Updated:

Dec 14, 2019

Original:

Feb 8, 2019

What Are the Best Dishes to Bring to an Office Potluck?

Author:

Claudia has been writing recipes online for many years. She enjoys coming up with unique and tasty dishes, especially sweet treats.

Not sure what to bring to your office potluck? You'll find plenty of ideas here.
Claudia Mitchell

The Office Potluck: Love It or Hate It

Most people either love or hate the office potluck. On the one hand, they are a fun way to get together with coworkers; on the other, they can be an uncomfortable way to spend an afternoon with people you may not want to socialize with.

Whichever side people come down on, office potlucks are becoming increasingly common. They are a less expensive alternative to catered office parties.

Of course, with a potluck comes a big decision: what to bring. And that's not always an easy question to answer.

Important Considerations

Office potlucks are different than backyard picnics, so the planning is a bit different.

Will there be access to a stove or oven?
Will there be access to refrigeration?
What is the seating like? Will people be walking around holding plates, or will they be able to sit down?
Does anyone have any dietary or allergy concerns? This one is tough in a large office, but it's something to think about.
What time of day is the party going to be?
Does the party have a theme or is it a holiday celebration?

You can't go wrong with fried chicken at a potluck.
Claudia Mitchell

Here's what you'll find in this article to help you make a decision.

Easy Alternatives
Cold Foods
Hot Foods
10 Best Potluck Dishes
Tips for a Successful Dish
What Not to Bring

Bring fruit to the party and jazz it up by making it a shaped platter.
Claudia Mitchell

Easy Alternatives

Not everyone likes, or wants, to cook. If the party planner has a sign-up list, it's usually the no-cook choices that go first.

Here are some easy ideas that you can find in most grocery stores.

Chips and dip
Vegetable tray and dip
Fruit platter
Sandwich tray
Cheese platter
Pizza
Fried chicken
Cookies
Cake
Drinks
Cutlery/paper products (Usually the office provides these items, but if they don't, it's usually one of the first things to get claimed on the list.)

If you don't have time to cook, pick up a tray of ready-made sandwiches. They are already cut into small sections.
Claudia Mitchell

Cold Food Ideas

Cold foods are fairly easy to bring. They don't need to be heated up and, especially if the party is in the summer, people appreciate something cool.

Hot Food Ideas

Hot foods are the trickiest thing to bring because they need to be reheated or kept warm. Slow cookers are ideal for these types of dishes.

Just make sure they stay warm so they don't spoil.

Meatballs
Cheesy Potatoes
Warm Dips
Ziti
Macaroni and Cheese
Baked Beans
Lunch Meat Sliders
Pulled Pork
Pierogies
Lasagna
Sliced Ham

Bite-sized treats like these truffles are perfect for a potluck.
Claudia Mitchell

10 Best Office Potluck Dishes

If you want your party contribution to be a sure-fire hit, then one of these ideas is the way to go.

Cheesy Potatoes—Also known as church or funeral potatoes. It's a safe bet that almost everyone has had these at one time or another, and chances are that the dish will be empty before everyone gets through line. This recipe from The Country Cook is a good one.
Italian Pasta Salad—A nice alternative to mayonnaise based salads. Cupcake Diaries has this delicious recipe.
Fried Chicken—It may sound simple, but chicken can be picked up at the store, it's easy to eat, and it tastes good.
Sweet and Sour Meatballs—These are ridiculously easy to make and bring in slow cooker. Bring some toothpicks for people to use. You can't go wrong with this recipe from Life in the Lofthouse.
Seven Layer Dip—Bring a couple of bags of tortilla chips to accompany the dip and you have a hit. The folks over at Dessert Now Dinner Later know how to make this great dip.
Hot Hawaiian Ham and Cheese Sliders—As long as you have a place to heat up the dish, these will be a home run. This recipe from Eating on a Dime is addictive.
Fruit Platter—Whether you buy a ready-made one at the store, or you make your own, the fruit will be gone before you know it. It looks beautiful and it's a refreshing side.
Chocolate Chip Cookie Bars—Everybody loves these and they are easy to bring to the office. Double the recipe so there are plenty to go around.
Buffalo Chicken Dip—Easy to prepare in a slow cooker, this recipe, from The Diary of a Real Housewife, is a crowd-pleaser. Bring tortilla chips, celery, or slices of french bread for dipping.
Vegetable Tray—Another easy option that people love, the veggie tray. You can get it at the store, or step it up and make your own with some interesting vegetables and tasty dip. It's not very original, but the platter is always empty at the end of the party.

Salads are always a hit at the office potluck.
Claudia Mitchell

Tips for Success

The nice thing about office potlucks is that people aren't usually expected to bring their finest dishes. Everyone understands that it's not easy bringing in certain things.

That gives people more flexibility which means that people who bring in store-bought items don't get the evil eye like they do at family picnics. Here are a few things to consider when choosing a dish:

Tips for Making the Meal


Tip	Explanation
Bite-size or small portions	Bring things that are easy to eat when standing up and that don't require cutting.
Light to none on the mayonnaise	While everyone loves salads with mayonnaise, it's nice to have lighter salad options. This is especially true for a summer party. Mayonnaise can spoil quickly so opt for the non-mayo version if possible.
Use slow cookers	The best way to bring in warm dishes to the office is in a slow cooker. Food can be made that morning or the night before, and then heated through the day until the party.
Pre-cut portions	For things like cookie bars or lasagna, pre-cut the portions so people don't have to fuss in the line.

Dessert dips are often found at potlucks.
Claudia Mitchell

What Not to Bring to an Office Potluck


Food Item	Explanation
Leftovers	I've been to office potlucks where leftovers were brought and they tasted old. If you didn't have time to make anything, just buy a bag of chips. At least you will have brought somethings.
Strong smelling items	Fish can be particularly strong and the smell can linger for days.
Messy items	People may find it difficult to eat without spilling on themselves or getting the sauce all over their hands.
Assemble yourself items	Unless the event is a taco bar, most people don't want to have to assemble food when there is a long line of hungry coworkers behind them.
Unshelled nuts	This is far too much work for a potluck.
Sushi	While many people like it, more will be turned off by it, especially after it has been sitting on the counter for a while.
Soup	Unless it's a soup event, steer clear of it. It's hard to eat and chances are that there won't be any bowls.
Olives with pits	If you are bringing a relish tray, spring for the pitted olives. You don't want anyone to break a tooth, or find the pits around the office for months to come.
Greasy items	We've all seen the casserole that is floating in grease. It's pretty unappealing and it's usually still there at the end of the day.