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We all love gathering with friends at our homes and having a bite to eat. The only downside is all of the cooking and then the cleaning afterwards.

You may love hosting, but by the end of the day you’re exhausted and the day goes by in a blur.

You deserve a chance to enjoy yourself too!

If you want everyone to chip in at your next gathering you’re hosting, then it’s a good idea to have a plan for hosting a potluck dinner.

To avoid the headache, here’s how to organize a potluck dinner.

How to Organize a Potluck Dinner

1. Be Organized

Write a list of who is bringing what. It’s best to separate the list into categories, such as appetizers, meats, sides, desserts, and drinks.

2. Request Special Dishes

If your mom makes the best mac n’ cheese you’ve ever had or your best friend makes the best homemade cranberry sauce, ask them to bring their special dishes. They’ll be more than happy to share with everybody.

3. Don’t Forget Tableware

What’s the point of having a potluck dinner if you have nothing to eat from or eat with?

You may choose to use your own fine china, but if you want to go the easy route and have everything disposable, assign somebody to bring spoons, forks, knives, paper plates, and napkins.

4. Have Extra Serving Dishes on Hand

Some people may not have time to cook or they know that their cooking skills are not up to par, so they may bring foods that are prepackaged and only need to be placed on a platter (think cheese and crackers).

Always be prepared by having extra serving platters and utensils on hand and easily accessible.

5. Send the Food Home

Since you didn’t cook all of the food, it wouldn’t be fair that you’re the only one who gets to eat all of the leftovers.

Have enough foil, plastic wrap, and disposable containers for your guests to take some of that yummy food home.

Now that you know how to organize a potluck dinner, you can try adding this homemade deli platter or this easy green bean pasta salad to your menu!