panel member doesn’t realize I’m an expert, favorite work potluck dishes, and more

by Alison Green on June 17, 2022

It’s four answers to four questions. Here we go…

1. Panel member thinks I need remedial resources when I’m actually an expert

I’m a young-looking professional who recently had to present to a panel of community members. The context of the panel is that they have to approve something that my client needs approved.

Most members of the panel knew me and my work. I am an area expert in a branch of, let’s say, llama grooming and while I introduced myself as such, I did not go into details about my expertise in the interest of time (I had limited time to present and take questions). One of the panel members who I do not know (turns out she was from another area) was aggressive and skeptical about my expertise during the presentation. I handled it as best I could (and got several compliments after, so I think I did well).

After the panel approved my request (with her dissenting), she contacted me via email with some “resources,” aka very low level training (think “What is a Llama?”) about the subject area I am an expert in. I am mildly amused and slightly offended.

I don’t know how to reply. Saying thank you feels fake and frankly, I may have to deal with her again, so I’d like her to know my expertise. But saying “I know this and in fact teach Advanced Llama Grooming at the local graduate school” feels wrong too. Any guidance? Part of me wants to rub her face in my expertise, but that part of me is not professional.

If you didn’t need to deal with her again, I’d say to just let it go (and not even feel obligated to reply at all). But since you might encounter her in the future, it does make sense to set the record straight about your expertise.

One option: “Thanks for following up with me. I teach Advanced Llama Grooming at X University so I’ll add this to my pool of resources for students new to the subject.”

2. Should I tell my fantastic boss I’m job searching?

My boss is amazing. She is hands down the best boss I have ever had. We have a great relationship. She knows I am unhappy with the way our unit is viewed and paid. She told me as my boss she does not want to lose me but as my friend she wants me to be happy and valued. She shared she has the same feelings as our leader and is treated the same as undervalued, underpaid, and overworked. I have been looking for a new job and have found many paying much more. She has been working hard to get our unit more money.

I don’t want her to be blindsided as I assured her I felt this was where I should be in spite of the issues because it was true at the time but it no longer is the case. I also don’t want to mess anything up if she is able to get us more money and I am unable to find a job I really want. Should I tell her I am looking?

Nope. There’s too much risk of it coming back to bite you in some way — not that she’d necessarily push you out earlier than you wanted to leave (although that is always a possibility, even with a manager who you think wouldn’t do it), but it could affect things like what kinds of projects you get, how much she goes to bat to get you more money, and even whether you end up on a layoff list or not (because managers are humans and can think, “I have to cut someone, and I know Jane is trying to leave anyway but Heather really wants to stay”). If she’s a good boss, she’ll understand why you didn’t take that risk.

If there were issues you genuinely felt your boss could fix if she knew about them, I’d suggest talking to her about those — but it sounds like she knows about the issues and her hands are tied.

3. How to be transparent as a manager when I doubt my company’s commitment to better pay

Ever since I was a junior employee at the company seven years ago, we have been saying that there is a lack of transparency and that decisions are made and discussed at the senior management level, but then don’t get passed down to the people they impact. Since I took on a management position, I have been trying to change that and ensure that when I hear about company news, like new hires, resignations, and changes of direction for the company, I communicate these to my team members and ensure other managers do the same.

The latest thing is salaries. As I am sure is a problem everywhere, the cost of living has massively increased and salaries aren’t being increased to match it. Everyone I speak to is unhappy about it and something needs to change or our recent swath of resignations will continue. Last time we raised this, our head of HR told managers there would be a pay review in a few months time. They said this would be to benchmark against other similar companies and “ensure we remain competitive,” but that’s a joke as our salaries are probably around $10k below market rates across the board, even before the cost of living increase. They said we should communicate this to our teams if it will help with their concerns about salaries.

How do I do this? If I trusted the benchmarking process, I wouldn’t have a problem saying it was happening, and that they could expect to find out in X months how it will impact them. But it might not change anything and we could end up just dangling a pay raise in front of them to keep them here, and then taking it away after our busy period is over. This would probably be worse than saying nothing, but if we say nothing and people continue to leave over salary, then the managers will get the blame for not having told people that there are pay reviews upcoming.

This is just one in a long string of things that “will definitely help” but end up being delivered in a way that is just insulting to staff, and so I really want to avoid that.

You can share the info while making it clear that you can’t promise any particular outcome. For example: “I can tell you that I and other managers have raised the pay issue with upper management and we’ve been told the company will review all salaries in August to ensure our pay is competitive. I can’t promise what, if anything, will come of that, but we’ve been asked to share that it’s coming.” If you want, you can add, “I don’t want to lose you over salary, but I’m limited in what I can do and I fully understand that you need to do what’s best for you and that there might be better opportunities out there.”

4. Simple but popular potluck contributions

What are some good options for home-cooked potluck food for work? I don’t really like to do store-bought (but I don’t mind others doing so, that’s just my own preference), but I often work too hard in cooking something nice (such as Korean bbq, Jamaican jerk chicken, etc). Do you have suggestions for something simpler and less labor intensive that will be a smash hit?

It’s Friday — let’s throw this out to readers for simpler stuff they’ve seen be smash hits at work potlucks!

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  1. Ask a Manager* Post author

    Let’s put all the potluck ideas here. Remember, the idea isn’t just about wildly popular potluck contributions, but simpler ones. Thanks!

    1. Rara Avis*

      I tend to do desserts for potlucks since I’m a better baker than cook, but some suggestions: tortellini with sugar snap peas and cherry tomatoes. Deviled eggs. Watermelon feta salad. Caprese skewers. Seven-layer dip. Homemade hummus with pita bread.

      1. Zelda*

        Honestly, just sugar snap peas. I have seen many a crowd plow through bowls and platters of these things because they’re so dang delicious. A little sweet, reasonably nutritious, and a refreshing contrast to all the casseroles. If the LW *wants* to put in a little effort to a special dip to go along with them, homemade hummus is indeed very nice.

        1. Radical Edward*

          I came here to suggest something else but honestly all I want is sugar snap peas and hummus now! (Added bonus: the peas are food allergy/dietary restriction-friendly, and the hummus can be too!)

          1. Double 0 eight*

            Just don’t put tahini in the hummus if you want to be allergy free (tahini contains sesame)

            1. Lana Kane*

              As the parent of a child allergic to sesame, thank you for pointing this out. It’s one of the most prevalent allergies but so many people are surprised when I tell them.

              1. Unaccountably*

                I had no idea it was that prevalent either! I’m glad to know it so I can be more careful.

              2. Ann Perkins*

                Sesame allergy parent here too! I don’t come across other people with a sesame allergy much. Sesame-free hummus would a great addition, though the likelihood of someone having a sesame allergy in an office is pretty slim.

            2. Radical Edward*

              Thank you for the reminder, one of my friends also has a sesame allergy and I honestly forgot about the tahini because we don’t use it! (I use loads of garlic, which some might find undesirable in a potluck dish for a different reason…)

              1. Reluctant Mezzo*

                Well, it will help you weed out the vampires.

                Though my husband gets fun breathing issues from it. Hmm, maybe I need to put him out in the sun and see what happens…

          2. Chilipepper Attitude*

            I’m a vegan and I’m so surprised to see several recommendations for sugar snap peas. I don’t particularly like them and cannot believe people would eat even one at a potluck!! It goes to show how different our tastes can be!

            I don’t know if you think it is simple but I find “real” max and cheese to be a big crowd pleaser. Like sauce made with a roux and baked with a golden crust. That was my pre-vegan go to for a pot luck.

            1. Minimal Pear*

              Agreed on the nice baked mac ‘n’ cheese. I’m allergic to dairy and I still make a killer baked mac ‘n’ cheese because it’s SO good for when I’m having a dinner party with my friends. It also gives me a great reason to push leftovers on them, since I can’t reuse any of the ingredients except for the pasta! (I am forever trying to find sneaky ways to feed my friends.)

            2. No longer working*

              I’m plant-based and a really easy contribution I’ve brought is a 5 Bean Salad. The beans have lots of protein so it can be eaten as a main or a side. What can be easier than opening up cans of beans? OK, you also chop a few crunchy vegetable and make a dressing. Preparing it the night before lets the flavors meld, and on potluck day you don’t have to worry about heating it up. There are lots of recipes on the internet for it.

              Pardon me if others have suggested this already, I haven’t read thru all the comments yet!

              1. Just Another Cog*

                I would totally eat just the 5 bean salad you brought to a pot luck, No Longer Working!

                3. Just Another Cog*

                  Yeah! That bean salad recipe looks just like the one my Dad made when I was a kid. Out of a family of seven, he and I were the only two who were crazy about it. I will print that recipe and use it. Thanks! Suddenly, I have a craving for bean salad.

              2. Joielle*

                Seconding this! (Or, not sure if mine is exactly the same, but definitely a bean-based salad.) If you google “cowboy caviar” you’ll find lots of recipes for what I’m thinking of. People can eat it as a salad or scoop onto tortilla chips.

                1. Dawn*

                  Yes! This is my go-to for potlucks because it’s so easy and it doesn’t have to stay hot/cold.

              3. nobadcats*

                Moosewood Inn Cooks at Home has a perfect vegetarian/vegan black bean soup recipe that can be easily expanded. I’ve made it for years and it’s only one hour to make. We usually treat it mostly as a dip with tortilla chips, loading avos, yogurt, and cheese on the top and only using a spoon at the end. But you can skip all the add-ons we used if you’re vegan.

                I’ve also had great success with the white bean and roasted mushroom soup I got from https://shewearsmanyhats.com/roasted-mushroom-soup/

                Also, don’t underestimate the power of a simple batch of lemon rice. Easy to make, and some people might appreciate that as a side (be sure to add a little bit of lemon zest to be fancy).

                2. nobadcats*

                  @tessa, please let me know how you like it! It’s classic, hearty recipe that can serve both veggie and non-veggie friends. I believe the last time I made it was for my parents and my best couple friend. I also made some bread for bruschetta to have on the side with it, as well as having some bread to soak up the broth (no one was gluten-free in that group).

                  You can also use a roasted turnip or parsnip to add more flavor.

            3. pancakes*

              I often see them with dips when they’re in season. They’re delicious and crunchy, I’d be surprised if people wouldn’t eat them if served.

            4. Rockette J Squirrel*

              Agree! I always add a package of the shredded “Italian mixed” cheese to mine. It gets rave reviews. When I make it, I make triple the amount, and divide into thirds – so I can always have it ready. It’s also a good one to take to a grieving/sick family. Easy to eat comfort food!

          3. Frog&Toad*

            FYI, someone in my house IS allergic to sugar snap peas, they are peripherally related to peanuts.

            2. Radical Edward*

              Thank you for pointing this out. I have several close friends with peanut allergies of varying severity, but somehow peas have never been an issue that’s crossed my radar (at least it’s not an issue for them). I will be sure to remember!

          4. AMK*

            Umm…peas and hummus are/contain allergens. My son is allergic to peas, chickpeas, and sesame so this would be an allergic nightmare for him. I think it is great as a contribution to a potluck, but selling it as allergy friendly is inaccurate.

            1. Carol the happy elf*

              My friend has a cauliflower hummus she’s made since the ’80s, the cauli is roasted with olive oil (no tahini) and middle eastern spices. She runs it through the food processor and adds pimento and olive oil, or fresh basil and fire-roasted tomatoes from her garden.
              It goes fast.

                2. Jerusalem Artichoke*

                  Pet peeve here: The word “hummus” means “chickpea/garbanzo bean.” If your dip is made out of something else, it’s not hummus. If it’s made with tahini in it, it’s creamy and delicious (and a problem for people with sesame allergies). If it’s made with something else in it in addition to the chickpeas (chocolate? pumpkin spice? beets?)… well… let’s just say there’s no accounting for taste.

            2. Radical Edward*

              You’re right, I’m sorry about that. I was too wrapped up in thinking about egg/dairy allergies (that’s me and a lot of my friends and their kids). I’ll be more careful in the future.

            3. MCR*

              Literally any food can be an allergen. This is why things shouldn’t be advertised as “allergen-free” but rather “top 8 allergen free” or the like. Also goes to show the importance of listing ingredients in a little label on your potluck contribution! I say this as a mom of a son allergic to coconut, which is a rare allergy and used in a lot of dishes labeled “allergen-free.”

          5. JSPA*

            Pea allergies are rare, but can be just as intense as those to other legumes. True for people and pets, and based on the false assumption that peas are always the safe option, It’s getting harder and harder to find pet foods as well as pre-prep vegan dishes for people, that don’t have peas, pea protein, or pea fiber. This isn’t intended as a not everybody can have X– Sugar snap peas are wonderful and you should absolutely bring them– But no food should be promoted as being “non allergenic” (not only is it not true, it is biological nonsense; practically anything can be an allergen.)

        2. Elle*

          Or the even simpler hummus option – store bought hummus decanted into a pretty bowl, drizzled with some good quality olive oil!

          1. RebelwithMouseyHair*

            OP doesn’t want to buy something ready-made.
            But hummus is simple to make: you just put a jar of well-rinsed chick peas, a spoonful of tahini, the juice of a lemon, olive oil, crushed garlic and seasoning into the blender and blend!
            Personally I like to serve it with carrot and cucumber sticks, and I’ll add aubergine caviar, but that’s more of a pain to make.

            1. Justme, The OG*

              That makes grainy hummus. Boil the chickpeas (yes they’re already cooked) in water and baking soda first so the skins soften.

              I’m a hummus snob, I admit. But this way is so much better.

              1. BethDH*

                It’s even easier to put the cooked chickpeas in a bowl of water to cover and sort of rub them between your fingers/palms. The skins just rub off and then float while the cleaned ones fall to the bottom.
                This helps with graininess especially if you don’t have one of those fancy super blenders, but it also seems to create a lighter texture.

              2. spartanfan*

                Whipping the tahini and lemon juice in your food processor for a few minutes by itself adds some nice fluffiness to hummus as well

              3. Calyx*

                My life was changed when I read the Milk Street recipe for hummus. I can never go back. (Not affiliated with them; just a customer.)

            2. English Rose*

              Ooh, I just had to google aubergine caviar – never heard of it/had it before, going to try it this weekend, thanks!

                1. Esmeralda*

                  If you can grill the eggplant it’s spectacular. I oil whole eggplant and throw it on the grill when my hubs is done grilling whatever we’re having for dinner. Turn it once so it chars all over. Let cool.

                2. Anhaga*

                  I was about to mention baba ganoush as well. It can be really good even without tahini added if you’ve grilled the eggplant.

          2. Chapka*

            I often bring big bowls of homemade hummus and baba ghanoush with store-bought pitta to potlucks and it’s always gone in a flash. Especially appreciated by vegetarians, as most people who cook something homemade tend to focus on meat.

            The only time-consuming part of the process is peeling the chickpeas, which is optional but improves the texture.

            1. Derivative Poster*

              I’ve tried peeling chickpeas and don’t know if I could bring myself to do it again. I’d rather spend the time on homemade pita bread, which is easy and blows people’s minds – especially if you can arrange for it to be served warm.

              1. Yay hummus!!*

                See if you can find chana dal – they’re split peeled chickpeas. (Smitten Kitchen tip – not my original idea!)

                Also roasted chick peas and yogurt on grilled eggplant. Yum! Another Smitten Kitchen favorite.

          3. Needs Coffee*

            Baked ziti.

            Or, if your office potlucks include bringing in hardware and you have and Instant Pot or similar, “baked” ziti. Takes about 20 minutes and you can make it from scratch just before the food goes out.

        3. sb51*

          Another really easy and delicious dip that a lot of people might not have had before is muhummara, which is a roasted red pepper dish. (It does require walnuts and bread crumbs so it’s not nut or gluten free but it is vegan as long as the bread used for the crumbs is vegan.)

          I brought it and a fancy dessert to a work potluck a while back and the dip was the one I got tons of comments on.

          If there will be a way to heat it and people will be able to sit down (harder to juggle multiple vessels if it’s a standing party), soups can nice—chili, etc.

          Tortilla pie, which is basically “make enchiladas but layer like lasagna to make it faster.

          2. LPUK*

            I love Muhummara and its a favourite pick at my local lebanese restaurant – have you got a recipe you would recommend?

            1. sb51*

              Mine is:
              1 12-oz jar roasted red peppers (2 peppers if roasting yourself)
              3/4 cup walnuts, toasted
              2/3 cup panko bread crumbs, toasted
              1 Tbsp pomegranate molasses
              2 Tbsp Aleppo pepper (or medium heat gochugaru, they are very similar)
              1/2 tsp salt
              2 cloves garlic
              3 Tbsp olive oil

              Add everything except the olive oil to a food processor and blend until smooth (it takes a while). Drizzle in oil while blending to desired consistency, amount is approximate.

              I am the sort of person who usually doubles or triples garlic, fyi, but this dip you want to let the other stuff shine, so it’s intentionally not garlicky.

        4. Lucy P*

          Do you just steam them? How do you cook sugar snap peas? Any seasoning?

          We have one person in the office who is vegetarian, no egg, dairy OK (sorry don’t know the technical name for that). It’s often hard to come up with something that is all inclusive. This sounds like a good idea.

          On the other hand, we have a few other people who aren’t vegetarians but lean more towards veggie dishes, but they prefer theirs well seasoned and decorated (not just a plain veggie, but something else mixed with it).

          1. Aldabra*

            Sugar snap peas are meant to be eaten raw, so just wash them. For a potluck I’d take a minute and trim off both ends. It’s much nicer that way, but you won’t see that on a generic grocery store platter, so it gives it that special touch.

            1. Carol the happy elf*

              Yes, sugar snap peas are best raw. I like making a pasta salad with cold cooked shells, or rotini, sliced olives, croutons or nuts, paprika, (or any red pepper) onions (scallions!) and either olive oil and cider vinegar or mayo. Fresh sliced mushrooms, and since I’m lazy, a bag of frozen peas. Add the frozen peas to the salad straight from the freezer; they’ll thaw but keep the salad cold.

              Another thing I make is called “Funeral Potatoes”. Here, though, we have to call it “Potluck Potato Casserole”, and I add green onions and peas.

              1. Carol the happy elf*

                Pimento from the little jars or dollar-store roasted peppers is a cheap way to add flavor and color.

            2. MEH Squared*

              I did not know this about sugar snap peas and have always steamed them. I bought some today to eat them raw with hummus. Thanks!

          1. nutella fitzgerald*

            I use a very similar dressing (lighter on the miso and a little dash of sugar, maybe a scant half teaspoon, instead of the honey) and mix it with bagged broccoli/carrot slaw! Like the recipe mentions, I was searching for a copycat recipe for the salad dressing they use at sushi places.

        6. Clemgo3165*

          I would add something similar. My two faves from past potlucks are blanched asparagus with a balsamic drizzle and the display of brightly colored fresh veggies, served standing in what I think was a silverware caddy. The veggies came with hummus and ranch for dipping.

          Now to the store to grab some sugar snap peas!

        7. Where’s the Orchestra?*

          I tend to go for veggie trays – but I make my own because then you can customize it for your group – more tomatoes, no peppers, more peppers, no carrots, etc. but you always need the peas!

          1. the deal*

            I like to include raw sweet potatoes to my veggie trays. Looks and tastes a lot like a slightly dry carrot, and very healthy.

            2. Mac*

              Wait, what? I for sure thought you had to cook sweet potatoes or else they were poisonous. I feel like I’ve been lied to my whole life.

              1. Nina*

                That’s potato potatoes – raw they’re slightly toxic, green ones are more toxic. It’s the solanine. Cooking breaks it down. Sweet potatoes don’t have solanine.

        8. nutella fitzgerald*

          I was packing my lunch for today and threw in a few SSPs but kept adding more because it didn’t look like enough. Ended up with the rest of the bag and all but 4 made it to my belly!

        9. Meri*

          Or if you want to do something sweet along the same lines, fresh fruits plus some kind of dip are ALWAYS popular.

      2. SG*

        Watermelon feta salad with fresh mint added is something I’ve brought and it’s always a huge hit! Also a simple salad with mixed greens, pear, either fresh chevre or gorgonzola, walnuts (could be on the side for nut allergies) and dress with only olive oil, balsamic, salt and pepper.

        1. Mockingjay*

          I like to bring green salads too. They are a popular alternative to heavier (but delicious) casseroles. For large gatherings, I use prebagged greens and sliced/diced veggies to speed prep ( although I always rinse again).

          1. Emilia Bedelia*

            Salads are my go to! I was in the same position as OP as wanting to do something better than just chips or napkins, but then I got bitter about the amount of effort I was putting in.
            A bag of greens, a bottle of dressing and some fun toppings always goes over well, and everyone will eat it (even if it’s begrudgingly taking a spoonful “just to be healthy”). Obviously, leave off any potentially allergenic toppings

        3. Alexander Graham Yell*

          My friend’s dad made watermelon feta salad for her birthday last summer and literally unwrapped it for me early because I’d never tried it and he knew it wouldn’t last. Holy wow it was incredible!

          1. Higher Ed*

            I’ve made a Greek version of the layered Taco dip. It has olives, cucumber, tomatoes, feta, and hummus. Serve with pita chips.

            3. Rose*

              Oooo I never would have thought of doing this w hummus. For potluck I usually do a Greek salad with olives, cucumbers, tomatoes, feta, olive oil, and some spices. Fresh, easy, flavorful, vegetarian, gluten free, and somewhat calorie dense (I often struggle to find enough calories w lots of veggie heat vegetarian options).

            4. Andria Dutcher*

              The layered taco dip is always a huge hit, particularly when served with Fritos Scoops.

        4. Not One of the Bronte Sisters*

          I make a very simple dish of watermelon, cucumber and cilantro. Add a tiny bit of salt and toss. Very good.

        5. nobadcats*

          Have you ever tried watermelon feta salad with garlic scapes? Very seasonal, but equally delicious!

      3. Not Your Sweetheart*

        My go-to is a vinegrette Cole slaw. No mayonnaise, so it won’t spoil. Vinegar, sugar, celery seed, black pepper, and ground mustard. Mix over low heat, cool, and pour over cabbage mix (I buy the bags of Cole slaw mix, but you can make your own)

        1. Just Your Everyday Crone*

          And as a person allergic to eggs, I appreciate the vinaigrette versions of salads a lot!

        2. Kiwi*

          I have egg allergies and it never occured to me to look at eggless coleslaw! Oh I am trying this recipe this week, thank you!

          1. Sylvan*

            By the way, for the other commenters with egg allergies, you can also use this vinaigrette in potato salad. My family uses something close to it in chicken salad.

            1. MM*

              My family’s potato salad is also mustard vinaigrette based. This may be a bit out there for some, but when I make tuna salad I make it this way too. (I just don’t like mayo!)

              1. DaisyGJ*

                My husband’s family does a vinaigrette based potato salad that they say is Austrian. It’s just boiled potatoes, thinly sliced raw onion (I tend to use red onion or shallot so it’s not as strong), fresh dill and vinaigrette.

        4. anne of mean gables*

          Higher effort but also delicious – instead of bagged coleslaw mix, buy a whole cabbage, cut into quarters and oil, then char on the grill. Shred the quarters, add shredded carrot/onion (optional) and then add the vinaigrette.

