Potluck ideas with no reheating option

We are going to a potluck after church this Sunday and I can't think of anything to bring. We will not have anywhere to reheat the dishes but I could likely find a place to plug a crockpot in. I'm in northern Minnesota so refrigeration is not an issue if the dish needs to stay cold. We have 2 small children and a 30 minute drive so something easy to transport would be preferable. And it's a potluck for families with young kids so kid friendly -and easy to eat with a kid on your lap - would be nice. Any ideas?

ktr
  • Posted by: ktr
  • March 14, 2017
  • 21862 views
  • 15 Comments

15 Comments

ktr
ktr March 15, 2017
So I told my family the suggestions you all gave me. And, baked beans were an early hit, but they got ruled out when I mentioned caked. Which then led to brownies and to muffins and finally to banana bread with honey butter. Thanks again for all the help!
 
ktr
ktr March 14, 2017
Oh my gosh, I can't believe all the great suggestions. Thank you so much. I'm going to keep these ideas on hand in my kitchen for future get togethers.
 
HalfPint
HalfPint March 14, 2017
How about chili con carne? Using a crockpot?
 
Emily S.
Emily S. March 14, 2017
Here's a broccoli salad that I love to take to that kind of thing. I don't even like broccoli ordinarily, but this is is delicious and potlucks usually need more vegetables anyway.

https://smittenkitchen.com/2009/05/broccoli-slaw/
 
MMH
MMH March 14, 2017
Mini quiches baked in muffin tins are fine at room temp. You can make a variety.
I am a veteran of many Montessori school pot lucks. Pyrex makes a 8x13 dish with a lid and a handled ccarrier. It has keep warm pouches which keep the whole bundle warm for a remarkable time.
 
Nancy
Nancy March 14, 2017
Your suggestion reminds me of baking stuffing (dressing) or potato pancakes in muffin tins, then serving at room temp, topped with a slice of cheese or deli meat.
 
ktr
ktr March 14, 2017
I think I got something like that as a wedding gift and have never used it. Time to go digging in the garage!
 
Michele
Michele March 14, 2017
I love this idea! I have been meaning to do mini quiches for breakfasts as I love the small bite idea. Also, what about chicken / bean quesadillas (or any other variation) stuffed with cheese to seal them together and cut into wedges? SeriousEats has been doing quesadillas and it is worth checking out - lots of great fillings and foolproof technique. http://www.seriouseats.com/2017/02/food-lab-great-quesadillas.html
 
luvcookbooks
luvcookbooks March 14, 2017
Can you make baked beans and warm them on the crockpot? They are a nice winter dish. Steamed brown bread would be nice on the side.
 
ktr
ktr March 14, 2017
That's a great idea. My son loves homemade baked beans!
 
ktr
ktr March 14, 2017
These are all great ideas. Thank you so much. I'll let my husband and 5year old pick one to make the final decision.
 
Nancy
Nancy March 14, 2017
Riffing on the two previous ideas (Michelle frittata and drbabs cake), I suggest a savory cake or a rolled stuffed bread.
Put some protein filling in (meat, cheese, nuts, tofu...depending on local tastes and allergies) a lovely yeast dough, roll up and bake. Later, slice and serve.
You could also do these shaped in coils (like cinnamon buns) for individual servings.
 
drbabs
drbabs March 14, 2017
I like to bring cake to a potluck. (So few people bake from scratch these days. It's really a treat. ) Try one of these https://food52.com/blog/19052-16-very-nice-bundt-cakes
Or this: https://food52.com/recipes/27467-tiger-cake It's huge and delicious.
 
Michele
Michele March 14, 2017
Quiche or frittata are great if you can keep them at room temperature. Frittatas particularly are easy to eat without dropping bits and there are so many variations you can make a couple with some variety to offer options. Cut into small bite size pieces. Also, slightly messier would be some slider type sandwiches - little buns with smoked salmon cream cheese / smoked fish / pate / thin sliced beef. You could add a little bit of greens but with a nice flavored spread on the roll to add moisture (mayo and dijon / mayo and a bit of garlic chili sauce) and the filler it will be tasty.
 
BerryBaby
BerryBaby March 14, 2017
Fresh veggie or fruit skewers are easy to make and easy to eat.
 
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