Food & Drink

Pot Luck Ideas (no cooking)

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  • Nov 17th, 2013 7:36 am
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May 9, 2006
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dgnr8 wrote: Budget? I'm guessing the party is pretty low key if you brought ice cream sandwiches last time so Pickle Barrel party sandwiches.
Well... I didn't bring ice cream sandwiches. I brought ice cream bars. Last year I spent about $30. Budget isn't a big deal. I'm willing to spent in the $20 to $50 range. Last year, there was roughly 30 people. This year it'll be nearly double (lots of new hires). I don't have to buy for 60, but I feel I should focus more on quantity instead of quality.

Lots of good suggestions so far, but many coworkers are Costco shoppers and have already signed up to bring most items mentioned. The rest will pick up pizza or chinese takeout from the food court. And there's always someone bringing samosas.

The viet subs is a good idea, but I would need to pick them up really early in the morning (7am). I don't know if they open that early.

I typically like to bring something that you don't normally see at potlucks, but with no kitchen and either be bought the day before or fresh the day of (but before work), really limits my options. Right now the front runner is picking up 3-4 dozen donuts at Krispy Kreme.

biee wrote: Just bring cutlery (forks, plates, cups...)...someone has to bring those...
Storage locker is surprisingly well stocked. We have more forks than pens.
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joeyjoejoe wrote: Well... I didn't bring ice cream sandwiches. I brought ice cream bars. Last year I spent about $30. Budget isn't a big deal. I'm willing to spent in the $20 to $50 range. Last year, there was roughly 30 people. This year it'll be nearly double (lots of new hires). I don't have to buy for 60, but I feel I should focus more on quantity instead of quality.

Lots of good suggestions so far, but many coworkers are Costco shoppers and have already signed up to bring most items mentioned. The rest will pick up pizza or chinese takeout from the food court. And there's always someone bringing samosas.

The viet subs is a good idea, but I would need to pick them up really early in the morning (7am). I don't know if they open that early.

I typically like to bring something that you don't normally see at potlucks, but with no kitchen and either be bought the day before or fresh the day of (but before work), really limits my options. Right now the front runner is picking up 3-4 dozen donuts at Krispy Kreme.




Storage locker is surprisingly well stocked. We have more forks than pens.
if you are thinking of donuts, why not walnut cakes?
“Children see magic because they look for it.”
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ippon wrote: if you are thinking of donuts, why not walnut cakes?
I love those, but only when they're fresh. The one in Korea town (Bloor) doesn't opn till 9am though.
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wilsonlam97 wrote: Lol stupid me I thought this was about pot
I really should fix the title, but I'm a lazy, lazy man (another reason why I don't want to cook).
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Mar 12, 2006
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Why don't you just bring some beverages. Cases of Coke, pepsi and water whatever, or bottles of non-alcoholic sparkling cider. If its in your budget get soda in individual glass bottles. No cooking involved with that.
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Sep 2, 2008
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30 egg mcmuffins

kimbap (buy them the night before, keep them wrapped at room temp they should be fine the next morning)

deviled eggs (I know you said no cooking...but this is minimal cooking and even though it sounds old school...everybody loves a good devilled egg)

Onigiri...sanko has them delivered from some company every day, you contact sanko and ask to get a large order that you will pick up the day before.
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joeyjoejoe wrote: I love those, but only when they're fresh. The one in Korea town (Bloor) doesn't opn till 9am though.
if you have a toaster oven at work, these babies can be refreshed in them and they taste just like when they pop out of the mold.
“Children see magic because they look for it.”
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sunshinemoonlight13 wrote: Why not strawberry donuts?
why not pink elephants?
“Children see magic because they look for it.”
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sunshinemoonlight13 wrote: I've never seen a pick elephant. Certainly not eatable.
girl, you haven't lived until you've seen pink elephants.
“Children see magic because they look for it.”
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Nov 15, 2006
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Toronto
Have you talked to the organizer of the event? As someone who had to organize these stupid things monthly, they likely already know what they need and would be willing to offer suggestions. It was always tough to get people to bring meat, so sometimes just a couple packs of lunchmeat were a godsend. Everyone always wanted to bring dessert, so that was usually discouraged if people asked me specifically. Most would just bring whatever they wanted though, so we'd have tons of veggie trays, fruit, dessert and four or people people who'd stop by Dollarama, buy a $1 pack of napkins and said that they contributed.

That said, the people who I knew would be the least comfortable preparing food or had to lug on transit, I'd usually tell them that we could use a bag of rolls and a thing of butter or margarine. That or bags of chips. I'd save the crockpot of meatball or the homemade lasagnas for people who had a car and liked cooking.

(oh, frozen shrimp were usually well received too. Just defrost before and they'd be fine by lunchtime.

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