          (also, the “asian coleslaw” version – carrot/ginger/rice vinegar (tons of google-able recipes for this) dressing over the cabbage mix, add green onion, top with sesame seeds. this is in my fridge right now and it’s unbelievably good).

        5. Curmudgeon in California*

          Allergic to celery seed, but the rest sounds great. (I have to avoid Mayo/Miracle Whip since most of it is made with soybean oil, which I’m also allergic to.)

          1. WhodatMajority*

            Trader Joes has a very good mayo made from Canola oil. (from a fellow Soybean allergy)

          2. Never Boring*

            If you have an immersion blender, you can make mayo in about 90 seconds with any oil you want. Just google “immersion blender mayo.” We rarely use mayo, but we always have the raw ingredients in the house (oil, eggs, lemon juice or vinegar, Dijon mustard, garlic, salt). Better than anything you can buy in a jar, and you can add herbs or whatever you like.

      4. IAmBaconYou*

        My number one potluck hit is candied bacon. (Obviously ymmv as pork is a no for some). Lay bacon out on a baking sheet (I also put it on a rack) and sprinkle with brown sugar and a little cayenne. Drizzle with a tiny bit of maple syrup. Bake until crispy. Then I just serve it on a platter. It’s a huge hit.

        Side note: a coworker friend refuses to eat work potluck because he can’t be sure who does and does not let their cats walk all over their kitchen counters. I find this to be such a specific reason that I think about it every time potlucks come up.

        1. Something Punny Here*

          I’ve brought in a crock pot, put in a couple packages of hot dogs standing upright no water and set it on low from 8am- 12pm they were perfect by lunch. It was a big big hit.

        2. Esmeralda*

          Haha, yeah, we go to an annual party where I bring that (I am now required to bring it). 1 lb the first year. 2 lbs the 2nd year. I’m holding at three pounds of bacon = I skim off a good handful before taking it to the party. I make some with chile flakes and some without. It’s soooo good with the chile!

        3. Khatul Madame*

          The coworker may be allergic to cats, so the concern is not that weird.
          On the other hand, some people are hung up on the fact that the cat does not wash her feet after using the litterbox, so cats walking on the counters are gross.

          1. None The Wiser*

            As a cat owner (ownee?), it is my policy to assume that the little beasts dance on the counters when I am away, so I always sanitize them prior to food prep.

            1. bananaramafofana*

              Definitely ownee (is that a word? Whatever, it fits.) Knowing my fur beast, it’s safe to assume that the entire house has had a cat wandering around it, so I also clean the counters/island/table and use clean cutting boards when prepping food. I love her but she walks in her toilet, I get why people would be icked by it lol.

              1. Cat Defender*

                In all fairness to felines, they lick their paws constantly with their Brillo like tongues. If your house ain’t dirty, their paws shouldn’t be dirty.

                That said, cats can be trained to not jump on counters.

                1. Christmas Carol*

                  No, but cats CAN be trained not to jump on counters when humans are present.

                2. Cat Defender*

                  Christmas Carol, that’s what I meant, but thanks anyway/s. My cat doesn’t jump on the counters around me but hey, I don’t know what she does otherwise. I imagine there’s little interest in the counter is no cooking is going on. Geez.

            2. Not a mouse*

              Same, mine got on the counters and I never managed to train them not to. They only stopped when they got too old and arthritic to jump that far. So food prep begins with counter cleaning. I have to admit that in general I share that person’s wariness regarding potlucks and other people’s kitchen sanitation, it’s just not cat-specific.

              I think tabouli was the most successful thing I ever took to a potluck. But I don’t cook much so tbh I’m usually the one bringing the cheap-ass rolls.

          2. Unaccountably*

            My cat once straight-up walked out of the bathroom where his litterbox is, flopped down on the bed beside me, and stuck his paw in my coffee. Fortunately the coffee wasn’t that hot, but wow, was he offended when I got up to make another cup and he lost his paw warms.

          3. Princesss Sparklepony*

            Adopt super senior cats. Jumping on the bed or couch is about the most they will do. One of mine liked to be lifted onto both…

        4. PhyllisB*

          I’m the Dessert Queen at my church, too!! (Retired so no more work functions.) However, when I’m pushed for time or just out of ideas, a fresh fruit platter is always a hit. You can make a sweet cream cheese dip to go with if you like. Occasionally I will buy a tray already made up (that’s one thing I don’t mind taking that’s store bought.) Grocery stores with a good deli area can make beautiful ones that are reasonably priced.) Also another thing I’ve made that’s a big hit is chicken salad with green grapes and sugared pecans or walnuts. You can buy canned chicken to make it with, and it’s easy peasy. Set a platter of croissants with it and there you go. One other suggestion, most potlucks are casserole heavy, but there’s not many vegetables or salads. You could make a large green salad or cook a simple vegetable. I live in the South, so peas, butter beans, or snap beans (green beans) are always appreciated. Whatever is popular where you live. Another favorite is baked beans.

          1. nobadcats*

            For a dessert, an easy vegan one is Anthony Bourdain’s blueberry and lime sugar. It’s his Les Halles cookbook. Very little prep, and a refreshing dash in usually heavy potluck choices.

          2. kmd*

            Former dessert queen here too! (former because I now WFH full time). My potluck go-to is either homemade chocolate chip cookies, homemade oatmeal butterscotch cookies, or usually both.

            Another big hit we had at potlucks include crock pots full of meatballs (homemade or store bought, your choice. And a friend does a beef roast in a crockpot, covered in itailan salad dressing, then pull it and put on buns withprovolone cheese.

          3. bryeny*

            World’s easiest dip for a fruit platter: vanilla yogurt, straight outta the container. Greek yogurt is best as it’s thicker. You can fancy it up if you like (fresh mint is nice), but there’s no real need.

        6. Jessica Ganschen*

          There’s always turkey bacon as an alternative! I know it’s not the same texture/fat content, but I think those of us who don’t eat pork either have never had pork to compare it to in the first place or are resigned or indifferent about it.

        7. Bookworm*

          Similar food item: bacon wrapped dates. Get a couple packages of dates (deglet or medjool are the kinds I’ve use) either save yourself some work and get the pitted ones or pit them yourself, wrap each date in bacon (depending on date size you can usually cut your bacon strips in half). Bake in the oven on a wire rack on a baking sheet until the bacon’s done, flipping them over partway if you feel like it. You can fancy this up by stuffing them with something (ex: cheese, nut) or by glazing them with something (ex: herbs and honey) but it’s honestly unnecessary. It’s becoming a tradition of mine to make these as “kitchen snacks” for big cooking holidays like thanksgiving to tide over me and the people doing all the meal prep (and entice people in so they can be pressed into chopping/peeling/dishwashing)

          1. kupo!*

            I’m not sure why, but I’ve never considered making these at home! They’re one of my absolute favorites to get at restaurants, so I guess I always just assumed they’d be trickier to make. Next time I’ve got an event to bring snackies to, I’ll give it a try! (Assuming I remember in time. I frequently end up just stopping into a grocery store with a cheese counter and making a cheese board…)

          2. Umiel12*

            I do these too, but I use prunes instead of dates. I also stuff them with cream cheese and an almond. People go crazy for them. They’re always the first thing to go.

        8. Lemonlime*

          I do the candied bacon, snap them into chunks and put them as a garnish to deviled eggs. They take the Devilled eggs to a WHOLE NEW LEVEL- while spreading the bacon out over lots and lots of servings.

          1. pancakes*

            What time should I come over? Just kidding. I have a box of dates and will be trying this for sure.

          2. pancakes*

            Sorry, somehow I thought you were slicing up dates wrapped in bacon? Also something I’ll be thinking about, hmm.

        9. Lemonlime*

          I make the candied bacon and then break it up and put chunks of it to garnish deviled eggs! It takes the eggs to a WHOLE new level. Obviously for a potluck you can omit the bacon on some if you care to. However my entire extended family has no qualms against bacon and adding it as garnish makes two dozen eggs disappear quickly.

        10. New Senior Mgr*

          Oh my gosh I have a friend who has said the exact same thing. He lives on the Upper West Side NYC. He’s obsessed with people allowing their pets to roam in the kitchen. We could have the same friend? Whenever I go to a party or potluck I think of him. Too funny.

        11. LoJo*

          I totally agree. If one has indoor pets, they think nothing of pet hair floating about or not washing their hands after playing with said pets. I refuse potlucks.

      5. kittycontractor (new job new username!)*

        The two things that always went first at my last office was butter cake and devilled eggs. Even when we had multiples of the eggs, there was typically none left by the time everyone got through.

        1. JustaTech*

          Tip for making deviled eggs easier is to put the filling in a piping bag (or a zip-top bag and snip off a corner). It’s so much easier and faster than trying to fill the eggs with a spoon.

          And if you have a piping bag and fancy frosting tips you can make the eggs look extra fancy.

      6. Annika Hansen*

        I had deviled eggs at my wedding. They were wildly popular. A lot people said that they hadn’t had them in ages and forgot how much they enjoyed them. You can get always make a couple of varieties of them, too. However, one thing I have to say is know your audience. I switched departments several years ago within the same organization. They have completely different tastes. One group liked a variety of foods. The other enjoyed jello (gelatin) “salads.”

        1. Dasein9*

          My silly brain is now picturing a potluck table of nothing but jello salads! Probably very pretty, but not filling.

        1. bananaramafofana*

          I don’t know if anyone mentioned this (and you may very well be replying to it but this chain is loooong), but I like to make tortellini salad for cookouts. Mine is usually cheese and spinach tortellini or sun-dried tomato tortellini, peas, shredded carrot, olives, bell pepper, sometimes finely chopped celery, cucumbers, tomatoes, whatever veg I have at hand really. Topped off by a generous amount of dressing (I like Paul Newman’s Family-Style Italian but literally any dressing, creamy or vinaigrette, would work). Sometimes throw in cheese cubes, bacon, or chopped grilled chicken, but that depends on who I expect to be there and it’s really easy to customize.

      8. PhyllisB*

        I’m the Dessert Queen at my church, too!! (Retired so no more work functions.) However, when I’m pushed for time or just out of ideas, a fresh fruit platter is always a hit. You can make a sweet cream cheese dip to go with if you like. Occasionally I will buy a tray already made up (that’s one thing I don’t mind taking that’s store bought.) Grocery stores with a good deli area can make beautiful ones that are reasonably priced.) Also another thing I’ve made that’s a big hit is chicken salad with green grapes and sugared pecans or walnuts. You can buy canned chicken to make it with, and it’s easy peasy. Set a platter of croissants with it and there you go. One other suggestion, most potlucks are casserole heavy, but there’s not many vegetables or salads. You could make a large green salad or cook a simple vegetable. I live in the South, so peas, butter beans, or snap beans (green beans) are always appreciated. Whatever is popular where you live. Another favorite is baked beans.

        1. Rivakonneva*

          Crockpot sugared nuts! Mix melted butter, sugar, vanilla extract and a pinch of cinnamon over 4- 5 cups of raw mixed buts in the crock. Stir thoroughly, cook for two hours on low, stirring every 45 minutes or so. Scoop nuts onto a cookie sheet to cool and dry. Bring to work in a large airtight tin, then bring empty tin home to wash. :)

      9. pancakes*

        My go-to deviled egg recipe is the April Bloomfield one. You can easily double it.

        https://www.seriouseats.com/april-bloomfields-deviled-eggs

        I prefer things not be on skewers because those are often a bit fiddly to assemble and eat. A lot of salads do well in little spoonfuls in endive leaves – crumbled Parmesan, chopped dates, chopped toasted walnuts or pecans, and a light vinaigrette, for example, or small spoonfuls of smoked trout dip, or avocado and bean salad. The slight bitterness of the leaves works well with rich and creamy things, or salty things.

      10. Who is killing the great chefs of Europe*

        Plov, paella, or biryani (all pretty much variations on a theme).

      11. Mazarin*

        I have two potluck standards, that are simple and travel well, they are both vegetarian because it’s sometimes hard to find good basic vegetables at a potluck. The first one is Broccoli salad: Broccoli florets, blanched, with a dressing of soy sauce and grated ginger. Sprinkle roasted cashews on top before you serve, or leave them on the side for people to spoon over if you are worried about nut reactions ( The soy sauce can have gluten in it, so leave than on the side as well if you want- but as a salad its better if the broccoli has had the dressing mixed thru it)
        The second one is almost the same as already mentioned- blanched snow peas. (Sugar snap peas are too expensive here to take to a potluck, but I can buy snow peas)
        For both of these, you can ( I have) blanch them just before serving to make a slightly warm salad, if you have access to a kettle or boiling water- I just take a casserole dish to serve the salad in, and pour boiling water over the top of the peas/broccoli and hold it for a few minutes, then drain.

    2. Cmdrshpard*

      My favorite easy go to recipe is a buffalo chicken dip. There are several variations, I’ve added bacon before. It can be even easier if you buy a cooked chicken think grocery rotisserie chicken.

      2 cups shredded cooked chicken
      1 package (8 ounces) cream cheese, softened
      1/2 cup Frank’s RedHot® Original Cayenne Pepper Hot Sauce
      1/2 cup ranch dressing
      1/2 cup blue cheese crumbles

      DIRECTIONS
      PREHEAT oven to 350°F. Mix all ingredients in a large bowl. Spoon into shallow 1-quart baking dish.
      BAKE 20 minutes or until mixture is heated through; stir. Sprinkle with green onions, if desired, and serve with chips, crackers and/or cut up veggies.

      1. Jolene*

        I second this – or some other similar hot dip involving cheese. You can’t go wrong with hot cheesey dip and it’s relatively easy to make.

      2. Goody*

        My version is very similar, except I use cheddar or colby-jack instead of the blue cheese. For potlucks, I also make a finger-food version. Get wonton wrappers (they’re about 3″ square and usually found in the produce section), line mini-muffin pans with those wrappers and put a scoop of the dip in each cup, and then bake them at 350 for about 15 minutes.

        2. pancakes*

          That would probably work with pimento cheese too. I’m not from the south and discovered pimento cheese too late in life. Trying to make up for lost time.

      3. Yvette*

        My grocery store sells shredded chicken in the prepared food section or you can get a whole rotisserie chicken and shred enough for the recipe. At my grocery they are well under $10.

      4. IndustriousLabRat*

        I’ve brought this to several work potlucks and can confirm, it goes fast! The first year I worked here, I brought it to one, and got a bunch of funny looks from people. When I asked if something was wrong with the dip, I was informed that the guy I replaced used to bring it too.

        Gotta love Buffalo dip!

        2. Jzilbeck*

          I’ve done crockpot buffalo chicken dip. It was the first thing to disappear at our last potluck!

      6. Penny Hartz*

        I’ve made a vegetarian version of Buffalo dip by mashing white cannellini beans and mixing them with the cream cheese. No one can tell the difference.

        1. jane's nemesis*

          Chickpeas work too, but I especially love buffalo “chicken” dip made with roasted cauliflower instead of chicken!

      8. GlitterIsEverything*

        I do this exact dip in the pressure cooker (Instapot, for you younguns!). Use the brown setting, toss everything in, stir well, it’s done in 10-15 minutes.

    3. FG*

      For potlucks my go-to is dessert. Something like a Bundt cake – even a good pound cake – never goes uneaten. Or some sort of brownie or bar or sheet cake. I enjoy cooking but these are all single-pan items that don’t have to be fancy to be tasty & appreciated.

      1. Rich*

        This. A cake is easy. Slice and bake cookies are _really_ easy.

        I take my cooking _extremely_seriously_, but I have to remind myself that A) not everyone else does and B) Your contribution will become indistinctive in the chaos of the potluck anyway.

        People will love cookies, and you can knock out a couple of packages to feed a large group in almost no time. “I Made Cookies!”, is never unwelcome.

        1. Scarlet Magnolias*

          I make an applesauce raisin cake with melted brown sugar frosting. It’s an old Lee Bailey recipe

      2. BethDH*

        The books “simple bakes” and “one tin bakes” are both full of recipes that are relatively quick but have nice finishing and look fun. SB is all desserts, I’m pretty sure; OTB is mostly sweet but some savory and a wider range of sweetness.
        They’re good for baking with toddlers/preschoolers too!

      3. Llama Wrangler*

        Olive oil cakes are another good bet – very easy, moist, hard to mess up. The NYtimes has a good citrus olive oil cake (for example) and I know a vegan writer has said it’s very easily adapted by using vegan milk alternative and egg alternative.

        1. Minimal Pear*

          Can confirm on the milk alternatives (I’m allergic). Olive oil cakes are one of my go-tos because they keep so well!

        2. pancakes*

          Yes, good idea. Some of the recipes can accommodate just about any type of fruit you want to use, too.

      4. Anon nonnie nonnie nay*

        I describe box mix brownies as the instant ramen of baking. It’s like 5 minutes of effort and they’re always a hit.

        1. BookMom*

          Yes! I have a Ghirardelli brownie mix from Costco at all times for emergency use. Shocking how much people love it… the double batch directions bake up thicker so it doesn’t scream box mix.

          1. Mid*

            I like to add a little cinnamon and replace some of the liquid with black coffee. Everyone thinks it’s from scratch that way.

            1. Jack Straw from Wichita*

              I keep instant Café Busto packets on hand solely for baking. Add one to anything chocolate and it enhances the flavor.

          2. WorkLady*

            Same here. I sprinkle a couple handfuls of chocolate chips on the top before baking and people practically fist fight over them.

          3. InsufficientlySubordinate*

            Add some canned cherries instead of water/milk or even the oil (pick one).

          4. JustaTech*

            I like to add a couple of handfuls of dried cherries (also from Costco!) to jazz those up a bit, though honestly they’re really good an better than most of the scratch recipes I’ve tried.

        2. Decima Dewey*

          A circulation assistant who was covering helping out at our branch (preCOVID) used to dress up box mix brownies by adding a couple of Hershey bars before baking.

        3. Not a moose*

          I still use the brownie recipe I learned from my 10th grade English teacher: 1 box mix + 1 handful chocolate chips + 1 tbs instant coffee

          Other box brownie mods:
          -Replace half the liquid with orange juice
          -Swirl the top with a mixture of 2/3 c peanut butter + 5 tbs powdered sugar + 3 tbs heavy cream and sprinkle over with mini peanut butter cups
          -Chunks of white dark and milk chocolate

      5. Miette*

        Ina Garten’s brownie recipe is my go-to for potlucks. it’s super easy and makes a TON. Google it–it’s freely available.

      6. Aitch Arr*

        “Bunk? Boonk?”

        “Eίναι κέικ, Μαρία!”

        “Oh, it’s a CAKE!”

        Sorry, I had to.

      7. Trina*

        Wasn’t there a post from ages back where an OP made a cake that their coworkers were a little too obsessed with? To the point that one described it as “better than sex”? And then OP shared the recipe and I think it was just a standard chocolate cake mix except you substitute the oil with cherry filling.

        1. Mephyle*

          There is a creamy, gooey chocolate dessert whose name is “sex in a pan”. For venues where a different name is more suitable (e.g., church potlucks) it is renamed “Mississippi mud cake”.

          1. beach read*

            MM cake is my go-to for potluck. I have to pre-print the recipe to hand out later.

      8. Joielle*

        I do a bundt cake where you take a box of “extra moist” devils food cake mix, combine with a can of pumpkin puree, and bake according to the box directions. It comes out super fudgy and delicious. If I want to go the extra mile I’ll make a fancy icing with confectioners sugar and brown butter.

        People don’t believe me when I tell them how easy the cake is. It’s really good!

        1. Jack Straw from Wichita*

          I do this with a box of spice cake mix, and it makes great pumpkin bread!

      9. Rain's Small Hands*

        I have a flourless chocolate cake recipe that is SO easy – but not cheap – I will say that anything involving a pound of dark chocolate isn’t cheap. (Its this one: https://food52.com/recipes/40780-rose-levy-beranbaum-s-chocolate-oblivion-truffle-torte The Cake Bible has been my go to baking book for three decades). This is restaurant fancy without being restaurant difficult. You can bring a little whipped cream or some chocolate sauce, or my go to – thinned raspberry jam – as a topper.

        On the non dessert front, I do a pasta salad that is again really easy. Take chicken or tofu and cook it up in a pan with (a lot of) thyme and salt and pepper in some olive oil. Boil some ziti. Remove chicken from pan, add more olive oil, more thyme and the drained noodles – coat the noodles in the olive oil and thyme mixture, add the protein back in. It keeps well and again, easy. This one is pretty cheap in large batches depending on how much chicken you use. I often do this with tofu so the vegetarians have something to eat.

        For the “low risk someone can’t eat it” (because nearly everything MIGHT be an allergen), squash risotto is gluten free and vegetarian – but its messy and requires bowls and spoons, so it depends on the potluck

        (Always label your likely allergens with a sign “Thyme pasta salad with chicken – contains meat and wheat” “Flourless chocolate cake, contains eggs and dairy” At one time my bookclub contained a vegan, someone with severe dietary restrictions due to kidney disease, someone keeping kosher, a number of non-gluten consumers, someone allergic to nuts, and someone lactose intolerant. We got really good at labeling our potlucks – and once your group exceeds half a dozen or so people you will never make a dish that makes everyone happy.)

        1. AnonToday*

          If anyone wants to make the flourless chocolate cake and lives near a Trader Joe’s, they have “Pound Plus” Belgian chocolate bars (500g) for $4.99 (as of a couple of months ago). They have milk chocolate, dark chocolate, dark with almonds, and bittersweet 72%. I won’t vouch for them being the best in the world or anything, but they are definitely good enough to bake with or make fondue, ganache, etc. (I’d say they’re at least Ghirardelli quality?)

          Five bucks for enough chocolate for a cake that would be at least that much per serving at a bakery or restaurant is pretty reasonable.

      10. Al*

        I’ve brought a Bundt cake (the recipe is called Kentucky utter cake, and it’s not too sweet but has a sugar glaze) with fresh berries and whipped cream to potlucks a couple of times to great reviews.

          1. thebeaglehaslanded*

            I was picturing an “udder” cake and wondering where you got the special bundt cake mold…

      11. Glen*

        My usual potluck dish is seven layer bars (aka magic bars, hello dolly bars). Super easy: melt 1 stick butter and pour into 9 x 13 inch baking pan or dish (if not nonstick, grease the sides first), sprinkle evenly with 1 cup graham cracker crumbs then with 1 cup chopped nuts (walnuts or pecans, usually), pour over 1 can sweetened condensed milk, and finally top with 1 cup each: chocolate chips, butterscotch chips, and shredded coconut. Bake at 350 degrees F for 25-30 minutes. Let cool completely and cut into bars.

        If someone’s allergic or has dietary restrictions, the ingredients can be swapped out – vegan condensed milk, margarine, and chips; crushed pretzels for nuts; gluten-free graham crackers; chopped dried fruit for the coconut (put under the condensed milk instead of on top); different types of chips; etc. Completely customizable and so, so good.

      12. V*

        Trader Joe’s Banana Bread Mix, add chocolate chips, bake. If it’s fall, add canned pumpkin too. My coworkers all LOVED it and would compliment me endlessly on it.

