Depending on when your offices are open, a lunchtime potluck meal may be the best time. More employees are typically in the office during the day. Ask your manager if the company can cover the cost of the meat items, allowing employees to bring the fixings. If not, ask everyone to contribute a dollar or two in addition to their potluck contribution. Order the meats in advance from a restaurant, grocer, deli, etc. Because of the cost involved and concerns about proper cooking, you may want to consider ordering hams or turkeys from a local restaurant, grocer or deli. You can pick them up before the meal and serve while it is still warm. The meats usually take the longest time and having them prepared by a professional is usually easiest. Consider ordering pre-cut turkey breasts and ham to offer a variety with easy serving. Tofurky or other meat substitutes should also be available for any vegetarians or those with food “issues” who attend. Don’t assume they’ll be fine with the side dishes either. Vegetarian dishes are quick to prepare and are good menu items for vegetarian co-workers to sign up to bring. Add a “meat substitute” line to your sign up sheet if vegetarians are numerous in your workplace.
Send the initial email out as far in advance as possible. Two weeks in advance is adequate for smaller offices. A message from the most senior manager is usually best and will probably result in a better turn out. Managers can coordinate a system with their staffers to allow everyone a chance to get food and eat.
Consider the size of your office when adding the numbered lines. If you only have 20 people in your office, you may want to only put a few lines under each food category. By limiting the number of items under each category you can be sure you will have enough of the appropriate food items and not 5,000 paper plates and bags of ice but nothing to eat.
Vegetables 1. ________________ 2. ________________ 3. ________________ 4. ________________ 5. ________________ 6. ________________ Casseroles 1. ________________ 2. ________________ 3. ________________ 4. ________________ 5. ________________ 6. ________________ Bread/rolls 1. ________________ 2. ________________ 3. ________________ Stuffing/Dressing 1. ________________ 2. ________________ 3. ________________ Potato dishes 1. ________________ 2. ________________ 3. ________________ Macaroni and Cheese 1. ________________ 2. ________________ 3. ________________ Cranberry Sauce (bring dish and can opener if you are bringing canned items) 1. ________________ 2. ________________ 3. ________________ 5lbs bags of ice AND cooler 1. ________________ 2. ________________ 3. ________________ Salad/cold plates (pasta or potato salads, green salads with dressings, deviled eggs, etc. ) 1. ________________ 2. ________________ 3. ________________ 4. ________________ 5. ________________ 6. ________________ Desserts 1. ________________ 2. ________________ 3. ________________ 4. ________________ 5. ________________ 6. ________________ Desserts are very popular so it’s best to add more lines for this category. Don’t add too many or you’ll be eating turkey and cake. Drinks (Please bring 2 2 liter bottles, one regular and one diet or gallons of iced tea, one sweet and one unsweetened. ) 1. ________________ 2. ________________ 3. ________________ 4. ________________ 5. ________________ 6. ________________ Like desserts, you will need more lines for beverages. Cups-Disposable 1. ________________ 2. ________________ 3. ________________ Heavy duty paper plates, napkins and plastic cutlery. (Bring a package or two of each. Make sure the cutlery includes forks, knives and spoons. ) 1. ________________ 2. ________________ 3.
Also include a notation that everyone is responsible for collecting their dirty dishes following the potluck.
If your office and staff is working to be more “green” you should request specific environmentally friendly plates, cups and cutlery be purchased. Make sure you have a separate recycling container next to the trash. To stay super green, ask everyone to bring their own plates, cups and utensils from home.
Electric griddles are an excellent way to keep items warm when you use them on the lowest setting, monitor often and stir as needed. Some potluck recipes are excellent when served in a slow cooker. They’re easy to transport and you can be plugged in when you arrive at the office so the food stays warm. Have tables set up near plugs to keep slow cookers and other electric serving items can be plugged in.
Wipe off any tables that will be used for serving food. Set the plates, cutlery and napkins at the beginning of the food line, place the meats next followed by the side dishes. Place drinks and desserts and the end of the table or set up another table for those items. If the dish isn’t obvious, the dish bringer should label the dish with the name of the food and note if there are nuts, or meats in it. Just “Veggie casserole - has nuts” or “pasta salad - has bacon” will do. The mention of nuts is especially important if someone in your office has a nut allergy. The mention of meat is nice for vegetarians, especially when a meat or broth may be mixed in and not obvious at first glance. Label the dish or tape the note to it. Taping the note to the table may not work since dishes may get moved around as people are serving themselves.
