Friendsgiving Potluck Checklist

24 items · Cooking · Medium difficulty · 1 week

Host a Friendsgiving potluck that ends up a full meal: assign dishes by course, plan the oven, label allergens and send leftovers home.

• Pick a date and a start time

  Avoid Thanksgiving weekend itself, so guests are still free to travel to family.

• Settle the guest list against the seats and chairs you have
• Send the invitations

  Give the time and address. Say plainly that it is a potluck and that you will assign dishes.

• Ask each guest about allergies and diets
• Decide what you will cook yourself

  Usually the main dish, plus the gravy if it is made from the turkey drippings.

• Write a dish list by course

  Starters, sides, salad, bread, dessert and drinks. Give sides the most slots.

• Assign each dish to a named guest

  A shared list everyone can see stops two people bringing the same thing.

• Ask each cook whether their dish is ready to serve, needs reheating or needs baking
• Pass on the allergy and diet answers to each cook
• Ask cooks to bring their own serving spoon
• Plan an oven and stovetop timetable

  The turkey rests after it comes out, and that window is when other dishes can bake or reheat.

• Start thawing the turkey in the fridge with days to spare

  Allow about one day in the fridge for every 4 to 5 pounds.

• Count plates, glasses, cutlery and napkins

  Borrow or buy what you are short of now, not on the morning.

• Clear fridge space for cold dishes

  A cooler with ice on the porch or balcony takes the drinks out of the fridge.

• Make a card for each dish with its name and main allergens
• Text the group a reminder the day before

  Repeat the arrival time and each person's dish.

• Set up the serving table the night before

  Hot dishes arriving in their baking pans need trivets or folded towels under them.

• Buy ice
• Clear space for coats and clean the bathroom
• Roast the turkey
• Put each dish's card out as it arrives

  Stick masking tape with the owner's name under the dish at the same time, so it goes home with the right person.

• Keep hot dishes hot and cold dishes cold through the meal

  Get leftovers into the fridge within two hours of serving. Food left out longer than that goes in the bin.

• Have takeaway containers ready for leftovers

  Guests can take home what is left of their own dish plus a share of the turkey.

• Wash and return every dish that came from a guest

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