      13. Anna*

        On the dessert front, I highly recommend box brownies. You can dress them up with chocolate chips or other mix ins, but (and I say this as a skilled baker) honestly, box brownies are delicious.

      14. Little My*

        My dad always made homemade rice krispie treats for school potluck events when I was growing up, and they were always gone by the end of the event. They’re so vastly better than the packaged version, and they basically only require melting marshmallows and mixing cereal into them.

        1. pancakes*

          I finally got around to trying those, and they’re pretty good. I got the jalapeño ones and the pretzel burger rolls. Will buy both again.

          1. Unaccountably*

            I didn’t even know they came in more than one flavor until the “cheap-ass rolls” post.

            1. pancakes*

              I think the pretzel ones are very new. They also sell cookies, which I didn’t know.

      4. Jora Malli*

        Yes! My favorite potluck contribution!

        I buy a bag of frozen dinner roll dough, plunk one frozen lump into each well in a muffin tin, let them rise and bake them. Then I bring them into work with plenty of butter (and sometimes cinnamon butter if I’m feeling fancy) and it’s ALWAYS a hit.

    5. reject187*

      Oooh, I am a fountain of easy but tasty potluck recipes.

      1. Dips. My go-to is a pound of sausage (browned) mixed with a can of Rotel (drained) and a block of cream cheese. Combine in skillet until mixed/melted through, serve with tortilla chips. – 10 minutes prep, you can chill it overnight or bring (and make!) it in a crock pot.

      2. Fruit. Cut it up on a platter or put a honey-lime drizzle on it (literally, just mix honey and lime juice) in a bowl for salad. – less than 20 minutes, especially if most of the fruit is berries. Keeps overnight in the fridge.

      3. Dessert. Usually only an hour or less of prep time the night before. I like making Scotcharoo bars. Or fancy up a cake mix.

      2. Snuck*

        I was coming to say “fresh fruit platter”

        And ‘dip and chopped veggies”

        Lots of people like to add a bit of fresh food to their plates!

        1. AcademiaNut*

          Veggies and dip are easy and will be appreciated by a lot of people. Homemade sourcream and onion dip, or hummus (easy with a slow cooker), or one of my favourites, yoghurt + Indian lime pickle, and I use kitchen scissors to cut the lime pieces up easily.

          Also good – Greek salad or spicy coleslaw. For the Greek salad, half cherry tomatoes, dice cucumber and red onion, add pre-diced feta, pitted olives (for safety) and a dressing of olive oil, red wine vinegar, garlic and lemon juice. For the coleslaw, buy pre shredded coleslaw mix with purple and green cabbage, grate some carrots, thinly slice green pepper, and toss it all with a dressing made of yoghurt, mayo, adobo sauce and lime juice.

          1. Fledge Mulholland*

            Cole slaw is always an easy option. I do a more vinegar-based one that’s vegetarian and allergy friendly. It’s just sliced cabbage (I buy it pre-sliced), apple cider vinegar, honey, whole grain mustard and olive oil.

            1. RebelwithMouseyHair*

              just scratching my head wondering about veggie versions of cole slaw which for me is a combo of shredded cabbage grated carrot with optional finely sliced onion and apple and walnut, all mixed into a generous heaping of mayonnaise?

              1. Justme, The OG*

                Yours definitely isn’t allergy friendly with onion and walnut and mayo (egg). Also, some vegetarians won’t eat mayo because of eggs.

                1. londonedit*

                  It’s vegans who don’t eat eggs – the modern definition of vegetarian includes eggs/cheese/dairy but no meat or fish or their derivatives.

                2. UKgreen*

                  It’s only not ‘allergy friendly’ if you don’t list the ingredients. Otherwise it’s just food.

                3. Justme, The OG*

                  Y’all I know the difference between vegans and vegetarians. Look up the difference between ovo-lacto vegetarians and lacto vegetarians. Some vegetarians as a rule don’t eat eggs.

                4. Snuck*

                  Allergy friendly is complicated if you are trying to meet the masses. Label what your ingredients are, and if you have known specific allergies in the group avoid them if you can AND are feeling generous.

                  I say this as an allergy household… and with allergies that are too complex for most to manage. Coeliac (wheat, oats, barley). Honey, eggs, coconut, banana, avocado, tree nuts (not all, but cross contamination risks means ‘all in a public setting/when not prepared by yourself’) and sesame all cause anaphylaxis in this house. Capsicum, kiwi fruit, chickpeas and several others are risky/suspect/cause moderate reactions (projectile vomiting etc). We tend to pack our own lunch and not eat from the buffet. One allergy here or there is usually ok at a buffet if you aren’t anaphylactic, but people with trace amount egg anaphylaxis (as an example) are highly likely to avoid your carefully created meal because one person double dips a mayo laced something into a second bowl and the game of cross contamination is on.

                  Smile and nod to the allergy people, if there’s someone who you really want to show care to make a safe meal and keep a tub of it separate from the hordes so they can safely eat some without risk, and let them do whatever makes them comfortable/never loudly question them, and never, EVER ‘test’ their allergy. If you aren’t sure about an ingredient being safe tell them ahead of time, and if they decline the food accept it graceiously, even if you’ve gone to effort. Even moderate reactions aren’t worth the risk because moderate includes projectile vomiting, hours of sitting on toilets, rashes that cover large chunks of the body, severe stomach pain, swelling and oedema etc. No one wants that!

          3. Al*

            This super easy corn salsa (recipe link here. The ingredient list doesn’t mention the avocado, but it’s important IMO!) with a bag of good quality tortilla chips has always gone over well.

      3. Kate*

        Fresh fruit is such a good idea! There’s always a dearth of simple, healthy fruit/veg options at potlucks.

        1. WoodswomanWrites*

          Yes. A fruit salad is easy too, basically the same fresh options mixed together in a bowl.

        2. BethDH*

          Someone brought fruit skewers (like cocktail toothpick length) to a potluck and they went super fast and were easy to serve without a bunch of people touching stuff.

          1. Colette*

            I’ve done banana split bites – a skewer with strawberry, banana, and pineapple, spoon melted chocolate on one side and roll in crushed peanuts. Not allergy friendly, but very tasty.

        3. Lime green Pacer*

          Cut-up apples soaked in salt water for 5 minutes, then drained, will not go brown for hours.

        4. Nethwen*

          I often get a 5 lb. bag of mandarin oranges and peel them, but leave the orange whole. Put in a Tupperware-type container, they stay moist and fresh for a week or more, so peeling them a day or two before is no problem. With the peels and membrane strings removed, they are convenient to eat without getting your hands all messy and left whole, you have these pretty glistening orange globes among all the meatball Crockpots and pasta salads. I wouldn’t say that they fly off the platter, but I’ve never been someplace with announced vegetarians, either.

      4. MazMellem*

        Yes to the fruit platter, but put the drizzle on the side. Not everyone will want it, especially people trying to watch their weight or who have diabetes. I know it’s not always possible to cater for everyone’s dietary requirements, but it’s easy enough to leave the drizzle on the side.

      5. Somebody Call A Lawyer*

        Learned a simple fruit dip trick when working for a caterer in the early ’90s: an 16-oz. tub of plain yogurt mixed with honey to taste. For those who like fruit and sweet dip, it’s irresistible.

        1. kitryan*

          Similar vibe – mascarpone mixed with fig preserves. It’s as simple as it gets to just mix them together at about a 60/40 ratio and serve with strawberries or whatever else you like. It’s been a huge hit at every event I’ve brought it to. I got the recipe, such as it is, off a display at Whole Foods nearly 20 years ago now. Slicing the strawberries most of the way through with a wire egg slicer (where it has a bunch of wires on a hinged lid so you can slice a whole egg/mushroom/strawberry into slices all at once) but leaving them joined at the stem end so you can fan them out also looks loads fancy with minimal effort.

      6. a heather*

        That reminds me, one of my coworkers made a really great pepperoni dip. I’d never had anything like it before, and everyone loved it!

      7. AlabamaAnonymous*

        That Rotel dip you is one of my favorites! I’ve made it at home and eaten over rice for dinner :-) but it is always a hit at potlucks! (I usually do it in small crockpot, though.)

      8. Chickaletta*

        Your honey-fruit recipe is very similar to mine, which also includes some poppy seeds. There’s usually a bounty of baked goods,so bringing fruit is a great way to go home without leftovers :). PS – serve it in half a carved-out watermelon shell and you don’t have to worry about bringing home a dish or losing it.

    6. Jessie*

      A woman in my office brings the same thing to every potluck and if she ever stopped, we would all revolt: meatballs cooked in the crockpot with a mixture of grape jelly and bbq sauce. (She buys the meatballs frozen). Google those ingredients and you’ll see lots of recipes! Things in the crockpot are perfect for office potlucks.

      1. Siege*

        Ooh, I do something like this – it’s a bag of frozen meatballs (not spiced!), and a can of jellied cranberry sauce and a bottle of Heinz chili sauce. Throw it all in a pot, cook it till the meatballs are thawed. I don’t even remember what size meatballs, I just get whatever, but you do NOT want a flavored meatball here. It needs to be a meatball-flavored meatball.

        1. Cathie from Canada*

          I use 1 jar chili sauce plus 1 jar grape jelly, heated in a saucepan until the jelly melts, then pour over cooked meatballs or over cooked cocktail sausages (to do the sausages, roast a couple of pounds in a roasting pan, covered at 350 for 45 minutes until somewhat browned, and then pour off the fat before adding the sauce). This dish can be refrigerated overnight, then just heat up the next day in a microwave or crockpot. Can be served with toothpicks if you want.

          1. Umiel12*

            I do the crockpot with cocktail wieners, but I use barbecue sauce and grape jelly. It always amazes me how quickly they get eaten.

        2. Bad Crocheter*

          I got this version (chili sauce and cranberry sauce) from a friend who served it at a birthday party. It’s always wildly popular.

        4. Lego Leia*

          You can also sub in sliced, fried up sausages or cocktail weiners if you don’t have meatballs. The sauce is surprisingly good on chicken, too.

        5. Jack Straw from Wichita*

          I do a meatball dish in a 9×13 with chili sauce, cranberry sauce, sauerkraut, and brown sugar. It gets so sticky and delicious. The sauerkraut tastes completely different.

      2. Shiba Dad*

        Interesting. I used to cook meatballs (bought frozen) in a crockpot, but I did them in marinara sauce. People made meatball subs or ate them bunless (which is what I did).

      3. Blind CC*

        I was going to recommend this. I use grape jelly and chili sauce. Super easy and ALWAYS a hit.

      5. bishbah*

        If you have an Ikea near you, a bag of their frozen meatballs glazed with their lingonberry jam is, well, my jam.

      6. Natalie*

        Yes!!

        This is exactly what I came here to suggest. Meatballs in a crockpot with some kind of fruit jelly, and some kind of BBQ sauce. Last time my work had a potluck, I used apple jelly and a brown sugar BBQ sauce, and while the effort was pretty meatball, the meatballs turned out kind of amazing.

        Pretty easy, very delicious, lots of variations. :)

      9. Kes*

        Interesting, what I was going to suggest that I’ve seen is meatballs with Diana (bbq) sauce (cooked in a crockpot). You can get the meatballs frozen. Dead easy and tastes great.

      10. Pengy*

        I was going to post the same thing. It’s crazy easy and always gets eaten.

        I use grape jelly and Heinz chili sauce. At the start it always seems like “there is no way this can possibly work” when you just plop both on top of a mound of meatballs but it does. Sometimes I can’t resist stirring but you really don’t need to.

        I often use Trader Joe’s party size meatballs – they are smaller (and I think taste better).

      11. The OG Sleepless*

        I had a Christmas potluck for my friend group one year, and asked everybody to bring appetizers. Every single person brought meatballs; I think we had one of every one of these meatball suggestions. It was hilarious and delicious. The Meatball Christmas was one of my favorite parties.

      12. Nobby Nobbs*

        I’ve never seen a crockpot full of meatballs in some kind of nice sauce that didn’t empty almost instantly at a potluck.

      13. Nozenfordaddy*

        I made mulled cider in my crockpot (the whole office smelled like mulling spices) for our work thanksgiving potluck every year for years (before COVID), one year I idly suggested I might bring something else and you’d have thought I’d said I wanted to kill the traditional bird myself.

        1. beach read*

          Whenever our place had a potluck there were so many of us, we’d do a breakfast and a lunch. One year I did frozen coffee drinks with coffee and ice cream (one vanilla and one chocolate) in big pitchers. People liked the idea a lot.

    7. AspiringMPA*

      4. – I make cannoli dip often for potlucks at work and it’s a huge smash hit. Takes about 10 minutes to prep the night before and it needs to be refrigerated overnight. I also usually use graham crackers instead of waffle cones. Less work than having to break down the waffle cones. ;)

      https://homemadehooplah.com/cannoli-dip/

    8. Aglaia761*

      LW4: I’m a big fan of the crockpot, you can set it and forget it.

      I do crab dip, spinach dip, artichoke dip, taco dip, buffalo dip, you name it…I’ve done it. What’s nice is you can put the ingredients uncooked in the crockpot in the morning, plug it in at work, and by the time potluck comes around it’ll be done.

      Also ribs..both beef and pork. A bit more time intensive though
      I have an electric roaster. I put them in about 24 hours before to cook low and slow. Take them out in the morning. Slather them in sauce and pop them in the oven for about an hour to cook the sauce onto them. If I know there will be sterno’s I’ll put them in a pan…otherwise into the crockpot(s) they go.

    9. Gruntled*

      Baked ziti in a crockpot. It’s adaptable for any dietary restrictions (vegan/vegetarian, gluten free, dairy free) you can make it the night before, mix it all up, refrigerate, then plug in and set on low when you get to work.

      1. Bex*

        Similar but possibly simpler, I’ve had potluck success with a crockpot “lasagna” – put frozen ravioli straight in the crockpot layered with sauce and mozzarella (plenty of sauce since you’re not boiling the pasta first). Takes about 4 hours on high I think, so you can bring the frozen ravioli, jarred sauce, and grated cheese to work and assemble the whole thing there. Sorry I don’t remember a ton of specifics but I’m sure Google can help with this.

    10. Dark Macadamia*

      Spinach puffs, basically like the mini handheld version of spanakopita. You roll out frozen puff pastry dough, cut into squares, and fold into little triangles with spinach and feta filling, and bake.

      Brownies, pigs in a blanket (the kind that are just lil’ smokies sausages wrapped in crescent roll dough)

      “Annie’s fruit salsa and cinnamon chips” from Allrecipes

      1. IndustriousLabRat*

        Pocket Spanakopita is so delicious I make it for portable purse sized work lunches all the time. It would make awesome walk-n-talk snacks too. Great call!

      2. Llama Wrangler*

        I know this is basically store bought but I have a friend who gets frozen finger foods like spanikopita triangles or mini pizza bites and they’re always a hit.

    11. ADB_BWG*

      I like to bring cassoulet – vegan and (mostly) common allergy-free. A side of browned ground turkey can be provided if you want offer an addition.

      Basic recipe:
      Sautéed diced carrots, onion, and garlic until softened. Put in bottom of slow cooker. Top with canned (rinsed) cannelloni beans, canned diced tomatoes (with liquid), and tomato paste. Add seasoning of choice. Splash of red wine optional. Cool on low 6-8 hours until vegetables are tender.

      2. Snoozing not schmoozing*

        I make a salad version of cassoulet: drained, rinsed, white beans, halved cherry tomatoes, sliced black olives, sliced or diced yellow pepper, very thinly sliced carrot, cut-up artichokes and/or thingy sliced fennel, a garlic vinaigrette of your choice, and mild crumbled feta or queso, or shaved parmesan. To make it a carnivore’s main dish, add sliced cooked sundried tomato sausages.

        1. Snoozing not schmoozing*

          Thinly, not thingy! Autocorrupt is revealing my bad vocabulary that I’ve used too frequently.

        2. Dandelient*

          Wow! Cut and pasted that way fast. Easy dinner for stupid weather. Thank you kindly Snoozing :)

      3. Yellow*

        Please make sure you label any dish that has alcohol in the preparation. Alcohol doesn’t cook off as easily as people often think. Some people require zero alcohol – just let them know.

        It’s the unexpected ingredients that cause the most problems. And I know I assume stuff brought to the office doesn’t have alcohol in it unless it obviously does (eg rum balls)

        1. alienor*

          That reminds me, I used to work with someone who often brought rum balls to potlucks around the winter holidays, and those things can be STRONG (or maybe they made them extra powerful). The one time I ate two instead of one, I was lightheaded when I got back to my desk!

    12. Penny Parker*

      Carrot soup, all ingredients can have amounts altered to your taste:
      4 cups carrots, can use either pre-cut frozen or fresh cut
      One or two apples peeled, seeds out, and cut up (hardest part of making this)
      1/4 – 1/3 cup raisins
      1/4-1/3 cup peanut butter
      1 can coconut milk
      pumpkin pie spicing to taste (I use 1 T cinnamon; 1/2 t ginger; 1/2 t nutmeg; 1/4 t clove)
      8 minutes in the instant pot; puree with immersible blender
      Done

      1. Laura*

        While this sounds delicious, as someone with a severe peanut allergy I hope you’re calling it something other than just carrot soup, which I wouldn’t typically assume has peanuts

        1. Zelda*

          I knida figure that, with anything I’m offering to a group, Rule #1 is that I write out a complete list of ingredients, including brand names for any commercial products that have more than one ingredient (like baking powder, any flour claiming to be gluten-free, nut butters, etc.). People have a right to know what they’re putting into their bodies, eh?

          1. NotRealAnonForThis*

            People who think like you and actually write out ingredient lists are my favorite people :)

    13. Lemony Goodness*

      I make a killer lemon meringue pie that is actually the easiest thing ever to make!
      INGREDIENTS:
      1 cooked shortcrust pie case (can buy them premade/frozen or make your own pretty quickly)
      1 can sweetened condensed milk
      1/2 cup lemon juice (less if using fresh squeezed lemons, I learned this the hard way!)
      2 eggs, separated
      2 tsp sugar

      METHOD:
      Place condensed milk, lemon juice and egg yolks in a bowl, mix until well combined.
      In a separate bowl, beat egg whites & sugar until firm peaks hold.
      Place lemon mixture into pie case and spread evenly. Top with meringue mixture and cook in a moderate oven until meringue is browned slightly on top. Allow to cool, then refrigerate.

      1. Zelda*

        Ooh, this sounds like the grown-up version of the lemon bars that were always my contribution to potlucks when I was still a student trying to cook in the cramped and under-equipped kitchens of my early apartments.

        crust:
        1/2 c butter or margarine, softened
        1 c flour
        1/2 c powdered sugar
        Cream together and pat into a 9″ square pan. Bake at 350 for 10-15 min.

        filling:
        2 Tbl lemon juice and 2 tsp grated lemon peel (from 1 lemon)
        2 eggs
        2 Tbl flour
        1 c granulated sugar
        1/2 tsp baking powder
        Stir together and pour over crust. Bake at 350 for 20 min, until lightly browned. Cool and sprinkle with powdered sugar. Cut into approx 1.5″ x 3″ bars.
        May be doubled and baked in 9×13 pan.

        1. GythaOgden*

          My favourite quick dessert is lemon syllabub squeezed between ginger biscuits (cookies, not scones — they’re very hard gingerbread cookies, not ginger cake). My mum makes it as a quick dessert for dinner parties (here in the UK the equivalent work event is a box of cocktail sausages and a bowl of crisps, so not much cooking involved) and it really is wickedly good. The syllabub is viscous enough to stick the biscuits together (it’s half way between frosting and mousse) but it also softens the biscuits and makes them more like the consistency of cake. Open the packet of biscuits, squidge the syllabub in, smoothe it off and voila, instant cake.

          In the UK it’s dead easy to cater this kind of thing from the local supermarket’s pre-prepared finger food aisle, but I get the impression y’all over the Pond are expected to put more effort into it. That would be my go-to recipe if necessary, but for the very few times I’m expected to do anything (birthdays and maybe if both of us are in over Christmas) I just go and get a tray of cupcakes from Sainsburys and call it a day.

          1. river*

            You can do the same thing but with sweetened vanilla whipped cream instead of syllabub.

            Ginger or chocolate chip cookies (optionally dipped in sherry), sandwiched together with the cream to form 2 logs side by side, then cover it all with cream and sprinkle with chocolate shavings. Leave it in the fridge for a couple hours to soften and you’re good to go. It’s AMazing!

            1. GythaOgden*

              Oh yes! Nice idea. I have a lot of skinny syrups in my cupboard (because I like flavoured coffee but my body can only take /so/ much sugar), so maybe those would work as well.

            2. Chilipepper Attitude*

              I call that refrigerator cake. There are many variations. You can google it to find them.

      2. Mongrel*

        Try adding the finely grated zest of the lemon(s) to the mixture before baking, it elevates it to a whole new level.
        For a fragrant twist use half lemons & half limes

      3. DyneinWalking*

        My mother’s go-to simple cake is similarly easy:
        – pre-baked cake base from the grocery store
        – cream/milk and some variety of vanilla cream dessert powder
        – fresh fruit of your choice (strawberry and/or blueberry work great)
        – matching jam

        Mix the cream dessert according to the details on the package. Spread jam onto cake base to prevent it from soaking, then spread the cream dessert on top. Cut fruit if necessary and put them on top. Done!

    14. Lingret*

      – Ham and cheese sliders
      – sausage and cheese balls
      – cheesy chicken nuggets
      – chicken pot pie puffs

    15. Meganly*

      Two words: pizza wheels. Everyone loves them! You can add veggies so folks can pretend they’re healthy! You take a bag of pizza dough and let rest until room temp (this is important). With a rolling pin, make a large rectangle, the thinner the better. Take your time and let it rest in between rolls. Coat the rectangle in ~1/2 cup pizza sauce. Optionally, add baby spinach and/or pepperoni to cover. Top with 1/2 c to 2/3 shredded mozzarella or pizza cheese mix.

      1. Meganly*

        Sorry, got cut off and couldn’t continue.
        Roll up nice and tight, wrap in plastic wrap, and then refrigerate at least a half hour. Then, take your sharpest knife and cut into 1″ slices.
        Top slices with parmesan cheese, then bake at 400°F for 15-30 minutes. They should be a nice golden brown.
        They taste great warm or cool. Serve with leftover pizza sauce for dipping…. Maybe in individual containers thanks to COVID…

    16. Fanny Price*

      I have a chicken and white bean chili recipe that I got from a work chili cook off. Everything comes out of a can except the ground chicken, and it’s good kept warm for hours in a crock pot. You can probably find it or a similar recipe online – the major ingredients are ground chicken, canned white beans, and sweet cream corn. Limes to squeeze over the top if you feel like getting fancy.

      1. Office Gumby*

        I have an easy chili recipe I do for potlucks:

        1/2kg(1lb) beef mince/ground beef (or any other protein. Can even go vegetarian)
        2 cans chopped tomatoes
        2 cans drained beans (pinto, black, kidney, whatever)
        1 packet onion soup mix
        2 Tbsp cumin
        1 Tbsp cocoa powder
        1/2 tsp chili powder (or a whole chipotle chili, chopped) – adjust this according to your spice level preference. (I’m a three chipotle kind of bird.)
        Salt and pepper to taste. mebbe a tsp each?

