dish that you have not cooked for the party. By this way, you can eat food cooked by someone else for a change and by commenting the next day about their food, you build a great friendship.

7. For the menu, make sure you have at least 2 in appetizers, main course, Side dish etc. One for vegetarians and one for Non-vegetarians so that you don't make anyone feel left out.

8. If you are going to the party with newborns or Toddlers, make sure you have their food and their favorite toy to avoid crying at the party.

9. Not every kid loves these parties. To make it interesting for kids, have some contests or activities. This is why we need to plan (point 1). Few fun activities for kids of age 5 and above

a. Memory Game - Place say around 20 to 30 things on a table. It can be watch, pen, pencil etc. Make the kids see it for 1 min and then cover them with a cloth. Now ask them to write down the names of the things they remember. The kid with most of the things correct is the winner.

b. Imagination Game - You can show a thing to the kids and ask them to imagine it as something different and write about it. The most creative person is the winner.

10. Plan for mementos. Make the party memorable for your friends. Give them some surprise gifts. You need not spend a lot on this. You can find lots of cheap yet cute gifts in shops.