Last Thursday night I invited a group of friends over to break in my new apartment with a Greek-themed potluck dinner. It went so well that I’ve deemed myself potluck queen. Here are my tips:
1. Make Friends
Friends are easy to make. Usually you can find them by striking up conversation and finding a common ground. Offer a piece of gum or discover that your cousin’s best friend’s preschool teacher is one of your mutual friends on Facebook. That usually works.
2. Learn how to boil water
Few things can be cooked without knowing how to boil water. Even if they can, if you can’t figure out how to boil water you probably shouldn’t be cooking in any other form anyway. You can hit up Trader Joe’s for some tortilla chips and salsa, but let’s be real: you’ll get the stink eye if, as the host, you serve anything you poured out of a can. So learn the basics, and apply. I was pretty lazy and just made a signature cocktail and some couscous, but my friends more than made up for my lack of cooking with all the Mediterranean classics: homemade hummus, pita bread, baba ganoush, olives, Greek Chicken, Greek roasted potatoes, feta tomato salad, Orzo salad, and baklava.
3. Make sure you have enough silverware
There are 12 people coming over. That means you need 12 knives, 12 forks, 12 spoons. And serving spoons. There are people who are going to use 4 forks each. You must be prepared for those people. I almost learned this the hard way. Also give your dishwasher a pep talk beforehand because it’s going to be working pretty hard that night — potlucks require almost every dish in your cupboard.
4. Serve copious amounts of alcohol.
Booze makes people more fun. It’s a fact. Honor that fact.
Santorini Sunrise, Sangria, Lemonade cocktail (I forgot what he called it), and Moscato Sangria
5. Play inappropriate party games. They turn acquaintances into best friends.
I’m happy to take any follow-up questions via email.
Namaste!
Questions:
- Potlucks: theme or free for all?
- Favorite Greek food?
i had a big lunch 
Wow looks like so much fun! I love Greek food. Thanks for the tips, cant wait to throw my own potluck dinner.
You should! Greek food isn’t what you usually think of at first but it’s such a nice change.
Haha good tips! Hope it went well and you had a fun evening, the food sure looked good.
Potluck dinners aren’t really a thing in the UK, don’t know about Aus yet but they seem like such a good idea!
My favourite greek food would have to be feta… Crumbled in a salad with fresh tomatoes and olives! Yum!
Bring them to Australia! I used to hate feta but it’s definitely growing on me — you can make so much with it!
This is such a great idea! I always want to have people over for dinner, but I have a small apartment and never want to clean haha! This makes it look so easy and fun
My friends were so kind and helped me with dishes — but to be honest I love cleaning kitchens. It’s my stress relief I guess? Haha. Just crash other people’s potlucks!
Love the idea of having a theme for a potluck! We used to have tons of parties at our old house, complete with board games, the fire pit and lots of jug wine. Our townhouse now is not quite as party-friendly since it’s a lot smaller, but I miss those nights. Looks like you had a blast!
Gah you sound like a real party planning queen! I have so much to learn. Having friends over is my favorite thing to do!
Haha you crack me up girl! Boiling water is legit. Seriously, one must know how to do it. I love that game cards against humanity, have you tried it? 🙂
Boiling water definitely comes in handy in the kitchen 😉
You forgot EAT ALL THE FOODS
#duh
Hahaha this is hilarious! And very great tips too. Not having enough silverware is one of the biggest issues to throwing any kind of party. I also completely agree that booze is completely necessary 🙂 I never thought about having a theme for a potluck before. It sounds like it would make it just a little bit more difficult for people to make/bring food because it may be something they’ve never made before…however, that can also be part of the fun if you’ve invited the right kind of people who like to try new things!
Yeah I know exactly what you mean about that — but I think everyone actually had fun getting out of their comfort zone a little. It can be hard during the week, though. We’re all so busy!
Hahaha learn how to boil water. I love it.
Hey — gotta know the basics!
so many great components! Greek food + wine + friends + cards against humanity = the best evening. you rocked it.
Nothing better than having all your friends over for dinner. It’s seriously my favorite!
This looks like so much fun! Potlucks are the best. And if they’re Mediterranean themed? Well! Can’t ask for much more than that.
It was outside the box — and I’m happy we did that! It made it even more fun.
I had a BBQ at my apartment this summer and it was so much fun! My first time hosting which wasn’t as bad as I thought! I love the Greek theme…. add that to the to-do list in my new apartment 🙂
I’m sure you killed it! It’s just such a gratifying feeling to gather all your friends at your own place 🙂
I want to go to a potluck hosted by YOU!! 🙂 I’ve never hosted a themed potluck. You’re on to something…
Do it! It was a blast. You’re welcome to my potlucks anytime 🙂
Where was my invite? such a racist camel.
You’re getting sassier and sassier every day. Keep em coming!
I like free for all potlucks! I think the spontaneity is fun. I once attended a potluck that was potato themed. It was delicious, but potatoes are so dense, it was hard to eat too much of anything. I am also a fan of dessert potlucks 😉
The problem in my group of friends is that everyone would bring chips and salsa. Everyone haha. A potato potluck would be quite filling haha. Omg a dessert potluck! Great idea!
I’m partial to dip so anything Greek that is mayonnaise-based works for me. I’ll dip dip into dip. That’s how much I love it. I can boil water, sure. But I had to phone 9-1-1 once when I left a pot of bottles, nipples, and breast pump parts boiling on the stove all day while I took the kids to the park. Oopsie doodles!
I think my next potluck will just be dip-themed. Dips are the bomb. Spinach artichoke is my jam. I wonder how that phone call went — “yes, I left my nipples on the stove.”