        Brown the beef, add everything else, simmer until done.
        Serve however you like to serve chili.
        Halve or double recipe as you see fit.

        Note: this is not competition chili, and will definitely lose any chili-tasting contest, but when compared to chicken casserole, it ain’t bad. But it will never beat a great big bowl of sugar snap peas.

      1. Zelda*

        The successful experiment from this past Memorial Day, an ultra-simple potato salad: Boil small redskin potatoes until tender. Chill overnight. Cut into 1 – 1.5″ chunks. Moisten with vinegar (we used distilled for a friend with an apple sensitivity, but apple cider vinegar on a later batch for ourselves). Stir in kosher salt and a generous quantity of finely chopped garlic chives (regular chives would work too). We’ll be doing this one again!

        1. Former Gremlin Herder*

          I came here to reccomend a very similar recipe! I got mine from NYT Cooking so it’s a little more fussy, but honestly once you get the herbs chopped it’s pretty easy. I cook the potatoes in my Instant pot to make it faster as well. It’s stupid yummy, much more appetizing than traditional potato salads, and keeps super well in the fridge.

          https://cooking.nytimes.com/recipes/12060-potato-salad-with-dijon-vinaigrette

          3 pounds red new potatoes
          ¼ cup red wine vinegar
          3 tablespoons whole grain Dijon mustard
          ½ cup olive oil
          6 scallions, chopped
          ½ cup chopped parsley
          ¼ cup chopped dill
          Salt and pepper

          Place the potatoes in a large stockpot, and cover with water. Bring to a boil, and cook until the potatoes are tender, about 20 minutes. Drain and allow to cool. When cool, cut the potatoes in half.
          Combine the vinegar and mustard in a large bowl. Slowly whisk in the olive oil.
          Add the potatoes to the vinaigrette, and mix gently but thoroughly. Toss in the scallions, parsley and dill. Salt and pepper to taste.

      2. A Becky*

        I was going to say “mom’s potato salad” (which might be Betty Crocker’s haha)

        4 to 5 medium potatoes, boiled and cut into about 1″ chunks (or smaller)

        1/4 cup clear French salad dressing with spices and herbs
        1 cup chopped celery
        1/4 cup chopped onion (about 2-3 complete green onions)
        4 hard-cooked eggs, sliced
        1/2 cup mayonnaise

        Pour French dressing over warm potatoes. Chill 2 hours. Add celery, onion and eggs. Add mayonnaise and mix carefully. Add 1 tsp celery seed, if desired. Chill 4 hours.

      3. new worker bee*

        Yes, pasta salad! One version that my family always makes for potlucks is to cook a few boxes of tri-colored pasta, mix with feta cheese, kalamata olives, cherry tomatoes, chopped up cucumbers, and salad dressing. (I think it’s Caesar dressing, but you can use whatever sounds good to you.) Done!

      4. MsM*

        Cold sesame noodle salad is my go-to. You can make extra veggies and toss them in the dressing for any gluten-free colleagues.

    18. I laugh at inappropriate times*

      Pasta salad. Fix a box or 2 of Suddenly Salad, then throw in a couple of extras like sliced Olives and diced fresh tomato to fancy it up.

    19. PnlpeWthspn*

      I usually bring a 2 ingredient dip that is addictive.

      Drained jar of bread and butter pickled jalapeños*
      2 blocks cream cheese (low fat if preferred)

      Soften cream cheese. Place jalapeños and cream cheese in a food processor – pulse/run to desired consistency (smooth to chunky your choice). Thin out with drained juice if needed. Chill for a couple of hours.

      * 1) save a couple for garnish on top. 2) save the juice – it makes an excellent brine for chicken among other things.

      Makes a to , so I usually keep some at home when I make it.

      1. Jolene*

        You can even just dump pepper jelly on a block of cream cheese, throw out some crackers, and everyone is happy. (This might be too simple for OP, but it’s always a hit.)

        1. Chilipepper Attitude*

          I had something like that years ago in the UK but the cheese was softer than cream cheese so easier to spread and I’ve never found the topping or a recipe for it. But it was delicious. She had one red and one green.

          1. Picard*

            sounds like red and green pepper jelly – its a classic here in the south. (link in comments)

            3. Chilipepper Attitude*

              I should have said, the pepper stuff did not have the pectin texture or jelly and it had tiny bits or pepper in it.

              It was more the consistency of pickle relish if that makes sense!

          2. Cautionary tail*

            @Chilipepper Attitude, Perhaps the softer cheese was Mascarpone? its ridiculously easy to make and absolutely delicious. Instead of a cheesecloth lined sieve I do it even easier and simply put some paper towels in a strainer.
            h t t p s : / / w w w .biggerbolderbaking.com/mascarpone-cheese-recipe/

      2. Glop is good*

        Speaking of saving the juice, my “pantry/fridge/freezer melange” (like a multi-bean salad, but also heavy on condiments like olives, capers, pickles, jalapeños, artichokes, chopped cilantro, etc., as well as additional veggies like corn, frozen peas, sliced snap peas, leftover salad or cooked veggies of any kind, usw… I just look at all the cans, bags and containers and ask, “Who wants to be food?”)
        … I start my dressings with a scoop or two of green or Kalamata olive brine, pickle, caper or sauerkraut juice, etc., then add mustard, rice vinegar, toasted sesame oil and lemon juice and other seasonings like smoked paprika and brewer’s yeast to taste. My condiment liquids never go to waste that way. I live on that combo in heat waves; it’s my summer go-to and goes over great at potlucks. Sometimes it turns into pasta salad, sometimes gets any kind of seed or nut combo and dried cranberries added, sometimes sliced sausage or leftover chicken; variations are infinite. (If the weather chills, leftovers tun into a great soup!)

    20. CatCat*

      Chili is super easy in the crockpot and lots of people love it. You can make it vegetarian/vegan if you know you have such diets in the crowd. Add fixins like cheese, green onions, and sour cream in the side. Tasty and easy.

      1. Jim Bob*

        Seconded. You can just dump everything in the crockpot and simmer overnight, and it’s done.

    21. Laura*

      People are always happy to have something fresh like a green salad, fruit kebabs with a yogurt dip, or some type of a crunchy veggie slaw. Quiche is a great vegetarian option, and for super easy go for beans n franks or another crockpot dish like meatballs in a glaze, dirty rice, chili etc

    23. raincoaster*

      Salad rolls. Cheap, easy, impressive, easy to make vegetarian, and you can put peanut sauce right inside so you don’t need a sidecar of dip.

      1. debs*

        It this like vietnamese summer rolls? Learned to make these over lockdown. They are hella fresh and addictive. (they absolutely must contain fresh basil, mint and corriander). I try to make the veggies as colourful as possible (carrots, mangetout, cucumber, red Cabbage, peppers, radish and mango) I often make mine with shrimp, but they really don’t need it.

        1. pancakes*

          The perfect warm weather food, as far as I’m concerned. I’ve been planning to make some this weekend, half with shrimp and half with char siu oyster mushrooms, all with pickled carrots and radishes, grilled scallions, rice noodles, and the herbs. Will link to sauce recipes separately.

        2. pancakes*

          Nuoc cham: https://www.splendidtable.org/story/2011/08/05/basic-dipping-sauce-nuoc-cham

          Links to more info on a vegetarian version & choosing a fish sauce: https://www.vietworldkitchen.com/blog/2008/11/basic-vietnamese-dipping-sauce-nuoc-cham.html

          A hoisin-based dipping sauce: https://www.hungryhuy.com/cach-lam-bo-bia-recipe-vietnamese-spring-rolls-with-chinese-sausage-jicama-carrot-egg/

          Peanut sauce / sate sauce: https://www.foodandwine.com/recipes/chicken-satay-peanut-sauce

          even easier version: https://minimalistbaker.com/5-ingredient-peanut-sauce/

    25. Gingerblue*

      For this time of year, how about a cold soup and tiny cups to serve it in?

      If you want something picnic-y, a really simple but great regional dish that a lot of people don’t know is salt potatoes. Here’s a recipe, but really, you just boil tiny potatoes in as much salt as you can get to dissolve in your cooking water so they develop a crust: https://hostthetoast.com/syracuse-salt-potatoes/

      Devilled eggs, especially if you make a couple different varieties with some color contrast between the fillings and/or get fancy about piping the filling in.

      A variety of roasted vegetables and a dip? I’m thinking of the sort of thing where you could cut up a bunch of vegetables, toss them with oil, and roast them all together on a sheet pan without a lot of fuss.

      If you have an air fryer, chicken wings in it are dead simple.

      1. Siege*

        I always used to think deviled eggs were hard, and then I saw a recipe this year, and they are the EASIEST THING ON EARTH, but they have a HUGE wow factor (because of everyone like me who thought they were hard to make).

        1. Red Reader the Adulting Fairy*

          Extra simplifying tip: put the filling in a ziplock bag and cut off a corner to use it like a piping bag to fill the whites, instead of trying to do it with a spoon.

        2. Screen Porch Office*

          We have a morning birthday celebration once a month at our weekly 8 am staff meeting, honoring all of our employees who have a birthday that month. People usually bring fruit, muffins & breads. I realized I’d really like some protein, so one month I brought deviled eggs. Talk about a hit! Now every month someone usually brings either deviled eggs or a plate of cheese cubes.

        3. Cthulhu's Librarian*

          While not difficult, making a lot of them for a large group of people can be time consuming (particularly in peeling the eggs). Good garnishes for them include a little paprika, small sprigs of herbs (fresh mint, parsley, green onions, and thyme are personal favorites), small slices of ham, and crystalized honey.

          1. Legally Bored*

            I’m a big proponent of using the Instant Pot to cook eggs for deviled eggs. The shells slip right off!

          2. Siege*

            I have a weird phobia of opening eggs, so honestly I just buy a bag or two of the precooked peeled eggs.

            1. bryeny*

              Was about to suggest precooked hardboiled eggs, a huge timesaver as they come peeled. Most grocery/supermarkets where I live (New England) carry them, but they also tend to run out frequently. So you might have to try more than one store but it might be worth the trip. :) They come in bags of 6 and cut the time for deviled eggs by more than half.

              Do you still call them deviled eggs if you use an entirely different recipe? I’m not sure what else to call them but I’ve gotten compliments with two variations:

              – Mix yolks with wasabi and soy sauce; garnish with sesame seeds
              – Mix yolks with crumbled gorgonzola; garnish with chives and more gorgonzola

              Sorry I don’t remember measurements, but it wouldn’t be hard to do it by tasting as you go.

      3. DC Kat*

        RE: chilled soups — yes! One year for a 4th of July picnic, I made a gazpacho, and a chilled almond soup, served them out of pitchers with those mini-Dixie paper cups as the bowls. Easy, portable, and utensil-free.

    26. Sara (not my actual name)*

      No crust individual egg and bacon pies. Spray a muffin pan with oil. Line each individual muffin hole with bacon (1 slice per is usually sufficient). Crack an egg into each one. Sprinkle with salt and pepper. Into a moderate oven for about 10 minutes. Prep takes no longer than about 10 mins.

    27. Susie the Newbie*

      A pasta salad is great for potlucks because it doesn’t have to be warm to taste good.

      1/2 lb pasta, cooked (I like farfalle)
      I can black beans, rinsed and drained
      1 can chickpeas, rinsed and drained
      1-2 cups edamame, cooked and cooled
      1-2 cups frozen corn
      1 English or 2 regular cucumbers, pulled and chopped
      2 cups grape tomatoes, halved
      1 red or orange bell pepper, chopped
      Green onions, chopped or a small amount of chopped red onion
      Fresh basil, chopped into small pieces
      A good quality vinaigrette (I use Newman’s Own Classic Oil and Vinegar)
      Cavender’s Greek seasoning, or salt, pepper, and garlic powder to taste.

      Mix everything together and chill . Before serving, te-dress the salad with more salad dressing –the pasta will absorb some if the dressing.

    28. Dr. Reginald Saunders*

      Pumpkin spice/chai pudding! It’s just dressed up instant vanilla pudding, takes less than 5 minutes with things you probably already have in your cupboard, and is wildly popular at parties.

      1 packet instant vanilla pudding mix
      2.5 cups milk (non-dairy milk will not work with instant pudding mixes)
      1/2 cup canned pumpkin
      1-2 tablespoons vanilla (less if vanilla extract, more if vanilla flavoring)
      about 1 tablespoon pumpkin spice mix or to taste (I use my homemade chai mix made of nutmeg, cinnamon, cardamom, clove powder, ginger powder, and black pepper)
      dash of salt

      Make the vanilla pudding with the wet ingredients first, then whisk for 3 minutes until soft set. Add spices and salt to taste. Serve with whipped cream.

      1. Red Reader the Adulting Fairy*

        If you use whipping cream instead of milk to make instant pudding, you get a cheater’s mousse and it’s set in like two minutes. This is also excellent for a pudding pie if you put it into a store bought graham cracker crust.

        1. Karstmama*

          My mama’s favorite quick pie is Hershey Bar pie. The part that takes the longest is taking the paper off the Hershey bars. Get a graham cracker crust, a box of 6 regular sized Hershey bars with almonds, and a medium container of Cool Whip. Melt the bars carefully in the microwave, stir in the Cool Whip, put into the crust, and put in your freezer. OMGood!

      2. Waffle Cone*

        Non-dairy milk does in fact work with instant pudding. The Jell-o website has instructions – basically you cut the volume of milk in half.

        1. Miette*

          Also, to my vegan niece’s delight, Jell-o instant vanilla pudding is vegan. So is Pepperidge Farm puff pastry. I have done mini dessert voul-au-vents for her topped with fresh fruit–easy to make ahead and fill onsite. You could also do all sorts of nice things with PF puff pastry like vegan parmesan or cinnamon sugar straws, fruit tarts, apple strudel, etc. too.

    29. Somebody*

      Pasta salad – I use gluten-free pasta

      Cook pasta. Cut up and fry bacon, then mushrooms (I like to use the bacon pan). Leave to cool. Mix everything together with mayonnaise.

    30. New Mom*

      My go-to is homemade guacamole. My recipe is:
      2-3 avocados
      fresh squeezed lemon juice
      sea salt
      2-3 fresh crushed garlic cloves

      And then just bring a bag of tortilla chips.

      Really simple and it’s really a hit. This is one of the few things (maybe the only?) I make where I like mine more than anyone else’s.

      1. New Mom*

        One more, Caprese Salad.

        One ball of large fresh mozzarella
        2-3 fresh tomatoes
        fresh basil
        sea salt
        balsamic reduction

        Slice the tomatoes and mozzarella into circles and place a basil leaf on top. Drizzle balsamic reduction on top and add some sea salt. It’s delicious and easy.

        1. Seven hobbits are highly effective, people*

          I do a Caprese salad, but with cherry tomatoes that have been cut in half and either cut-up string cheese (which is just mozzarella cheese marketed differently) or smaller pieces of mozzarella ball, and with olive oil as well as the balsamic and basil, and everything mixed together in a casserole dish rather than layered nicely.

          It changes it from a food where you’re best off with a knife to one that’s already in bite-size pieces, so it’s nice for the kind of potluck, picnic, or BBQ where people are going to be standing around and eating off of paper plates rather than having a seated meal. It’s also substantial enough that I can eat it as a main dish if I can’t eat most of the rest of what’s on offer, since is frequent due to a “fun” combination of vegetarianism and food allergies.

          I also like it for potlucks because most of the ingredients are visually obvious chunks rather than a bunch of purees, so while it still needs an ingredient label, particularly for anyone who needs to avoid surprise balsamic, most people know whether they can eat it right away by looking at it. (Both the dairy and nightshades are fairly visible, so most people avoiding those can select out without having to read through the ingredients first.)

    32. Viva*

      I prefer taking vegan or vegetarian recipes, simply because there’s never enough veggies at potlucks. They also tend to be cheaper and faster. The blog “Cookie & Kate” is my favourite for vegan/veg recipes, her recipes are easy and have never let me down (no affiliation).

      1. Spanish Rice (my short cut is using a jar of salsa)
      2. Broccoli Salad (from Cookie & Kate). This salad is AMAZING. For vegan, omit cheese and swap maple syrup or pancake syrup for honey.
      3. Crockpot Refried Beans Without the Refry (lots of recipes out there)
      4. Mujadara
      5. Caponata
      6. Vegan Chili (Cookie & Kate), or regular Chili. Add fixings like corn chips, sour cream, etc.
      7. Texas Caviar
      8. Michael Symon’s Butternut Squash and Farro Salad (on foodnetwork.com)
      9. Green Bean Salad with Cherry Tomatoes and Feta
      10. Tex-Mex Casserole

      1. talos*

        Thank you so much! I’m vegetarian but don’t really have the time/inclination to cook large amounts of a vegetarian entree to bring to potlucks (also none of the vegetarian entrees I like stay presentable enough overnight for me to be non-embarassed feeding them to other people), so a lot of times at potlucks I’m just completely SOL on entrees. Glad to know someone’s looking out for me.

      2. Basque-ing Birdie*

        Seconding Cookie and Kate! The carrot soup recipes have made lunch a no-brainer for a great many weekdays now :D

      3. AcademicBee*

        Yup, I try to always go vegetarian dishes (pasta salads, rice salads, corn salad, watermelon salad) because they’re easy to make, I can make the night before easily and like everyone having options. My fave is take a Corn and Bean Salad (similar to Texas caviar). Bonus is it is both vegan and gluten free, although I’ve been making it before I knew people who were gluten free! Also not dependent on seasonal ingredients if you use frozen corn!

        Corn and Bean Salad
        1 can pinto beans (20 oz) drained and rinsed
        1 pkg frozen whole kernel corn, thawed (10 oz)
        4 pimentos, cut in thin strips
        5 scallions, sliced
        ½ c wine vinegar
        ½ c vegetable oil
        ½ tsp chili powder
        ¼ c chopped parsley
        1-2 c shredded lettuce (I often use more)
        Mix all ingredients except lettuce, cover and refrigerate. Add lettuce right before. I usually double it but don’t usually double the oil/vinegar…just a bit more.
        Aww

        1. Ruth A*

          I like to make a friend’s similarly simple black bean salad recipe for potlucks of all varieties. People like it and it ensures that there will be some substantial food there that I can eat (I eat vegan and gluten free).

          1 large or 2 regular cans black beans
          1 can corn
          1 can sliced black olives
          1 tomato, chopped
          1 avocado, chopped
          white vinegar
          lime juice
          salt
          pepper

          Drain and rinse the canned things, put them in a bowl with the tomato and avocado, then add vinegar (I probably use around a tablespoon), lime juice (start with the juice of half a lime if using fresh), and salt and pepper until it tastes good. I often make this with more tomato because I like tomatoes a lot and last time I bought small avocados and used two of them, so you can adjust the proportions to whatever tastes best to you. The friend whose recipe it is says it must be eaten immediately and isn’t good after being refrigerated; I always make it at least a few hours ahead and refrigerate it and I think it’s still delicious.

      5. pancakes*

        I’m going to try the broccoli salad. It sounds good and I have all the ingredients.

        Farro salad is a good call because it keeps well at room temp for a while, and just about any recipe for it is going to be flexible in what you can add or substitute. It’s also something you can prep the night before and it won’t be any worse off for that. I’ll link to two recipes I like separately.

    34. Jessica Ganschen*

      I’m a big fan of pasta salad, personally! You can mix it up a lot with various noodles, vegetables, cheeses, and other toppings.

    35. tamarack and fireweed*

      I like to bring a vegetarian dish (even though I’m not one) that’s otherwise low in things people don’t eat, since it may just hit the spot for someone looking for something to eat. A nice salad based on pulses (lentils, chickpeas…) can work.

      Particularly my tabuleh (tabuli) the way I learned it in France. The day before, mix in a bowl: about half/half bulghur and couscous wheat, chopped (fresh) tomato, chopped red onion, chopped cucumber, lemon juice, salt, pepper, a little bit of olive oil. Cover with cling film, put in fridge overnight. The day of: mix well, add chopped mint and parsley, adjust seasonings to taste. Wipe rim of bowl or put in fresh bowl. Super low work, and a very nice summery dish.

      In the winter, I like to bring something baked.

      1. JKateM*

        Tabouleh is a go-to for me too. I make it the way my Jordanian friend taught me, with bulgur wheat (though I do sometimes substitute with quinoa for a gluten-free version), finely chopped cucumber and tomato, LOTS of chopped fresh parsley, and olive oil and plenty of fresh squeezed lemon juice. You can add fresh garlic, finely chopped onion, or mint for different versions.

      2. Emilia Bedelia*

        Seconding bean salad. 2-3 assorted cans of beans, whatever vegetables you have on hand chopped bean-size if necessary (roasting is a good idea for things like broccoli, carrots, cauliflower, etc), and vinegar or lemon juice/olive oil and whatever seasonings go well. I always have a lot of pickles/condiments/olives on hand, so I add things like pickled/roasted peppers, olives, or even salsa. Fresh herbs are great if you have them. Marinate overnight for best results. Quick, easy, cheap, and guarantees I have something vegetarian to eat.

    36. Liquid Goldie*

      I have brought cornbread to lots of potlucks (either traditional or a jalapeño cheese variety depending on the audience) and it’s always been a big hit!

    37. lyonite*

      I make the world’s easiest tomato mozzarella salad and it’s always a hit. Ingredients: One basket cherry tomatoes to one tub mini mozzarella balls, scale to your needs, toss with olive oil and balsamic vinegar, fresh basil if you have it. If you’re feeling fancy you can cut the tomatoes in half, and if you can get the herbed mozzarella balls (Trader Joe’s has a good one) it takes care of the seasoning. My ideal is one of seasoned, one plain, two baskets tomatoes, good to go.

      1. DyneinWalking*

        My mother once stumbled onto a variety of this that has been a staple food of any of her parties since: Put the salad ingredients (cherry tomatoes, mini mozzarella balls, basil leaves) on sticks! That does take a bit of time but it’s meditative instead of stressful, and it’s always an incredibly popular finger food.

    38. Let's go party*

      1) Charcuterie board – super easy to make and you can customize it, from savory to sweet and everything in between.
      2) Pasta salad – many options
      3) Fried rice

      1. Reluctant Manager*

        Ooh, fried rice sounds like a great compromise for OP. Still very homemade but easy.

      2. Siege*

        I did a pork-free charcuterie board for Valentine’s Day that was surprisingly easy! You can also do a vegan one.

    39. Kate*

      This is probably biased by where I grew up but… guacamole. Delicious, easy to make, easy to transport. I’d drop a recipe, but I don’t want to start a war about what should and shouldn’t go into good guac.

      1. Zelda*

        The only caveat to “easy to transport” is that you have to know to press plastic wrap right down onto the surface of the guac, to exclude air so it doesn’t turn brown & slimy. Or chop & mix all your other ingredients at home, but wait on slicing & mashing the avocados until the potluck is actually starting.

