Planning a Potluck Thanksgiving

A new way to celebrate the holiday with friends and family.

The Hostess is still the Hostess

Just because you’re not taking on all the cooking duties doesn’t mean you don’t have to accommodate your guests. You’ve got a lot of planning to do. First, you have to decide whether you’re going to have a sit-down affair or a more casual buffet-style setting. This will help determine the time (daytime being more casual) as well as the size.

And remember, when hosting a pot luck, you are responsible for all the plates, napkins, cutlery and related items, so make sure they’re adequate for the menu.

Menu Planning

In addition to providing all the dishware, you’re also the one responsible for bringing the center of the meal.

For simplicity’s sake, do something easy like a Smithfield Honey Orange Glazed Ham. It only takes about 15 minutes to prepare for the oven. That’s not much longer than it’ll take you to brew all the tea and coffee, which is also your responsibility.

Don’t forget to offer a decaffeinated option.

Assignments

Break the meal up into parts, including appetizers, salad, mashed potatoes, stuffing, other side dishes and desserts. Assign each guest a different meal part, asking them to prepare it just like they remember from their favorite Thanksgiving. In addition, you might want to ask your guests to provide the recipes for what they bring so you can create a Thanksgiving Potluck Cookbook everyone can have at the end of the meal.

Themes

Many people find that creating a memorable theme, like “Thanksgiving in Hawaii” is a fun twist on the holiday. For instance, you could pair a Smithfield Spiral Sliced Ham with rum punch. If you do this, ask guests to round out the menu with items like brown sugar sweetened yams, pineapple casserole, and coconut cream pie. Be sure to wear Hawaiian shirts and hand out leis at the door.

For a more traditional theme, put together your menu based on Thanksgivings past. Collect classic recipes from your family and the internet and set your menu that way. You may even want to take pictures of the final creations to compare your dishes with previous ones.

Remember to Give Thanks

You may have hosted the big feast, but your friends helped you pull it off. Make sure to send handwritten thank you notes to show your appreciation. Send photos of the great dishes you had and the company you shared.

Got a big crowd and a big occasion? Here’s the big idea recipe you’ve been looking for. This delicious variation on the traditional glazed ham brings the citrus taste of orange to the mix. Best of all you can prepare it fast -- just 15 minutes and it’s in the oven.