        1. Certaintroublemaker*

          Not necessarily. You can avoid most of the browning by sprinkling lime or lemon juice over the top. Mix it in right before serving to flavor the whole bowl.

          1. debs*

            I have a fool proof non-browning guac recipe. It doesn’t even brown overnight. ad the lime as you normally would, but in a small bowl, add 1 tbsp of Mayo, 1 tbsp of oil (i like garlic Oil) and mix. I usually mix in any seasoning i was going to add to this mixture (salt, pepper, garlic powder etc.). then add this to your avocado mixture with anything else you put in your guac. For whatever reason, not sure how, but it doesn’t brown.

    40. Ben Marcus Consulting*

      Oreo Fluff:

      1 package Oreos; crushed
      1 package vanilla pudding
      1 16 oz tub of cool whip

      Make the pudding to directions, once set fold in the cool whip. Then fold in the crushed Oreos.

      1. Snoozing not schmoozing*

        I just made this for a family potluck: S’Mores Fluff. I pkg instant chocolate pudding, I can sweetened condensed milk, 1/2 cup water. Stir together until pudding is dissolved (I use a big whisk). Add 1/2 cup sour cream (light works fine), then an 8 oz. container thawed Cool Whip. Purists can try it with whipped cream. Add in about 4-6 oz. semisweet chocolate mini chips and about half a bag of miniature marshmallows and fold in. Refrigerate. Serve in bowls with graham cracker sections to scoop. The marshmallows get soft and meringue-like and it’s all delicious.

      2. Ann Perkins*

        Another fluff variation: pumpkin fluff. Canned pumpkin, cool whip, instant vanilla pudding, and pumpkin pie spice. It’s great with vanilla wafers, Graham crackers, or apple slices.

      1. Zombeyonce*

        Or Haystacks! Just melt a bag of butterscotch chips and stir into a cup of peanuts and a 10oz bag of crispy chow mein noodles, then drop blobs onto parchment paper and let harden. So easy, and SO good.

    42. StitchIsMySpiritAnimal*

      Straight up barbecue. I use a doctored version of Ina Garten’s homemade bbq sauce, bastardized by throwing all the ingredients in a blender, adding a 1/4 cup of molasses and a 1/4 c Jack Daniels, then letting it simmer for an hour or two while I do something else. Add some cooked chicken breast or pork tenderloin in a crockpot, bring in some burger buns, let everyone have at it. Active time on this is about 15 minutes tops, everyone loves it.

      1. StitchIsMySpiritAnimal*

        BTW, barbecue is a fairly simple recipe. There’s a far more complex recipe from the darker place inside that knows Some Potlucks Are About Winning. If anyone wants me to open the grimoire and find the Kahlua Cake Recipe of Showing Everyone Else Up, lmk.

    43. Siege*

      I do one of two things because I hate cooking.

      Pasta salad
      Cook and drain 12 oz rotini. Mix 3 oz olive oil, 2 pkg original Ranch dressing mix and 3-4 roma tomatoes plus any other veggies you want to use (I usually do fresh, uncooked broccoli, but you could use mushrooms or snap peas or whatever. I like something with crunch to it here.). Add enough parmesan to make you happy and mix it all up. My tip is to put the veggies in with the pasta and make the dressing separately, in case that isn’t clear. The wording is a little weird, but it’s because you need the tomatoes and then it’s all optional.

      Minted beetroot salad
      1 kg (approximately 6) beets, washed, boiled, drained, peeled, and cut into wedges. Blend or process 1 cup plain yogurt, 1 clove garlic (chopped), 1 tablespoon tahini, 1.5 tablespoons lemon juice, and 1/2 cup fresh mint leaves. Serve beets with the yogurt mixture – fill your serving bowl with beets and put the yogurt on the top in the center; it’ll get moved around as people serve themselves. Note that this recipe is from an Australian cookbook, and their tablespoon is 20ml while American standard is 15 ml, so you’ll want to adjust for that.

      Obviously if I’m serving beets at a potluck, I have no friends, but they’re simple, easy recipes that I like that can be scaled up or down as needed. The pasta one will handle a 16 oz box of rotini just fine with no adjustment to the rest of the measurements. I’m also working through recipes from Ahead of Thyme, which specializes in quick, easy recipes, and I will agree that they are quick and easy. I would not make one for the first time for a potluck, however; I’ve made 4 so far and two of them have needed some serious adjustments while the third needed a minor adjustment. All four are added to my repeat list, because I like the recipes with adjustments, I’m just saying you don’t want to serve curried sheet-pan chicken and find out at the potluck that the spice mix needs some help.

      1. Zelda*

        We get lots of beets from our farm share, and there is mint taking over the back garden. BRB, putting tahini on the grocery list real quick…

    44. Jess M*

      Some I have made that were a hit and a search on pinterest brings up the recipes:
      1. Oreo Parfait (no bake and simple)
      2. Slow cooker BBQ chicken (set it and forget it)
      3. Mac and Cheese (I like a baked version with garlic and 3 cheeses and a hint of spice). Simple recipes take 30 mins.
      4. Sliders: pesto, turkey, cheese. Can be cold or hot
      5. Spanish Rice: rice, beans, corn, salsa, ground beef, seasonings of your choice. Mix it all together put in crock pot to keep warm.
      Hope this helps

    45. PotluckAdvice*

      Layer macaroni noodles, canned tomatoes, onions, and cheese in a casserole dish; fill the dish to the top with homogenized milk and bake in oven until the noodles are cooked. Delicious and always a hit

      1. Thin Mints didn't make me thin*

        geez, I think someone should bring this to MY office. (I work from home. “Someone” is me.)

    46. LoV...*

      Chocolate chip scones. They’re pretty straightforward and they travel well. Also, they’re delicious.

    47. Not that other person you didn't like*

      Coconut fruit salad. Chop up a bunch of whatever fruit (seriously, anything goes) and mix in a can or two of coconut milk.

      It travels and holds up well, plus it’s vegan, gluten free, kosher, halal, healthy and really, really delicious!

      In fact, starting this time of year I’ll make big bowls for us to eat at home!

    48. All Hail Queen Sally*

      I have taken a crock pot with kielbasa sausage and onions simmered in beer to several potlucks and it was always a hit.

    49. PollyQ*

      Brownies made from the Ghirardelli box, no adjustments needed. I like the Dark Chocolate & Double Chocolate varieties since they both have chocolate chips. It literally takes longer for my oven to heat up than it does to prepare these, and every time I bring them, people clamor for the recipe.

      1. Anonymous Koala*

        The Ghirardelli mix is amazing! When I make boxed brownies, I sub coffee for the water (or add 1 tbsp instant coffee) and call them espresso brownies – everyone raves. If I have them, I top the mix with crushed chocolate-covered espresso beans as a garnish right before the pan goes into the oven.

    50. Brain the Brian*

      Veggies and dip. Buy a couple of different types of dip, chop up your favorite veggie, et voila. There are never enough healthy, light options at work potlucks.

    51. Leigh*

      Sausage rolls! Easy to make vegetarian/vegan, too.
      Puff pastry (store bought works perfectly: Pepperidge Farms in the US at least is vegan), brush some mustard on (yellow or fancy), add sausage. Can do loose ground sausage, bratwurst, or Beyond Sausage. Wrap in pastry (triangles for individual sausages, like pigs in a blanket, or one big one cut into portions for bulk sausage), slice some steam vents in, and bake off. Great hot or cold.

    52. DragoCucina*

      World’s Easiest Shrimp Salad*
      1 bag frozen, peeled, deveined, cooked shrimp defrosted
      1 jar marinated mushrooms, drained
      1 jar marinated artichoke hearts, drained

      Mix together and let sit overnight. The marinades are enough spices and flavoring. You can sometimes catch (ha ha) frozen, medium shrimp at a price less than ground beef.
      *–I have a double layered bowl with a gel lining. It goes in the freezer. I put the salad in that and in stays cold.

    53. wet-coaster*

      I get good reviews of pesto rice salad (This is egg/gluten free but does contain nuts and cheese (in the pesto))

      There are only four ingredients and is especially easy if you have a rice cooker, but either way there is almost no prep and it’s easy to scale because there are no actual measurements.

      – walnuts and any nuts you might use in the pesto. But it’s

      You will need: brown or other whole grain rice (no white rice, you need something that will keep a bit of a bite), your pesto of choice, dried cranberries, and walnuts.

      >Cook the rice.
      >Let it cool a little and add pesto. I added around 50ml pesto to 240ml (uncooked) rice last time I made it but I generally just dump some in, taste, and add more until I like it.
      >Throw in a handful or so of dried cranberries and the same amount of smashed walnuts (I throw whole nuts in a bag and whack ’em a few times with a hammer. ymmv).
      >This is best served room temperature or a little warmer.

      Healthy, easy, and people are always impressed. It’s also easy to get creative: Mix your rice – last time I had a black/red/brown blend. Use sundried tomato pesto. Use a different dried fruit, or different nuts. Try einkorn wheat (no longer GF). What else do you have in your pantry? Go ahead and see how it goes.

      1. Anonymous Koala*

        I do something similar with pasta – al dente pasta, store bought pesto, halved cherry tomatoes, and grated Parmesan (proportions to taste). Serve at any temperature – it’s delicious (and different) every way.

    54. Formerly Ella Vader*

      To some extent it depends on the co-workers’ expectations: are they adventurous eaters? Do they plan to fill a plate and sit at tables with a knife and fork and napkin? Do they need to have the ingredients labelled?

      Brownies.
      Homemade bread or buns, with soft butter.
      Baked macaroni and cheese.
      Some seasonal/local vegetable, maybe roasted and cooled.
      Coleslaw.
      Anything that people can eat very small helpings of standing up: Grape tomatoes. Slices of cheese. Sausage bits. Fresh strawberries. Juicy raw carrots. Crackers. Hummus.

    55. Kit*

      Feta tomato dip with bread is amazing and incredibly easy. You could reheat or put in a crockpot the day of. The base recipe is called “baked feta pasta” from real good foodie, just omit the pasta at the end.

      My personal favorite is homemade rice crispy treats, but I rarely make them for pot lucks anymore. The older I get, the more sugar conscious the people around me are.

      1. Hen in a Windstorm*

        Smitten Kitchen did this but she replaced the pasta with chickpeas. Makes it more filling/stretches it more than just cheese and tomatoes.

    56. nodramalama*

      If you want to do a dessert mars bar slice is the easiest thing I’ve ever made and all it requires is mars bars, rice bubbles, chocolate, butter, a microwave and a pan to put it in to chill

    57. BLT Salad*

      I don’t really have a recipe, I use ‘enough’ of each ingredient.

      Spring mix salad greens
      Cherry tomatoes, sliced in half
      Crisp bacon, crumbled
      Mayonnaise
      Seasoned croutons

      I mix approximately a tablespoon of the bacon drippings into the mayonnaise, then toss just before serving.

    58. A Genuine Scientician*

      My default potluck dish:

      Poach and shred some chicken thighs (I’ll instead use mushrooms if I want to make it vegetarian)
      Cook some long grain and wild rice
      Mix in some frozen peas and the cooked chicken — heat from the just recently cooked rice will cook the peas.

      In terms of scaling, 6-8 chicken thighs : ~6 cups prepared rice : 1 small bag (8 ounces?) frozen peas.

      From my experience, the keys to popular potluck dishes are:

      – Small number of easily identified ingredients
      – Something that scales and reheats well
      – Some form of protein being included

      2. Buffalogal*

        I do something similar to this, except instead of rice I use thin spaghetti broken in half. With a vinagrette dressing it is equally good cold.

    59. Warrior Princess xena*

      For desserts: if you have any sort of electric mixer, pound cake is super easy. Sugar, butter, eggs, flour. Just be sure that your butter is not cold or it will not fluff up, since the only air the cake will get is what gets beaten into it.

      For non desserts: I’m a big fan of pasta salad! Our family go to is several bags of colorful spiral pasta, artichoke hearts, black olives, sliced bell peppers, and Italian dressing. Serve cold. And pasta salad in general can be tailored to match nearly any food intolerance/allergy, since gluten free pasta is pretty widely available.

    60. rubble*

      (I already commented something for this but my browser glitched out and it doesn’t appear to have gone through, so posting again with an addition)

      two simple ideas: chocolate chip cookies, and a pasta that can be eaten warm or cold.

      my choc chip cookie recipe hasn’t made it online as it’s from an australian women’s weekly cookbook from the 90s (and I’ve modified it myself). you probably have your own anyway! but if anyone wants I can type it up.

      for pasta:
      bought roast chicken, shredded
      fusilli/rotini pasta
      basil pesto from a jar
      sun dried or halved cherry tomatoes depending on the season
      roasted pumpkin cubes (I use butternut, which I understand isn’t considered a pumpkin in america. probably other kinds of pumpkin would also work)

      just take out the chicken if you want vegetarian. could also be done with bacon instead of or in addition to the chicken, I think.

      1. Mami21*

        Yo I wouldn’t mind your choc chip cookie recipe! If you have the time and inclination :)

      2. Siege*

        I LOVE the Australian Women’s Weekly cookbooks. The beet recipe I shared above is from their Middle eastern cookbook, and I am pretty sure I’ve got the same chocolate chip cookie recipe from the desserts book.

    61. astral debris*

      Guacamole, Salsa, and Queso

      You look like a boss for bringing in 3 things, but really you just roughly chopped some veg and maybe tossed some of it into your food processor.

      Bonus fancy points: roasted tomatillo guacamole. Remove the tomatillo husks and broil them on high for 4-ish minutes, flip them over and repeat, then add to your food processor with the other ingredients.

      1. LibraryScientist*

        Yes. I regularly made guac because I would forget about the potluck until the day of and everyone acts like you are a professional chef or something. Plus since making the guac means making a separate pico de gallo then adding it to the smashed up avocados, if you make enough pico you also have a separate salsa to offer as well.
        My usual go to just involves onion, roma tomatoes, lime juice, salt, and pepper. You can also add cilantro and a jalapeno or 2, but depending on your audience those may not be popular because they may have the cilantro tastes like soap thing and any level of spice at all is too much for some people, respectively. You make the pico, then add it to your avocados a spoonful at a time until you have a mix you like. Get 4-5 avocados did fine because usually people are just taking a scoop of a lot of stuff at potlucks, but you can up your count if you know you’ve got a really big group. There’s a million perfectly good recipes out there though, so feel free to mix it up however you like it.

    62. With a twist*

      Cranberry and [type of] cheese parcels.

      Buy premade filo pastry. Cut into 4-5in squares. Three layers per parcel and brush each layer with a little melted butter. Add a dollop of cranberry sauce in the middle. Then add the cheese of your choice – best would be goats cheese, camembert, brie, but also works with cream cheese. Close the edges of the pasty together so you can twist it closed at the top. Brush again with butter. And bake at about 190C for 15-20 mins. They look more impressive than the effort put into assembling them.

    63. Julie*

      Crock pot. 1 cooked chicken. Shred the chicken. Add 1 bottle of bbq sauce. Heat through. Take along tiny sliders, cheese, fixins in a nice display. You’ll be a star. Don’t forget your extension cord

    64. Owler*

      If you ever get stuck with bringing a main course, I found that sliders made on King’s Hawaiian rolls (not cheap ass rolls…except Safeway often puts them on BoGo sale) are a big hit. Last potluck, I did a ham&cheese 9×13 tray and a buffalo chicken one. It was easy, and the toasted sandwiches went quickly. I read a couple of recipes on the King’s Hawaiian site, modified my own style, and ended up using deli chicken to make it even faster. I bet one could easily do a vegetarian sandwich filling.

      1. Not Tom, Just Petty*

        Crockpot ravioli
        (Yep. I’ve had a crockpot at my desk for 15 years)
        I used to do rigatoni, but I had to boil it at home, toss it in the crockpot and sauce it up.
        Now I get ravioli and sauce, put them in the crockpot on low when I get to work, stir when the mood hits me at serve at lunch time.

        1. A Genuine Scientician*

          In the winter, I’ll often do crockpot (nonalcoholic) spiced cider.

          Literally just a gallon of apple cider, and the standard apple/pumpkin spices (cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves, ginger, allspice).

          Surprisingly popular, extremely easy, people treat it as somehow more worthy than just bringing couple of 2L bottles of something carbonated.

    65. Emily*

      Scones, flapjacks if you’re baking

      If you want to cook, maybe chana masala, or a pasta bake

    67. Snoozing not schmoozing*

      I just made this for a family potluck: S’Mores Fluff. I pkg instant chocolate pudding, I can sweetened condensed milk, 1/2 cup water. Stir together until pudding is dissolved (I use a big whisk). Add 1/2 cup sour cream (light works fine), then an 8 oz. container thawed Cool Whip. Purists can try it with whipped cream. Add in about 4-6 oz. semisweet chocolate mini chips and about half a bag of miniature marshmallows and fold in. Refrigerate. Serve in bowls with graham cracker sections to scoop. The marshmallows get soft and meringue-like and it’s all delicious.

    68. Taki*

      I’ve never gone wrong with a spinach artichoke dip with an assortment of chips/crackers.
      If you’re looking for something heartier, make up the dip, use a pastry bag to fill big pasta shells with it, and serve with tomato sauce.
      2 8-oz cream cheese
      1 8oz ricotta cheese or cottage cheese or sour cream (all work well)
      10 oz frozen spinach, thawed and drained
      2 6.5 oz jars of marinated artichoke hearts OR 1 12 oz can packed in water.
      (If you go with the water packed, you’ll need to add garlic and a tbs or so of Italian Seasoning and a tbs or 2 of olive oil. I toss the veggies in the food processor and pulse for a few seconds, then toss them into the cheese mixture, and throw in whatever odd bits of white cheese I have laying around. If you’re feeling fancy, caramelize some onions separately and throw them into the dip right before baking. If you think the dip is too thick, add a little milk or cream and stir.)
      Mix, toss in to a baking pan, and bake for 30 min at 350. If you opt for pasta shells, cook the shells, let them cool for a few minutes, cover the bottom of pan in tomato sauce. Fill the shells, cover with the tomato sauce and maybe some cheese and bake, still 350 for about 30 min.

    69. Azure Jane Lunatic*

      Caprese salad looks impressive but can be about as simple as arranging a crackers-and-cheese plate. Get pre-sliced mozzarella log, some tomatoes and basil, some balsamic vinegar glaze, and alternate cheese, leaves, tomato slices, and leaves, and drizzle the glaze over top.

      Fresh fruit (in season) is delightful.

      Homemade chocolate chip cookies are popular.

      My dad’s big win was bringing a huge salad to an office that had been saturated with pizza and doughnuts, though that was less a potluck and more an extended crunch session — a volcano had gone off and the seismic floor of the earth sciences building were pretty much living in the office and were extremely tired of the carbohydrate festival a couple days in.

      1. Azure Jane Lunatic*

        My cold-season winner is a log of cranberry (or blueberry) covered goat cheese and canape-sized flat rice crackers. Looks fancy. Tastes fancy. Extremely premade.

      2. the cat's pajamas*

        I know you said you don’t like store bought, but I will often bring drinks since nobody ever thinks of it for potluck. Unless you work somewhere fancy that already provides soda or juice or whatever. You could make a fancier drink like homemade iced tea or punch,or even cut up fruit in water to make it feel more homemade.

        If people sign up ahead of time, I also like to bring something in a neglected category, like a snack or main dish if 75% of the group signed up for dessert.

        Another easy snack is to take a package of cream cheese and blend with taco seasoning. Then, spread a very thin layer on a tortilla, roll up and cut into pinwheels, top each one with a black olive slice.

        1. Picard*

          applause for this!

          Yes I like to bring fancy sparling waters – they usually are popular with our crowd!

          And if I really get inspired, I’ll break out the silver punch bowl and make up a yummy pineapple/ginger punch! There are a million recipes out there but I like the one with the frozen fruit ring and the ginger ale added on site.

        2. Zelda*

          A friend regularly brings homemade ginger ale. We all go wild over it, but he always shuffles his feet and disclaims all the praise on the grounds that it’s too easy to be worth mentioning.

          Peel & chop fresh ginger, simmer in a simple syrup (sugar & water). Cool and transfer to a bottle for transport. Offer next to a bottle or three of seltzer so people can mix their own, from gently perfumed to seriously biting. I haven’t done it myself, so I can’t tell you proportions, but searching ‘ginger syrup’ will get you some good resources.

    70. Yellow*

      Chocolate ripple cake.

      Take 1 packet chocolate ripple biscuits.
      Whip 1 bottle of thickened cream. Add vanilla and sugar to taste.

      Layer the biscuits on their side coating them in cream as you go (cream between each biscuit and around edges). Take to work. store in fridge.

      Takes a few hours but the cream soaks into the biscuits giving you a soft cream covered “cake”. If it’sa morning event prepare the night before.

    71. MsSolo UK*

      Jewelled rice (or couscous) salad. Diced red onions, pomegranate seeds, cardamon pods, mint leaves, anything else you fancy (orange. Cook the rice in stock with some saffron to colour it yellow, then stir in the other ingredients once its cool.

      3. Mac*

        Yum, yes! I have a couscous recipe I love that is similar to this, only I also put in diced dried apricots and dates, plus about one orange worth of fresh squeezed juice.

    73. GammaGirl1908*

      I have won multiple cooking contests with butterscotch haystacks. Once, someone tried to dispute because these don’t actually require you to cook, but I won anyway.

      *2 bags butterscotch chips
      *1 can cocktail peanuts (the salty, greasy ones)
      *1 can or small bag chow mein noodles

      Melt the chips in the microwave. Dump in remaining ingredients and stir. Scoop by spoonfuls onto wax paper / parchment paper/ baking sheets / anything. Let set (sometimes I pop them in the freezer for 15 mins, but not required). Serve. Win.

      Notes: some recipes call for peanut butter, pretzels, jelly beans, corn flakes, potato sticks, marshmallows, or chopping the peanuts. Skip all of those things.

    74. Fearls*

      Charcuterie is the big trend now, and there’s no cooking involved. It’s all about prep and presentation. So if you have a nice cutting board or platter, you can whip something quickly. Make sure to include gluten free crackers for the GF crowd and also add in mustards, jellies, chocolates, and dried fruit that complement cured meats and cheeses. You can do can prep at home and then setup the board when you get to your office.

      Dips are also great. Everyone loves spinach dip – I prefer mine chilled with sliced baguette. Or a baked crab and artichoke dip with tortillas.

      And lastly, everyone loves meatballs! Around the holidays, I do storemade frozen turkey meatballs with a quick cranberry bbq sauce. Prep them the night before, pop them in the oven in the morning while you get ready for work, and then take them to work in an insulated carrying case with a heat pad. They’re fine cold too once they’ve been cooked.

      Your potluck contribution can be great without taking up all your spare time.

    75. Red Line Lifestyle*

      Peanut noodles are my go-to (if I know that no one has a peanut allergy). This is a dish I started making in college when I was too broke to afford ingredients to make actual Pad Thai, but it’s very much the basic, Americanized version of something. The measurements are approximate, because I always make this by taste. It should be peanut-y, spicy, tangy, and a little sweet.

      – 1 lb of pasta of your choice
      – 1/2 – 2/3 cup of smooth peanut butter
      – 1/2 tsp sesame oil (optional)
      – 1 tablespoon soy sauce
      – 1-2 tablespoons honey (to taste, use agave to make a vegan version)
      – 1-2 tablespoons sriracha sauce (to taste)
      – 2-3 teaspoons lime juice

      1. Cook 1 lb of pasta according to the instructions on the package. I use regular angel hair spaghetti.
      2. As the pasta is cooking, combine peanut butter, sesame oil, soy sauce, honey, sriracha, and lime juice. Whisk until smooth.
      3. Before draining the pasta, add 2-3 tablespoons of pasta water to the sauce and whisk until smooth.
      4. Drain the pasta then add to the sauce. Stir to combine, making sure the cooked noodles are coated with the sauce.
      5. Garnish with chopped nuts and thinly-sliced green onions. If you want to make it more substantive, add cooked, shredded chicken.

      You can eat it hot, but it’s really good cold (and it’s a really good meal on summer days when it’s too hot to actually cook).

      Also, my barometer for kitchen simplicity is skewed, so sorry if this is more elaborate than I think it is! These are all ingredients I usually have on hand, but I’m not sure if all of the ingredients are universally available in American grocery stores (I’ve mostly lived in and around big cities with a lot of grocery options).

      1. JESUS IS THE MAN!*

        FWIW, if it makes you feel better, I live in a very rural area in the US, and these ingredients are all on hand at my small-town grocery store. (With the possible exception of agave because this is cattle country and vegans tend to be few and far between.)

        I wept for joy when I saw sriracha on the shelf there. This part of the country is not known for its capsaicin tolerance. ;)

    76. Adora*

      Mini-sausages rolls

      Buy a puff pastry base (round one) and sausages (cocktail sausages or cut sausages in bits this size)
      Spread mustard all over it. Cut the put pastry like a pizza but smaller (between 16 and 24 slices total). Put the sausage bit on the larger end of a slice and roll it up like a croissant. Repeat. Put them in the oven for 25 minutes.

      Not in the US so maybe the ingredients are not as easily found/cheap. You can replace the mustard with other condiment and you can use vegetarian sausages. If you feel fancy you can paint the top of the rolls with yolk to get the golden but it takes more time and is only for cosmetic purposes.

    78. Rebecca*

      My go to for potluck dishes is usually Apple Crumble (Delia Smiths recipe is my fave). It’s super easy to make and you can easily make it vegan by swapping the butter for dairy free margarine!

    79. Plantfan*

      My go-to potluck recipe right now is a farro salad. Cook farro according to package directions, let cool, dress with good olive oil, vinegar, salt and pepper, and add veggies of choice. A recent hit used cubed feta cheese, diced tomatoes, artichoke hearts and parsley. I’m planning to do this again for an upcoming potluck, and maybe add a can of drained chickpeas. Leftover grilled or roasted veggies also work well. Make ahead, serve cold or room temperature, vegetarian friendly (but has gluten).

    80. londonedit*

      I’m not really familiar with potlucks but if I was asked to bring something to feed a crowd, I’d probably go with my lentil and artichoke salad. It’s just as many tins of green lentils as you need, drained and rinsed, finely chopped red onion, chopped artichoke hearts (the cheaper ones in tins rather than the marinated antipasti ones) and a dressing made from garlic olive oil, lemon juice, salt and pepper. If you have fresh flat-leaf parsley then chop that up and stir it through as well. Really easy to make as much or as little as you need, people love it, and it’s great to make in advance because it only gets better the longer the lentils have to soak up all the flavours. You can posh it up by sprinkling pomegranate seeds on the top, too.

      1. Mac*

        I’m curious where you are geographically that you have green lentils in tins. I’ve only ever seen lentils dry in bulk bins here in the Eastern part of the US. Do you have a brand you recommend that I could look up? I love lentils, but in the summer, I’m always a fan of stuff I don’t have to turn the oven on for.

        1. londonedit*

          So late replying to this, but I’m in the UK and cooked green lentils are available in tins in most supermarkets. I usually buy supermarket own-brand as they’re really cheap (around 60p a tin) but there’s an organic brand called Biona that might be available in the US.

    81. Anna*

      A popular and easy to make Dutch dessert is arretjescake. Basically biscuits, cocoa, sugar and butter, mixed and refrigerated. The original recipe is with raw eggs; I always substitute the eggs with a few spoonfuls of vla (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vla), to make it safe for pregnant people and others who don’t want to eat raw eggs. Apparently one can also use a banana instead, perhaps a better option outside the Netherlands where vla may be hard to find. Prep time is about 10 minutes once you know what you’re doing. It then has to sit in the refrigerator for at least three hours, so it needs to be made well ahead of time.

      One recipe: https://ohmydish.com/recipe/dutch-arretjescake. But there are many other versions, with more sugar, or less butter, or extra ingredients. You can experiment a bit if you want.

    82. FashionablyEvil*

      I make a green coleslaw—checks all the boxes (vegan, dairy free, etc.):
      1 small head green cabbage, thinly sliced
      1 bunch scallions, sliced
      1 bunch cilantro, chopped
      1 jalapeño or Serrano pepper, minced (ribs and seeds removed if you don’t want it too spicy.
      Toss all the greens together. Dress with a sprinkle of salt, juice of two limes, and about a teaspoon of olive oil. Taste and add more lime or salt if needed.

      Fresh, crunchy, great cold or at room temp, and keeps on the fridge for several days so easy to make ahead.

        1. FashionablyEvil*

          Nope, no carrots in this one! I suppose you could add them, but I love the contrast of all the shades of green in this version.

    84. Akcipitrokulo*

      Someone once brought awesome salad – cubes of feta cheese, pitted olives and melon. Just all mixed together.

    85. This is my first comment ever?!*

      Honestly, I’ve seen deviled eggs disappear at every potluck. They’re not fancy, they’re kind of old fashioned, and you definitely need to keep them refrigerated—but people love them.

      2. toolittletoolate*

        yes to this! you can make curried ones, traditional ones, Mexican spiced ones–lots of options. And they always go..

    86. Working Far From Home*

      We do a LOT of potlucks in my current position (special case where my community is made up pretty much just of my colleagues). My favorite simple thing is probably coleslaw. It also scales in terms of time and difficulty–if you are in the US, you can probably buy a cole slaw mix in a bag, or you can (like I have to) buy some cabbage, carrots, and onions and shred them finely. (You can do this in a food processor to make them very even and fine, or use a mandolin if you like it less uniform.) The dressing is also usually pretty easy, and can be made to your taste. Mix mayo, vinegar, and some seasonings of your choice. Super easy, and (at least at my work) very appreciated since no one thinks to bring veggies.

    87. Inkhorn*

      Savoury muffins – just mix everything up, spoon into paper cases, and bake. No crockery required for eating and if they have visible veg content you can claim they’re healthy. I made spinach, pumpkin & fetta ones for our last potluck before covid killed the tradition, and it was a good thing I’d made extra for myself.

    88. Red Reader the Adulting Fairy*

      The When Cherry Met Sally cake from AAM stories of old.

      One chocolate fudge cake mix (dry, not prepared), one large tin of cherry pie filling, and the number of eggs the cake mix calls for. Mix by hand (or you’ll mash all the cherries with a mixer, but it’s an easy mix) and bake per the instructions on the box. (I always do mine as a Bundt.) Frosting isn’t even necessary, but you can frost it or drizzle it with chocolate or caramel or top it with whipped cream or whatever.

      Also good with other combinations – white or lemon cake mix with strawberry filling are good, spice cake with apple filling is amazing. (My mom adds walnuts to that one for crunch, I topped it with a bit of apple cinnamon granola.) Blueberry pie filling tastes good (but looks terrible, especially in lemon cake, the whole thing was sickly green :-P ) and adds extra liquid so it takes three times as long to bake, and I suspect raspberry would probably do the same.

    89. Jolie*

      Get roll of store-bought puff pastry. Cut with a large cookie cutter in circles or any other desired shape.

      Top with brushed egg and mozzarella.

      Over the egg – mozzarella mix – top with small bits of anything you’d put on a pizza. (I particularly like: half a cherry tomato on the middle +bits of cubed chorizo + bits of onion +bits of bell pepper, or pancetta + pineapple.

      Bake on pizza tray or cookie tray until nicely crisp.

    90. Lady_Lessa*

      This is very easy, and fairly quick.

      Quick Lemon Cookies
      (About 3 dozen)

      1 2/3 cups sifted flour
      2/3 teaspoon baking powder
      pinch of salt
      2/3 cup softened shortening
      2/3 cup sugar
      1 (5 ½ oz.) package instant lemon pudding mix
      2 eggs, beaten

      Sift the flour with baking powder and salt. Cream shortening and sugar together well, then blend in the pudding mix. Beat eggs in well with a rotary beater, and blend in the flour mixture. Drop by heaping teaspoonful onto a greased cookie pan. Bake in a 375° F oven for about 10 minutes, or until cookies are golden. Don’t overbake. Cool on a wire rack.

      Notes from Lessa

       1/3 cup of butter may be substituted for shortening. I had to do that on an emergency basis and have now made it part of my standard procedure.
       Any flavor pudding may be used. I’ve used chocolate mint before.
       Lemon pudding doesn’t come in the large (5 ½ oz.) size, so I use two of the small packages.
       The extra pudding makes the dough a bit stiffer, so I use my hands for the final mixing and balling.
       I got this from “The Ladies Aid Cookbook” by Beatrice Vaughan

    91. Bad Crocheter*

      I’m always excited when somebody brings sausage balls, especially the ones made with hot sausage.

      My supervisor always took a chicken log to our Christmas pot-lucks, and it was the most popular dish every year. I got the recipe, and it has been my most-requested (demanded) dish. It has several ingredients, but it goes together quickly. Mix 8 oz. softened cream cheese, 1/4 c. mayonnaise or salad dressing (I use Hellman’s mayo), 2 T lemon juice, 1/4 tsp ground ginger, 1/8 tsp black pepper, 4 drops hot sauce (I use Tabasco), 2 c. cooked shredded chicken breast, 2 finely-chopped hard-cooked eggs, 1/4 finely sliced green onion, 1-2 c finely chopped celery, 1 pkg. slivered almonds (untoasted) for topping, crackers or bread rounds for serving (I like Triscuits because they’re sturdy enough for the log and, well, they’re Triscuits. But I also include Wheat Thins for people who don’t like Triscuits). Mix all ingredients except almonds and crackers. Place on plastic wrap, shape into a log (about 8×2 inches), and close plastic wrap around it. Refrigerate until firm (4 hours or overnight). Unwrap, cover with almonds, and serve with crackers.

      The original chicken log recipe offered other topping choices: chopped olives, chopped pimento, chopped green pepper, chopped green onion, etc. You can even “stripe” the log with different toppings and put a strip of green bell pepper between the strips for decoration.

      One year I used a new jar of ginger, and it was too strong for me. So now I either omit the ginger or use a jar that has been around long enough to lose some flavor).

    92. Jam Today*

      Pulled pork or chicken in a crockpot. Meat, liquid, sauce/seasonings, turn on, walk away. Done and dusted.

    93. HoldTheChili*

      Like many I once would have picked crockpot chili. But after an incident where it spilled All Over my carpool’s backseat, I’ve pivoted to homemade salsa with chips. It’s vegan and gluten-free friendly and requires no outlet!

    94. Ana Gram*

      Meatballs in a crockpot! Those are always finished off at work. Frozen meatballs, a simple glaze- can’t be easier.

    95. Betty*

      I often do a Greek bean salad— drain & rinse a can each of red and white kidney beans, finely dice a red onion, combine and toss with a dressing made from lemon juice, olive oil, salt, pepper, and oregano. Add crumbled feta and toss again when served.

    97. Accountress*

      So delicious, so hands-off. Broccoli Cheddar Mac & Cheese, I use shells, but any non-tube pasta works well.

      Directions:

      1. Add broccoli and 1 cup of the broth to the instant pot. Seal and set to high pressure for 1 minute, then manually release pressure. Remove broccoli with a slotted spoon and transfer to a bowl.
      3. Add remaining 3 cups of broth, pasta, butter, garlic powder, onion powder, salt, and pepper to instant pot. Seal and set to high pressure for required number of minutes. Once complete, manually release pressure. Stir in milk and cheddar cheese until creamy. Add broccoli back to pot and stir to combine.

      Ingredients (single batch)

      * 2 heads of broccoli
      * 32 oz. vegetable or chicken broth, divided
      * 16 oz. pasta of choice
      * 4 tbsp. butter
      * 1 tsp. garlic powder
      * 1 tsp. onion powder
      * ¾ cup milk
      * 3 cups shredded cheddar cheese

      How Long To Cook Pasta In Instant Pot

      * Your cooking time will vary slightly depending on what type of pasta you use. Check the package directions, find the lowest recommend cooking time, divide that in half and subtract 1. That will give you the length of time required to cook your pasta in the instant pot. For example if your pasta has a recommended cooking time of 10-12 minutes, your math will look like this:
      * 10 / 2 = 5
      * 5 – 1 = 4
      * Cooking Time = 4 minutes
      * If your pasta only lists an odd number for the cooking time, round down to the nearest even number. So if the cooking time is listed as 11 minutes, round down to 10 and then start your formula.

    98. Too tired*

      Drinks! I love when there’s a lemonade or apple cider there. It’s nice to have something other than water.

      1. Bad Crocheter*

        Oooh, I love refreshing drinks! Two of my favorites are cranberry punch and the tub of frozen green punch from Mayfield, mixed with ginger ale. I mixed it with Sprite one year, but ginger ale is much better.

      2. Cthulhu's Librarian*

        You can make some pretty good non-alcoholic punches, as well. Used to be The Thing my family did for school potlucks when I was growing up. Secret was usually selzter + sorbet + fresh fruits.

    99. NerdyKris*

      Baked macaroni and cheese can be simple and a lot of people never have it.
      Simple buffalo wings: get a package of “party wings” (the small ones that are already separated), rub them in flour, then an egg wash, then breadcrumbs, bake them, then just toss them with a store bought sauce. For the super popular ones at my college cafeteria they just melted 1/4 stick of butter into Franks Hot Sauce.
      Hummus is super simple if you have a food processor, and it really impresses people when you make your own.

    101. Slinky*

      People love desserts, whether complicated or easy. Sugar cookies are about as easy as they come and always go down well.

      On the savory side, a simple dip with crudite is always a popular choice. Hummus is super easy (just throw everything in a food processor). Another options is French onion dip (caramelize onions, hit the pan with beef or veggie stock, cook it down until almost no liquid is left, and stir it into sour cream. There are other options, too, that you basically just stir together.

    102. Potlucklover*

      I love doing crockpot meals like curry or chili. Especially when you coordinate with a work friend who provides the toppings/sides.
      Also if you are looking for sweet, rice krispie treats are a great gluten free (dairy free if you use margarine) dessert.

    103. Shiba Dad*

      I used to make a “queso” that was about as simple as you can get. i made it for work, family reunions and fantasy football drafts. It was well received at all of those.

      It involved buying your favorite brand of salsa from the store and Velveeta*. I think that the ratio was half a block of Velveeta for every jar of salsa. I haven’t made this in a long time.

      I would put the salsa in a crock pot and then add cubed Velveeta. Heat on low, stirring occasionally, until the Velveeta is melted. Sometimes I added things like jalapenos and diced tomatoes.

      *Sometimes I used actual cheese.

      1. Zombeyonce*

        A package of Velveeta and a jar of Rotel, melt it together and serve with tortilla chips. Always a hit!

    104. Gresham*

      Keep in mind that many people would prefer store-purchased items rather than take a chance on co-workers’ home hygiene.

      A selection of cheeses, crackers and relishes like olives and pickles, is a helpful addition to most tables.

      A cooked ham such as Honeybaked also would be popular.

    105. Falling Diphthong*

      1) Garlic bread
      2) Anything that can sit in a crockpot, such as meatballs in tomato sauce or chili
      3) Shrimp salad: 1 lb cooked shrimp, 2-ish avocados, 1 bunch cilantro (or dill), lime juice to prevent browning, bit of salt
      4) Smitten Kitchen’s endives with oranges–looks pretty, hangs out at room temp, offers a vegetable-containing option

    106. Katherine*

      I have a taco dip that’s a smash hit at events like this!

      1 16 oz. can of Salsa
      1 16 oz. container of sour cream
      1 packet of two seasoning

      Stir to combine

      That’s it! Bring chips and enjoy

    107. Alton Brown's Evil Twin*

      Really good potato salad:
      Baby potatoes, steamed. Make a German-style mustard dressing (dijon mustard, oil, vinegar, salt, pinch of sugar) and pour over the potatoes while they are hot so it soaks in. Refrigerate overnight but let warm up for an hour before serving. Top with chopped green onions.

    108. IndustriousLabRat*

      This is totally cheating, but… Fiesta Corn Bread (or muffins, or sticks). You COULD make it from scratch but on a Thursday night when you remembered at 7pm there’s a work potluck tomorrow…

      Per box of Jiffy corn muffin mix (or honestly whatever you have laying around, even the honey cornbread mixes work well for this), add:
      1 – 2 finely diced ripe red Jalapeno or Fresno chiles
      1 finely diced green Jalapeno
      1/2c finely shredded cheese; sharp Cheddar, Jack, Colby, or any combination of these is ideal.
      Mix the add ins with the dry mix and just follow the directions on the box as if they aren’t there.
      Watch the toothpick test as the predicted cooking time nears. And feel free to sprinkle more cheese on top about 8-9 minutes before they come out of the oven. Too soon, it will burn. Too late, it will end up with a sorta greasy appearance as it un-melts lol. It should be just starting to stiffen and turn golden.

      Bonus points: If you are lucky enough that someone else made Buffalo chicken dip, … well, you are LUCKY.

      1. JESUS IS THE MAN!*

        I want this in my face, right now.

        I’d just add that if you use the regular Jiffy mix, maybe flag that it’s not vegetarian? The classic version has lard.

        1. IndustriousLabRat*

          I did not know that! Never checked the package because I’ve been in such a hurry to get cheesy cornbread into my face ASAP. Good call!

    109. Katie*

      My go to is sausage balls. A pound of sausage 16 oz of cheese, two cups Bisquick. I make it in the stand mixer so it’s super easy. It’s always gone by the end of the event.

    110. Forgot My Name Again*

      Sausage rolls with ready-made puff pastry are very easy.

      Pigs in blankets – cocktail/mini sausages wrapped in a slice of bacon and roasted.

      Couscous takes seconds to make – add spice and roasted veggies, or nuts and raisins, or get creative!

      World’s easiest pasta salad – cooked pasta, pesto sauce, top with cheese. Add cherry tomatoes, pinenuts, chicken or whatever else you fancy to jazz it up.

      [Is it obvious I’m not a cook? XD ]

      1. Shiba Dad*

        Pigs in blankets – cocktail/mini sausages wrapped in a slice of bacon and roasted.

        I feel obligated to mention that in my part of the US, stuffed cabbage is called pigs in blankets (or pigs in a blanket).

        2. Forgot My Name Again*

          I think I’ve assumed those were variations on dolmades. UK pigs in blankets are very much only sausage wrapped in bacon – anything else would ruin Christmas ;)

          1. si*

            Hell yes, if I was expecting pigs in blankets and it turned out to involve cabbage I think I might cry. (No shade intended, I love cabbage, but pigs in blankets is a Very Specific Term where I am from.)

        3. londonedit*

          Yep, in the UK pigs in blankets are small chipolata sausages wrapped in bacon and cooked in the oven; I think an American pig in blanket would be something more like we’d term a sausage roll (which is sausages/sausagemeat wrapped in puff pastry to form a log which is then cut into pieces – you can either have small bite-size ones or longer ones – and baked in the oven).

        4. IndustriousLabRat*

          Where I live (Western Mass), meat-stuffed cabbage is most frequently associated with Polish golabki, and pigs in blankets are those mini cocktail weiners wrapped in the sort of biscuit dough that comes in cardboard tubes :) Never knew of a regional cabbage-wrapped variation! Now I’m intrigued and I need to try this. I’ll bet it’s great.

    111. Forgot My Name Again*

      Sausage rolls with ready-made puff pastry are very easy.

      Pigs in blankets – cocktail/mini sausages wrapped in a slice of bacon and roasted.

      Couscous takes seconds to make – add spice and roasted veggies, or nuts and raisins, or get creative!

      World’s easiest pasta salad – cooked pasta, pesto sauce, top with cheese. Add cherry tomatoes, pinenuts, chicken or whatever else you fancy to jazz it up.

      [Is it obvious I’m not a cook? XD ]

    112. Archangelsgirl (FKA)*

      Veggie pizza (cold)

      Take 2 cans of crescent rolls. Roll them out flat on a jelly roll pan. Bake and cool (cheat: use pre-made flat bread or naan)

      When cool spread topping:

      Mix one tub of spreadable cream cheese (I use herb and garlic) with one tub mayo (like fill the tub you just took the cream cheese out if with the same amount of mayo). Spread on crust.
      Top with veggies of your choice. I use half a bag broccoli slaw, heirloom baby tomatoes, sweet yellow peppers and a few cut up pickles. Sometimes fresh dill. Many people use cucumbers. Sprinkle your fave flavorful cheese on top. Chill and cut into slices along the crescent roll triangle lines for interesting shapes and transport in Tupperware.

      People RAVE about thus and its vegetarian and no heating. I load the veg on it. I’m also lactose free so use LF cream cheese and cheese.

    113. NovaAnon*

      In line with the guac recommendations, homemade salsa’s real easy to make and transport, too, especially if you have an immersion blender.

      All you really need is a few cans of tomatoes, garlic, onions, some chipotles in adobo, cilantro, lime juice, and salt.

    114. I Wore Pants Today*

      Wildly popular and super easy … Tortilla soup. There’s thousands of recipes online for this, so choose a favorite. I like it because it’s mostly canned/packaged/frozen. Take the ingredients and crockpot to work, assemble there, turn it on and wait for lunch.

    115. ecnaseener*

      For an easy side, roasted Brussels sprouts. A touch of maple syrup is optional but highly recommended. (I like to put bacon bits in mine but that’s probably a no-go for potlucks.)

    116. Avarice*

      I have been on the keto diet for over a year, and have friends who are diabetics (the diabetic diet is similar to the keto diet: zeto sugar and very few carbs), and find that most pot lucks in any venue fail to have anything dianetic and keto friendly. So, I usually try to make/bring something that “the forgotten” can eat. My usual standby are Egg Cups.

      Grease a muffin pan. Whip up eggs in a bowl (I prefer to separate the yolks snd white to partially meringue the whites first, then fold the yolks in – I also like to add some heavy whipping cream…I like fluffy eggs). Pour the egg mixture into the muffin pan. Cut up a bell pepper, put one or two pepper squares into each cup. Cut up an onion, same as above. Add one leaf (chopped) into each cup. Crumble some bacon into each cup. Bake until the eggs are fully cooked. Sprinkle cheese on top, throw back into the oven to melt, then put the pan on top of the stove to cool. With a spoon, remove each egg cup and place on a platter.

    117. Jennifer*

      If it will be indoors and you have access to a crockpot and outlet:

      1 bag of frozen meatballs
      1 jar of Heinz Chili Sauce
      1 jar of grape jelly same size as the Chili Sauce

      Throw it all together a few hours before the event (low if it’s more than few hours in advance, high if its 2 hours) and periodically stir to make sure the jelly and chili sauce mix together. I usually actually make the sauce the night before on a stove top and store in the fridge overnight before adding to the meatballs, but it’s not required.

    118. I'm just here for the cats*

      My go to pot lick recipe is my layered taco dip. Mix a block of cream cheese, 8oz tub of sour cream, and 2-4 tablespoons of salsa until creamy. (Use a mixer for ease) Spread in 8×8 cake pan (or use the tinfoil kind with a lid for easy cleanup). Refrigerate for 30 minutes. Prepare whatever veggies you’d like. I use shredded lettuce, bell peppers, red onions, tomato. You could also put in olives or maybe even corn. I wouldn’t do refried beans as the texture would be too off.
      Drizzle a bit more salsa on top of the cream cheese mixture if desired. Layer veggies starting with lettuce. Top with shredded cheese. I usually use a taco blend but anything would work. When I’m not making it vegetarian I add a bit of cooked crispy crumbled bacon on top. It adds a bit of salty on it. Serve with tortillas chips.

    119. Picard*

      In the summertime, tomato and mozzarella salad (grape tomotoes and mini mozz balls if you want to do almost nothing). If you want to get slightly more fancy, cut grape tomoto in half. Put one half on small skewer, then mini mozz ball, than other half and finish with basil leaf. Finish (either skewers or slad) with extra virgin olive oil and good quality vinegar glaze. Thats my go to summer potluck. For winter I do a lentil crock pot – lentils, chicken stock (although you can keep it vegan but using veg stock), mustard, mushrooms, spinach/kale. Swiss cheese for topper (or vegan equivalent)

    120. Purple Cat*

      Homemade mac and cheese, isn’t necessarily the *simplest* but is a HUGE hit.
      But for really simple – Tortellini with pesto and gorgonzola.
      Chicken Drumsticks – marinated in any jar of marinade you’d prefer, then baked.

    121. Nonny Mouse*

      Buy a watermelon, split it in half, cut the inside hatchways and scoop out the chunks into a big bowl. Always popular.

    122. Taylor*

      Something my mom always makes (I’m a vegetarian now but I used to love it too) are kielbasa and sweet pickle toothpicks. You just slice up some kielbasa and spear it on individual toothpicks with a slice of sweet pickle (bread and butter pickles). For a vegetarian option, I’d do a salty cheese. Something like queso fresco would be good I think :)

    123. BRR*

      I’ve had good luck with a black bean salad. It’s vegan and gluten free, is served cold, and tastes better after sitting for a day.

    124. R*

      The recipes are scaled for 50, so you may want to halve or quarter them, but I often cook stuff from the “Vermont New School Cuisine” cookbook – free download online, you can google. Lots of veggie-centric items that hold well and don’t have expensive ingredients. The section on salads and slaws in particular is really good for potlucks – simple, tasty, colorful, and visually appealing!

      I also sometimes make baking soda biscuits (especially if someone else is bringing a ham!), or pesto. For pesto, I usually make big batches and freeze in the summer, so it’s just defrosting it into some cooked pasta and adding parmesan cheese. If I’m feeling fancy I’ll add cherry tomatoes and/or mozzarella cubes or balls.

    125. She of Many Hats*

      A pan of brownies customized with flavored chips or candies or marshmallows is quick and popular. Take a bag of lettuce greens and dress up with seasoned pepitos, tomato and red onion slices and a “fancy” dressing on the side. These can use semi-prepared ingredients to save time and effort but look fancy when served.

    126. Meghan*

      I’m big fan of Smitten Kitchens Salted Brown Butter Rice Crispys. They’re like adult rice crispys. You make it in a similar manner to regular ones, but brown the butter and add coarse sea salt to the cereal.

    127. Jean*

      Buffalo chicken dip is always a hit at potlucks. It’s hot/homemade, but not labor intensive. There are tons of recipes online, and it’s easy to sub out ingredients to make it vegetarian/vegan friendly too.

    128. Pucci*

      Insanely easy vegan chili – The three different kinds of beans make this very attractive

      1 onion, diced
      1 15 oz can black beans
      1 15 oz can kidney beans
      1 15 oz white beans
      1 28 oz can diced tomatoes
      1 packet of chili spice mix

      Sauté the onion until soft, add the rest of the ingredients and water to cover. Cook for 15-30 minutes.

    129. Cthulhu's Librarian*

      If it’s an after hours event where it won’t go amiss, you can do whiskey bread pudding in a slow cooker.

      You can also do an apple or rhubarb crisp in a crockpot, which I’ve had very good luck with.

      Chili can be a good entree.

    130. DANGER: Gumption Ahead*

      I like these salads because they store well over hours/days and are as good room temp as cold. I’ll add recipes in a reply

      Shepherd salad: Common basically from the Balkans to Afghanistan. Tomato, onion, cucumber, green pepper (can be bell or as spicy as you like – lots of variations), olive oil, lemon juice, salt, dill, flat leaf parsley. Use whatever proportions you like. I prefer even tomato=pepper=onion=parsley distribution. Chop everything. Add salt and lemon to level you like. Can be used as a salad or dip a bit like pico de gallo

      Tabobouleh: parsley, tomatoes, green onion, fine bulgur (#1 should look like couscous), fresh lemon juice, extra virgin olive oil. Mix the lemon juice and oil. Add bulgur wheat to dressing and let it soften while you chop everything else. I like a 3:1 ratio parsley:everything else, but you can adjust the ratios to what you prefer.

    132. toolittletoolate*

      a little pricey but if you can afford it–a fruit salad–when I make one, there are never any leftovers!
      pasta and store bought pesto with a little cheese
      macaroni and cheese
      a tomato and cucumber salad–you can make a couple of days in advance
      green bean casserole
      sausage and cheese roll ups–get some crescent rolls, brown up a little sausage, put a little cheese in the sausage and roll it up in a crescent roll and bake.

    133. Academic Fibro Warrior*

      One dish I’ve done for potlucks and for friends who needed food brought (illness, babies), is adapt the veggie side dishes out of my trusty Betty crocker cookbook. My favorite is basically whatever veggies you have on hand baked at 350 in a mix of olive oil and either red wine or balsamic vinegar (both are good but sometimes red wine vinegar is more popular because it’s sweet) with parsley, thyme, oregano and sage (or just rosemary). I get various root veggies (potatoes, carrots, turnip and rutabaga root), beans, celery, and dice tomatoes to sprinkle over in the last 20 minutes. I even get the foil baking dishes at the store so I don’t have to worry about getting a dish back later.

      It’s vegetarian, gluten, dairy, nut, and IBS friendly (depending on the veggies). It’s really flavorful so the meat preferring people even will eat it. The hardest/longest part is prepping the veggies, so the rutabaga root might not be preferred for a potluck, but most things can even be bought pre chopped. Just throw it all in together and let it cook. For me it’s a year round dish and it’s always different and well received (my stepmother will call and ask me to specifically make this for holiday potlucks for X people to avoid green bean casserole and not worry about veggies).

      Plus it’s fairly friendly, or was, to university level administration salaries (none of us got paid well, though it wasn’t far below market rate for the area).

    134. Liminally Maple*

      Roasted vegetables. I’ve used carrot, parsnip, sweet potatoes, white potatoes, butternut squash, brussel sprouts, broccoli, etc in different combinations, depending on what’s on sale. Cube it up, toss with olive oil, salt, pepper and rosemary and roast in a hot oven until crispy on the outside and cooked through. It can be served at room temperature, and is compatible with pretty much all diets.

    135. Engineering Manager*

      The sun-dried tomato basil pasta salad recipe from the Pioneer woman is always a hit and super simple to make. The only things “to do” aside from mix in a bowl is boil the pasta and throw dressing ingredients into a food processor. Bonus that both the pasta and dressing can be made ahead and dried in the fridge, just mix everything together day of.

    136. CheesePlease*

      seconding everyone who says fruit or fresh veggies – often everything at potlucks is something that is carbs + cheese and while that is delicious it is 1) not always allergen-friendly (gluten, lactose and soy are all big allergens) and 2) not always comfy for my tummy to digest a carby greaseball all afternoon

      to make it interesting, you can make a tomato + basil + garlic salad and serve it with some crostini (toasted crackers) or fruit skewers

      1. That's Not How You Spell That*

        This is why I bring fruit salad too. You can use whatever fruit is on sale or that you have (berries, mandarin oranges from a can, mangos, pineapple, apples, etc.) I just do fruit, nothing else, and I get compliments on it. If apples, the acidity from something citrus takes care of apples or you can sprinkle w lemon juice. You can add chopped bananas before you serve, if you want

    137. Yep, me again*

      I’ve done Italian Nachos a few times. It seemed to be a hit.
      A bottle of Spaghetti sauce (I like Ragu, you do you)
      1 package of shredded Mozzerella
      1 package of Parmesan Cheese
      1 pound of ground beef.

      fry up beef and add the sauce. Put it in an oven safe dish and bake it off the night before with some of the cheese on it (if you want to ‘test’ it out before then) and then the next day, dump the rest of the cheeses on top of the dish and nuke in the microwave. Put out serving spoons and small bowls to portion out their own servings if you like (but I’ve never had an issue with people double dipping with this dish) Serve with Stacy’s Parmesan and Garlic chips or plain chips.

      Anything left over you can take home and have pasta the rest of the week!

    138. P. Opus*

      This will do for a smaller office, but would get expensive/labour intensive if the office is more than 16.
      Take a honey do melon and cut hot in 1/8th. cut the skin off the back of the pieces and starting at the sharp corner (you’ll know it when you see it) cut slices into the melon wedge without cutting through. Turn it over and fan it on out on the plate.
      Top with a raspberries puree – put fresh raspberries in a blender/food processor and add sugar to taste (if you use frozen raspberries you will need to add some water, and extra sugar).
      It sound like a lot of work, but it really isn’t.

    139. Charlotte Lucas*

      I love to cook & bake, but I also sometimes want/need simple recipes. Here are some ideas:

      – Wacky cake – An entire chocolate cake mixed & baked in a pan. And it is egg & dairy-free. Also, very chocolatey. It was common during WWII, & there are online recipes.
      – Caprese skewers – Small mozzarella balls, basil leaves, & cherry or grape tomatoes layered on skewers/large toothpicks. If you can find heirloom tomatoes, even better! Serve with a simple vinaigrette or just olive oil with a little balsamic vinegar.
      – Hummus can be easy, too.
      – Brownies & muffins are always crowd pleasers. I add a teaspoon of cinnamon to brownies, & it is always a hit. (Works with most basic brownie recipes.) And you can turn most muffin recipes into an easy coffee cake by baking them in an 8×8 or 9×9 inch pan.

      1. Robin Ellacott*

        Caprese skewers are always popular here too. An ex colleague always brought them. I don’t miss the colleague, but I miss the skewers.

    140. Ms. Hagrid Frizzle*

      Honestly, brownies are usually a big hit at potlucks and super easy – and cheap. When I was in grad school I used to buy a family-size boxed brownie mix (or 2 normal size, depended on sales) and a foil 13×9 pan. If you add 1.5 teaspoons vanilla extract and about 2 cups of any flavor baking chips (dark chocolate, white chocolate, even butterscotch) and then bake according to directions it helps spruce it up and no one has to know you started with a boxed mix!

      1. Ms. Hagrid Frizzle*

        Alternatively, if you have vegans in your office, this cake recipe is a family favorite and SUPER easy:
        1 cup sugar
        1/3 cup cocoa
        1 1/2 cups flour
        1 teaspoon baking soda
        1/2 cup canola oil
        2 tablespoons white vinegar
        1 cup cold water
        —
        Combine sugar, cocoa, flour, baking soda in large mixing bowl. Add oil and cold water, stir with a fork to blend thoroughly. Quicklyu stir in vinegar. Pour into 8×8 inch baking dish sprayed with nonstick spray. Gently drop on counter to eliminate bubbles. Bake at 375F (350F in a glass pan) for 25 to 30 minutes or until cake tests done.

        I’ve never tried it with gluten-free flour, but I don’t see why it wouldn’t work for people who cannot have gluten (assuming you ensure the other items are safe). Best part – no frosting needed! It’s super rich and moist.

        1. Zelda*

          Worth noting here for those who may not know: many vegans decline to eat standard white & brown sugars because of how they’re processed. I keep palm sugar around for such occasions, but there are other options as well.

          I agree that the baking-soda leavening is likely to work well with gluten-free flours; the setup here looks pretty similar to the quickbreads (which let’s face it are really cakes) that I routinely do with garbanzo bean flour or Bob’s Red Mill GF mix.

    141. bishbah*

      My all-time best easy potluck dish is one that I found on Allrecipes. Go there and search for “Black Bean and Couscous Salad.” I use thawed frozen corn instead of fresh if the latter is not in season or if I want a shortcut. A lot of commenters recommend doubling the cumin dressing—you can decide to make extra, reserve it, and then add more to taste at the end. Sub vegetable broth or water to make it vegan.

      This makes a BIG bowl of hearty salad, can be made ahead, and is good both cold and at room temperature. It’s also colorful and healthy.

    142. ASneakierMailman*

      In the summer, this watermelon mojito salad is reasonably simple but enough of a twist on just bringing a cut watermelon that it really grabs attention. I bring it to everything: https://www.stephgaudreau.com/watermelon-mojito-salad/

      In the wintertime, I’ve done well with homemade soups in a crock pot. Cream of tomato went over well at our year-end buffet.

    143. Underwhelmed*

      Seasonal fresh fruit cut into bite-sized chunks is a refreshing option on tables of calorie-rich goodies.

    145. Not a vegetarian*

      Something I’ve made for YEARS – even before I cut most carbs from my diet – is pickled asparagus spears wrapped in ham with cream cheese. Costco has large jars of pickled asparagus where I live, for far less than the small jars meant for garnishing bloody Mary drinks. Take a thin piece of ham (I like Black Forest style) roughly the size of your hand or smaller, smear a little softened cream cheese on it (jalapeno cream cheese is awesome), then wrap it around the asparagus spear. It’s helpful to drain the spears on paper towels first. People beg me to bring these to every family or work event, and even the carbaholics don’t notice they are low carb. You won’t please the vegetarians, but… ;)

      1. Run mad; don't faint*

        I’ve had a version where they subbed green onion for the asparagus. It was yummy too!

    146. Johanna Cabal*

      My old standby? A BLT pasta salad.

      Cook either shell or rotini pasta, then cool. Slice up turkey bacon*, tomato (I use grape tomatoes because it’s easier), and pepper. Once the pasta is cooled after some time in the fridge, I add the bacon, tomato, and pepper. Then I stir in mayo (sometimes I use chipotle ranch dressing if I know that the people at the potluck like spicy) and add some salt and pepper.

      *I could use regular bacon but I know that a lot of people don’t eat pork so I stick to turkey.

    147. SushiRoll*

      I have made a dish referred to as “cowboy caviar” a few times and it’s really good. It just requires a good amount of chopping but otherwise it’s super simple to make.

      There’s some slight variations out there but it’s basically a fresh salsa-like dish with diced roma tomato, avocado (i sometimes leave these out, even though i love them, but because ripeness issues), red onion, bell pepper, jalapeno, cilantro and then you add cans of black beans, black eye peas, and sweet corn. You can kind of do the amounts to preference somewhat. There is a dressing of olive oil, lime juice, red wine vinegar, sugar, salt, pepper, garlic powder. Serve cold. Best served with some tortilla chips, or just eat it!

    148. Honoria Glossop*

      Brownies from the Ghiradelli box mix (I think I usually go for the triple chocolate). I like to bake but have yet to find a from-scratch recipe that tops this (and I’ve tried many!). Sprinkle just a little coarse sea salt on top before baking if you want to be fancy. Always a bit hit at parties!

    149. Emm*

      Fruit salad! It requires a little chopping, but then you just throw everything in a bowl. I like to add canned mandarin oranges to give the salad a little juice to marinate in. And bar certain allergies, it’s usually something everyone can enjoy.

    150. EmKay*

      I make brownies from a box and jazz up the recipe by adding pecans, mini marshmallows and chocolate chips. I call them Rocky Road brownies, and they’re always a big hit :)

    151. Jessica Fletcher*

      Everyone seems to love buffalo chicken dip with various dippers (pretzels, naan, whatever).

      Someone at a former job used to make “cream cheese veggie pizza” which was a cold rectangular pizza crust with a thin layer of cream cheese and veggies on top. Everyone liked it! I googled and it looks like Pillsbury has a recipe to make it with their crescent roll dough, so maybe it was that and not a true pizza crust.

    152. IT But I Can't Fix Your Printer*

      Baked brie bites with puff pastry or crescent dough. Pre-made dough + one fancy ingredient + whatever flavors you want (a jar of any kind of jam works great), and they’re popular because people love to be able to grab one small thing. Ideas here: https://cafedelites.com/baked-brie-bites/

    153. nanscatsmama*

      Pasta Salad- Rotini pasta, cubed pepperoni, salami and provolone cheese, diced celery and bell peppers, chopped green olives. Oil and Vinegar based salad dressing of choice. I use a prepackaged pasta salad mix that comes with pasta and packets to make the dressing. Always a hit at office potlucks. Only drawback is it that the meat and cheese make it an expensive dish to make.

    154. Esmeralda*

      Keep it cold/room temp and use components you do not have to cook.

      I had this at my wedding (a friend and I made a lot of the food)
      Black-eyed pea and corn salad. Cooked b-e peas (rinse well), cooked corn (rinse well) — if you can get really fresh sweet corn use that instead (raw), small diced red bell pepper or other sweet pepper, small diced orange bell pepper, small diced red/purple onion, thinly sliced celery, honey vinaigrette (used red wine vinegar)

      Turkey black bean salad. Cooked turkey breast or smoked turkey breast, cut into smallish cubes. Black beans (rinse well). small diced bell pepper (different colors) and/or roasted red pepper, small diced purple onion or chopped green onion (use the green and the white), diced tomato if you want. Make a vinaigrette with white wine vinegar and lime (half/half), garlic, cumin.

      Cold soup (serve in small paper/plastic cups): don’t have the recipe off the top of my head, but you can find lots online for cold zucchini soup or cold cucumber soup (we had cucumber soup at the wedding). I like the zuke soup with curry seasonings.

      Other things I bring that are always a big hit:
      Green salad w half romaine, half bitter greens (mix of arugula, radicchio, belgian endive, or just buy a mix — clean those well and pick thru them, even if they say pre-washed), pink or red grapefruit supremes, very thinly sliced red radish, make a vinaigrette w white wine vinegar and reserved juices from the grapefruit and dijon or dry mustard, just before serving, toss w grated parm or romano.

      Middle Eastern style salad/fattoush: tomatoes, cukes, onion, garlic, capers, roasted red peppers, olives, feta, assertive vinaigrette with red wine vinegar, big croutons or broken up pita chips, any fresh green herbs — a mix is great (basil, parsley and dill – use a lot of these; oregano, thyme, mint – don’t go quite as wild with these)

      Lentils or chickpeas or white beans: cooked bean, vinaigrette, tomato, onion, feta

      Mid-summer: a big platter of caprese. Sliced (fat slices) tomatoes — if you can get a variety of heirlooms along with the big boys it looks beautiful and then sprinkle with coarse salt, sliced fresh mozzarella, fresh basil, drizzle with olive oil and vinegar or drizzle with a vinaigrette (I use a mix of red wine and balsamic vinegar — if you can get a fig balsamic it’s killer), some coarse black pepper or mixed peppercorns.

      Salad with watermelon, tomatoes, feta, fresh mint (or basil) vinaigrette.

    155. Elspeth McGillicuddy*

      The simplest pot luck recipe I know is bean dip.

      Mix one can of refried beans and one softened block of cream cheese. Add cumin, salt and chili powder until it tastes good. Spread in a shallow dish and top generously with shredded cheddar or other cheese. Nuke it till the cheese melts when you are ready to serve. Bring tortilla chips.

    156. Nea*

      There’s a pot luck dish that’s so popular that we asked the person who made it to bring it every month.
      – Corn kernels
      – halved cherry tomatoes
      – diced avacado
      – squeeze of lemon juice
      – crumbles of either blue cheese or feta

      Mashed potatoes are very easy and very popular.

      The first time I stuffed mini sweet peppers with hummus everyone ate them up but nobody’s touched them since, so mileage is highly variable.

      A big bowl of oranges, tangerines, or clementines already in sections. If you make them as easy to eat as potato chips people often will, where they’d avoid picking up the whole fruit.

    157. DreddPirate*

      I have two go-to’s when it comes to low-effort potluck dishes:

      Oaxacan dessert tortillas:
      (I usually make two batches – one with cayenne and one without)
      Toss the following into a food processor, then pulse until the mix is grainy
      *cold* chocolate chips, cinnamon, and cayenne pepper.
      Brush several flour tortillas with butter, then sprinkle with the topping.
      Bake at 350 for 20 min. until crisp, then break into ‘chip-sized’ pieces.

      Sparlic dip:
      Toss the following into a food processor or blender. Pulse until smooth.
      2 bunches of parsley, stems removed.
      1 small head of garlic, or 6-8 cloves if you’re using pre-peeled garlic.
      Juice and zest of half a lemon.
      2 tbsp good quality olive oil.
      1/2 tsp of salt, or to taste.
      Optional – I also usually add some diced red bell pepper for color.

    158. Corky's Wife Bonnie*

      I’ve made boneless skinless chicken breasts seasoned with taco seasoning the crock pot with salsa say the day before, then just put in on warm the day I brought it in. I brought in a pack of tortillas and people ate it up, no leftovers and super simple!

    159. DrSalty*

      Fresh fruit salad is always great – melon, berries, apples, etc with some lemon juice drizzled on it to keep the apples from browning. Chopped veggies and dip is also a great, easy thing. I find no one wants to bring healthy food to a potluck, but most people do want to eat SOME fruits and vegetables with their meal. Simple homemade salsa and a bag of chips would also be good. Mac and cheese is a big hit usually, probably a bit more work.

    160. dedicated1776*

      Summertime potluck dessert suggestion: homemade lemon bars. No one else makes them and they are AMAZING when you make them from scratch with real lemon juice. You can make them the night before pretty easily. Just hold off on dusting with powdered sugar until you’re closer to serving time for a better presentation.

      If you want to make a savory something, definitely get a crock pot (if your office allows them). You can use them for dips, pasta dishes, pulled pork/chicken, dessert…a million things. Get one with a locking lid to make it more travel-friendly.

      If a crock pot is a no-go, how about some Hawaiian roll sandwiches? Get the minis, cut the tops off in one big swoop, and put various fillings on there. Turkey, ham, veggie…lots of options. (Layer condiments and watery veg between meat/cheese to keep the bread from getting soggy.)

    161. Vermont Green*

      Broccoli, steamed till tender, with (not too much) sour cream and garlic, light spices such as nutmeg if you like them. Other veggies work, too.

    162. potluck slam dunk*

      Here’s what I make and people go WILD for it. It’s always requested! It’s a Buffalo Dip.

      – 8 ounces cream cheese (1 brick)
      – 8 ounces cheddar cheese (1 of the store bought preshredded bags)
      – 5 ounces blue cheese crumbles (1 of the store tubs)
      – 1/2 bottle franks wing sauce (or more to taste)
      – (optional) Shredded chicken or a drained can of chicken (I omit this for ease, cost, and to make it vegetarian friendly)

      Mix it up. Cook it on 350 until it’s all melty and gooey. Serve it with a bag of chips or a cut up baguette.

    163. ScaryPickles*

      I always bring either tomato salad (tomato, mozzerella, basil, salt and pepper and maybe balsamic) or watermellon salad (watermellon, either basil or mint depending what is at the grocery store or in my garden, some finely chopped jallapeno, and blueberrys or blackberrys if on sale).

      I find that at the potlucks I go to there is very rarely anything healthy-ish, and while I love mac and cheese I personally can’t do anything heavy for lunch in the middle of the work day and still be productive in the afternoon.

    165. C Major*

      Coleslaw. Just buy a bottle of dressing and a bag of slaw mix. Mix it all together and refrigerate overnight. My workmates love it and it takes no time at all. It is one of the first dishes to empty at our potlucks.

    166. Molly*

      A big bowl of the smallest grape tomatoes you can find mixed with an equal volumes of small mozzarella balls (I prefer ciliegine). Put a bottle of balsamic glaze and a small bowl of basil leaves cut into thin strips on the side.
      No cooking and only the basil leaves require any prep.

    167. WantonSeedStitch*

      One of my favorites potluck contributions in general is something I like because it’s quick, easy, uses mostly ingredients that you can easily keep in stock in your pantry for emergencies, and it also just happens to be vegan, gluten-free, soy-free, and nut-free. It’s also very tasty, and even pretty nutritious! It’s from my favorite food blogger, J. Kenji Lopez-Alt of Serious Eats.

      Warm Spanish-Style Giant-Bean Salad With Smoked Paprika and Celery

      Ingredients:
      6 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, divided
      2 tablespoons tomato paste
      1 medium clove garlic, minced (about 1 teaspoon)
      1 medium shallot, minced (about 1/4 cup)
      1/2 teaspoon mild smoked paprika
      2 stalks celery, peeled and cut on a bias into 1/4-inch slices
      1 (15-ounce) jar or can of large cooked beans such as gigantes, giant lima beans, giant white beans, or butter beans, drained and rinsed [my note: I usually use butter beans, but chick peas also make a nice option]
      2 tablespoons sherry vinegar
      1/4 cup minced fresh parsley leaves
      Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
      Crusty bread for serving (optional, it’s on the side so it isn’t contaminating the salad with the gluten if that’s a concern)

      Directions
      Combine 2 tablespoon olive oil, tomato paste, paprika, garlic, and shallot in a medium skillet and heat over medium heat, stirring constantly, until fragrant and starting to bubble gently, about 2 minutes. Stir in smoked paprika and cook for 30 seconds. Add celery, drained beans, vinegar, and remaining olive oil. Cook until barely warmed through, about 1 minute. Stir in parsley, season to taste with salt and pepper, and serve immediately with crusty bread.

    168. Rage*

      I have a favorite. Not sure what it’s officially called, but I call it “Crack Green Beans”.

      Start with canned green beans (I’ve done it with fresh and it’s not just the same), 3 cans for the average recipe. Drain and dump into a crock pot.

      Add:
      1 stick butter
      3/4 cup packed brown sugar
      7 T soy sauce
      1 T garlic powder
      OPTIONAL: chopped, raw bacon (I omit this if I know there will be vegetarians attending) – actually I tend to omit this mostly anyway because it’s an extra step that’s harder. I like easy dump-and-go type stuff for my crock pot.

      Turn on the crock pot and let it do its thing. Say 2 hours on high, maybe 3-4 on low.

    169. Anony vas Normandy*

      Cucumber Feta salad goes over well in the summer, and it’s super easy:
      2 cucumbers, de-seeded and diced
      brick of feta (I use the 16 oz brick, because I love feta)
      2ish green onions, chopped
      olive oil, lemon juice, salt, pepper

      Salt the cucumbers and green onions (probably 1 tsp salt?), set aside. In another bowl, break up the feta and mix in 2 T olive oil and 1 T lemon juice, then adjust until it tastes good. Add maybe 1 tsp pepper, toss into cucumber/onion mix. Chill until it’s time to serve.

      I’ve made it for so long that I don’t actually remember what the measurements were supposed to be, just taste it until it’s right with your soul.

    170. Engineering Mom*

      I recently made a bacon ranch dip that was SUPER simple (I have no kitchen atm, it’s that simple).
      2 blocks room temp cream cheese
      1 cup sour cream
      packet of ranch dressing mix
      2C shredded cheddar
      bacon (measure with your heart)
      3 or 4 green onions
      Mix together the sour cream, cream cheese, and ranch mix until smooth. Fold in everything else. You can serve it with any kind of sturdy cracker or pretzel, or it’s really good with celery sticks and make the health-conscious people thrilled.

    171. SparkyMcdragon*

      If you have an instant pot you can make pulled chicken by sticking chicken and bbq sauce in the instant pot and shredding with two forks when its done. That plus Hawaii rolls for mini BBQ shredded chicken could bebfun.

      1. WantonSeedStitch*

        Hawaiian rolls only. No cheap ass rolls, PLEASE.

        (I also make chicken like this for tacos on a weekly basis, but instead of bbq sauce, I just use a bunch of Mexican spices and a little water, then after I take the chicken out to shred it, I use the sauté function to cook down the liquid into a sauce. It’s great on soft corn tortillas.)

    172. Sola Lingua Bona Lingua Mortua Est*

      While it’s not quick if done right, risotto is dead simple that can be easily made vegetarian or vegan if desired. As a rice dish, it pairs nicely with a wide variety of other dishes, and is crock-pot friendly, too.

    173. Cosmic Cetacean*

      In my experience, just about anything cooked in the crock pot is a big hit at workplace potlucks. I think the best crock pot option for a work potluck is something like BBQ shredded chicken sandwiches. You can find a million recipes online with minimal (or no) prep and short ingredient lists, and you just bring in your shredded chicken and a bag of sandwich rolls to eat it on. Depending on timing, you can even throw your ingredients in the crock pot when you get there so they cook during the day while you work. Other similar crock pot options are butter chicken, chicken Tikka masala, ranch chicken, or you could do something like loaded mashed potatoes if you don’t want to make a meat dish.

    174. Erin*

      This thread is making me hungry :)

      A woman I used to work with would bring several (several!) types of homemade taquitos. It was heaven. She also made those divine cream cheese & chocolate cupcakes. Sigh. I miss her.

      I once stopped at Dick’s (a Seattle fast food institution – IYKYK) and got a bunch of burgers & fries. It was such a huge hit, and became a requested item at future potlucks. I was always happy to oblige.

      Other than that, I throw together a Panzanella salad or cheese/hummus/snacky snacks board in about 15 min, and Voila!

    175. Sylvan*

      Pull-Apart Garlic Bread a la Buzzfeed

      https://tasty.co/recipe/pull-apart-garlic-rolls

      You can use pizza dough instead of biscuits. You can use homemade pizza dough or biscuits, of course, but it turns out fine if you don’t.

      You don’t have to use mozzarella. Use whatever kind of cheese you have on hand. I’ve used cheddar, muenster, parmesan… If you have cheese in the fridge, you don’t have to buy cheese for this.

      Use minced garlic instead of garlic powder. Add whatever spices will go well with your cheese, or at least red pepper. You can also try adding sundried tomatoes, caramelized onions, whatever.

    176. Justice*

      My ex used to make a salad of blanched green beans, cherry tomatoes, herbs, and a homemade vinaigrette. It’s super simple, easily adaptable (he put parmesan in it, but you don’t have to), different, and absolutely delicious.
      I just did a quick Google and there are a bunch of recipes for it.

    177. Lindsey*

      Sloppy joe sliders! Make the beef/turkey + manwich mixture ahead of time & keep warm it in a crockpot. Slice steak sandwich rolls into thirds (saw this idea at a deli when they were out of slider rolls + way cheaper and easier to find than slider rolls). Only cooking is browning your meat.

      People asked me for the recipe

    178. SeluciaMD*

      A few of my favorite go-to potluck contributions that are easier (but always crowd pleasing) are: brownies (Ghiradelli boxed mixes are awesome and then add a cream cheese or caramel swirl); buffalo chicken dip in the crockpot (serve with carrots, celery, pita/crackers), pulled pork (again, a great hands-off crock pot option); poundcake, mixed berries and some whipped cream with marscapone in it is elegant and delicious but fairly simple and you can do a bakery/store bought pound cake but fresh berries and do the marscapone whipped cream yourself for that personal touch.

      Hope you find a winning idea in the comments!

        1. Sola Lingua Bona Lingua Mortua Est*

          Dust the pound case and marscapone with espresso powder and it sounds like tiramisu!

    180. SoapiestEagle*

      I love making a simple pasta salad!

      Boil your favorite type of noodles and finely chop any of the following veggies:
      Peppers
      Onion (red or white are great in this)
      Olives (if that’s your jam)
      Cucumbers

      Combine with drained pasta and zesty Italian dressing, and put in a covered bowl in the fridge for an hour to cool. You can also add mini (turkey) pepperoni or cubed cheese as well!
      Super simple, compliments other dishes nicely, and feels pretty low maintenance.

    181. I edit everything*

      I like to do a cold Asian-style noodle salad with spaghetti, fresh chopped veggies (usually raw—sugar snap or snow peas, bell peppers, cabbage, cukes, carrots, whatever you like) and a simple soy sauce and sesame oil dressing. Nice mix of salty/savory/crunchy/carby, and a touch of sweetness depending on your veggies and dressing.

    182. windsofwinter*

      I love a good strawberry and grape salad. Four ingredients: cream cheese, marshmallow fluff, grapes, and strawberries. Just combine a jar of fluff and 8 oz of cream cheese, then cut up the fruit and mix it all together. It’s best if you let it sit for a while, so you can make it the night before. Very popular.

    183. Just a name*

      Our go to is Giada’s Tri-Colore Orzo pasta salad. Always a hit, and substitutions are easy. For example, we use dried cranberries when we can’t find dried cherries. Make ahead, maybe add a but more olive oil/lemon juice right before you serve it. Great for summer.

    184. Dont be a dork*

      Chili is nice in colder months, can be made with or without meat depending on the dietary needs of the folks you’re eating with. I usually do two crock pots’ worth — vegetarian for one and with meat for the other. Add a bowl of shredded cheese for those who take it that way and you’re done. Chili has the advantage of being doable ahead, too. I start it the night before I need it and let the flavors blend overnight in the crock pot on low.

      In hotter months, a simple salad with a variety of dressing options would work. We never seem to have enough salads at potlucks down here.

    185. Jennifer Strange*

      In general, I would focus on something that’s a one-pot wonder and maybe expand on it (just to increase serving sizes). My husband and I love making arroz con gandules (rice and pigeon peas) in our dutch oven and it always yields a TON of food.

    186. Daisy-dog*

      Firecracker crackers are always a smash hit! Marinate some saltines with oil and seasonings (search for a few different kinds of recipes!). They will all disappear.

      1. Daisy-dog*

        This also works for Ritz and pretzels. I just remembered how much I love the pretzel version.

    187. Jack Bruce*

      My go-to is homemade hummus and pita chips. It’s super easy in the food processor and good for vegan and veggie people at the potluck. One great way to make it memorable is increase the cumin and sub out half the water in the recipe with pickle or pickled jalapeno brine.

    188. RG*

      For work potlucks, my go-to is Cheddar Bay Biscuits using this recipe: https://damndelicious.net/2014/02/03/red-lobster-cheddar-bay-biscuits/

      It’s mostly stuff I already have around the house. (I don’t keep buttermilk in the house so I fake it with a cup of milk and a bit of vinegar and it works fine.) When I do this for a work potluck (as opposed to scarfing them down at home) I skip putting butter and parsley on top just to make it less messy to transport (and so I don’t have to buy an entire bunch of parsley), and can confirm I barely miss them.

      The biscuits stay really moist and springy for a day or two after you make them, so they taste super fresh. They are obviously not vegan or gluten free, but they are good for vegetarians/folks with nut allergies/anyone who likes cheese and carbs. You can heat them up or eat them at room temp and they are good either way. :)

    189. Bureaucratic Hospice*

      It’s not really *cooked* per se, but cowboy caviar! Variety of beans, some salad dressing (mild chopping of vegetables) and 1-2 bags of fritos scoops. It’s veggie friendly (can be vegan), and costs ~$5/takes less than 20 mins to toss together the night before.

    190. RCS*

      Crock pot sweet and sour meatballs.
      3-12 ounce bottles chili sauce
      1-32 ounce jar of grape jelly
      1/2 cup Worcestershire sauce
      1/2 teaspoon black pepper
      1 6 pound bag of frozen meatballs (can sub meatless meatballs)
      Add chili sauce, grape jelly, Worcestershire sauce, & pepper to cold crockpot.
      Whisk mixture until smooth.
      Pour in frozen meatballs and gently stir until all meatballs are coated in sauce.
      Turn crockpot on low for 6-7 hours or high for 3-4 hours. (We prefer the low heat longer cooking option!) Be sure to stir meatballs occasionally, if possible.

    191. Khatul Madame*

      Back when we were in the office I would bring a big bag of clementines every time we had a communal meal (usually company paid, not potlucks). They are less perishable than a fruit plate or fruit salad and people don’t need a plate to partake. They were quite popular.

    192. Tricksie*

      My favorite thing to bring is lentil-bulgur wheat salad from the Moosewood cookbook (but you can find the recipe online). It has a lot of ingredients, but it’s very easy. Cook some lentils al dente, hydrate some bulgur wheat, add feta, olives, chopped celery, toasted walnuts (or not, if nut free). Dressing with lemon juice and olive oil and lots of herbs. Sliced lemons and tomatoes on top. It’s delicious!

    193. MyySharona*

      I used to make two versions of stuffed dates. Get pitted medjool dates, make a mix of goat cheese, honey, and black pepper. Stuff the cheese in the dates, shove in a few slivered almonds, and wrap the dates in a strip of prosciutto. For a vegetarian option, overstuff the dates and roll the exposed cheese in some chopped cranberries or barberries. They’re really good, easy to make ahead, and go over really well.
      For a good beverage option, make agua fresca. If I’m having to transport, I make the fruit base and then add water to the pitchers when I arrive.

    194. SamScoopCooper*

      Homemade Rice Krispy Treats.

      A lot of people don’t realize how simple they are to make and you can add things like whole marshmallows, m&ms…to the mix before it hardens. But if you want to go classic you just need marshmallows, butter and Rice Krispie cereal (or cereal of your choice.)

    195. Anna*

      Pulled pork – make an easy version in the crock pot the day before and you can bring the whole thing to work the next day and serve warm with buns, maybe some cole slaw. Also people tend to really like broccoli crunch salad (broccoli with a Mayo-based dressing with bacon, raisins, sunflower seeds, etc). I’ve had some decent vegan/low fat versions. Food network is a good resource for both these suggestions.

      1. I'm Just Here For The Cats!*

        Beef or chicken work the same way. The day before when you leave for work just put a roast or a bunch of chicken breasts in the crockpot. Season however you like, put some beef or chicken broth, (or apple juice for pork) in and let it cook on low for 8 hours. When you come home use forks to pull the meat. There’s hardly any work. The only other thing you need to do is bring some buns, maybe some stuff for toppings (bbq sauce, cheese, etc).

    197. cardigarden*

      I have a from-scratch brownie recipe that is perennially well-liked at the work potluck. It’s a bit more assembly than dumping box mix in a bowl, but still not terribly labor intensive. 15-20 minutes of prep, 40 minutes to bake. The only ingredients that people may not already have in their cupboards is powdered sugar and cocoa powder.

    198. Mina*

      texas caviar – in most recipes most of the ingredients come from a can, with maybe one chopped onion added. It’s great with chips, and tastes best after marinating a day or so. the recipe below calls for a bunch of peppers; you can skip those, just add the onion and cilantro, and add some chopped pimento from a can and pre-minced garlic if you really want to.
      https://www.thecomfortofcooking.com/2014/08/texas-caviar.html

    199. Loading my (hopefully great) name...*

      Mexican here, we have a very popular dish called “papa con chorizo” wich is potato and chorizo. It´s really easy to make and if you want to go non meat there are really good chorizos made of soy.

      1. Just Me*

        I would give anything to work somewhere where a coworker brought papa con chorizo to the office potluck.

        Mine in order of difficulty:
        -charcuterie tray
        -salad
        -build your own sandwich tray (charcuterie but with bread, basically)
        -lavash flatbread or pizza (thought of it because last time I made it was because I brought it as a tapa for a Spanish dinner where we also ate papas con chorizo) you basically bake your lavash, put toppings on it, then bake it again, so you could prep it and put it in the oven right before serving.

    200. Elizabeth Bennett*

      Mine is super easy, if you don’t mind spending money – I bring in cocktail shrimp with sauce. There’s a great fish market in our town, so their shrimp is super fresh and their sauce is very spicy.
      People love it, especially those on keto. I’ve learned to divide it into two trays so that when the first tray is eaten, there’s still shrimp for late arrivals.
      However, if the event is hosted by a friend who keeps kosher, I bring a cheese tray.

    201. spartanfan*

      A good home made salsa or guacamole can really go far and are fairly easy. I make salsa in the blender with 2-3 large tomatoes, 3-4 tomatillos (if you can find them), jalapeno(s) depending on spice target, an onion, a bunch of cilantro, salt, juice from 1-2 limes. For guacamole, my ratio is 4 avocados, 2 roma tomatoes diced with the seeds/juice removed, 1 small red onion (plum sized), 1-2 jalapenos with seeds removed (if you want to get fancy burn the outside of 1 of the jalapenos over you gas burner direct flame, put it in a ziploc bag for a few minutes and peel the skin off with a wet paper towel then dice it), juice from 1-2 limes, teaspoon of salt.

      Another easy to make one is buffalo chicken dip but put in a slow cooker vs. baking, or velveeta with chorizo & a can of diced tomatoes with green chilis is also very good.

    202. LizB*

      An interesting salad, preferably one where the major ingredients are more robust than greens (i.e. can stand up to hanging out in dressing on a table for the whole duration of the potluck without getting wilty). My mom does a broccoli-grape salad that everyone always wants the recipe for, and I have a favorite cherry caprese salad that I bring everywhere.

    203. I edit everything*

      I have a recipe for goat cheese stuffed jalapenos wrapped in bacon that are easier than they sound, though they don’t hold great overnight. You could prep them ahead, though, and bake day of, especially if your workplace has an oven.

    204. The Wizard Rincewind*

      This is like falling off a log and everyone loves it:

      https://www.suburbansimplicity.com/roasted-red-pepper-artichoke-dip/#Roasted_Red_Pepper_and_Artichoke_Dip-2

      I usually double it with a 12-oz jar of roasted red peppers, and two jars of marinated artichoke hearts. All you do is dump everything into the food processor. Leave out the cheese and it’s vegan. Bring carrot coins (for gluten-free people) or pita chips to serve. My coworkers request this at every work potluck and I feel bad when they heap praise on me because it’s so effing simple.

    205. Sherman*

      I would make beer dip and bring in some bags of pretzels. It was always a hit (for reasons I’m not quite sure as it’s nothing special)! I would usually substitute the beer for non-alcoholic beer just to be on the safe side for work. It’s just cream cheese, cheddar cheese, ranch powder and beer all blended together. I could mix it up in about 15-20 mins, put it in the fridge overnight and grab it when I was leaving for work in the morning. There are various recipes out there, but the Hidden Valley Ranch website will have the one I most frequently used.

    206. DOES YOUR WIFE KNOW, TIM???*

      Some of my simple yet crowd pleasing potlucks:
      Cucumber salad
      Tomato and mozzarella salad
      Buffalo Chicken Dip
      Taco Dip
      Pasta Salad ( those Betty Crocker Suddenly Salad! Boxes go over really well and are always on sale)
      A pickle and olive plate

    207. No Longer on a Train*

      I have a guac that has turned guac haters into guac lovers.

      4-5 scored avocados left chunky
      1-2 packages of pre-made pico de gallo (or make your own!)
      1-2 packages of feta cheese (the feta makes it betta)

      mix in generally equal amounts into a bowl, serve with chips.

      the big key here is to leave your avocados chunky, don’t mash/make smooth.

    208. kiki*

      Veggie tarts! I make them with store-bought puff pastry. Cut the puff pastry into squares, layer on you choice of cheeses (I like fontina and ricotta), plop a soft veggies on top (my go-to’s are asparagus or tomato) sprinkle with salt, pepper, herbs, and spices. Pop in the oven for 20 minutes and presto!

    209. Quiznakit*

      Sorta Greek Orzo Salad

      -Orzo, cooked till al dente
      -Olive oil
      -balsamic or red wine vinegar
      -feta
      -kalamata olives, pitted and coarsely chopped
      -grape or cherry tomatoes, halved or quartered
      -fresh basil leaves

      Combine pasta, cheese, olives, and tomatoes. Toss with olive oil and vinegar to taste, season likewise with salt and pepper. Very easy, very tasty, I never take home leftovers. Adjust proportions of vegetables and pasta and oil and vinegar to taste.

    210. Hedgehog*

      One of my favorites that tends to go over really well and is simple is a cranberry-ginger dip with either pita crackers or baguette slices. Basically, chuck cranberries (ideally fresh, but frozen-thawed works too), a knob of ginger, sugar, lime juice, and jalapeno in a food processor and adjust all ingredients for taste. It ends up being a really pretty dark pink color, has a kick, easy (actually better!) to make ahead, and served cold (so you don’t have to worry about reheating).

    211. Library IT*

      I only make simple things because I don’t love cooking. Some of the things I’ve seen hit the best:
      Mashed Potato Casserole (make mashed potatoes, mix in sour cream and cream cheese, put cheddar cheese on top and bake)
      Pea Salad (bag salad, cooked frozen peas, bacon, parmesan cheese, mayo/sugar dressing)
      Strawberry shortcake (biscuit shortcakes, cut macerated strawberries, can of whipped cream)
      Other things that always seem like hits at potlucks – meatballs, cocktail weenies, crockpot mac & cheese

    212. Quiznakit*

      Banana Pudding: last time I made this I thought people were going to lick the bowl clean

      2 boxes instant vanilla pudding mix
      4 cups of milk
      1 16 oz tub of cool whip or similar
      1 large box of vanilla wafers or, failing that, graham crackers
      Fresh bananas, sliced thin

      Make the pudding according to package directions, then fold in the whipped topping. Layer wafers, banana slices, and pudding mixture in a large bowl until you run out of space or ingredients. For best results, make sure the bananas are not exposed to air because that’s what turns them brown.

      1. DOES YOUR WIFE KNOW, TIM???*

        You will have to beat my co-workers off with sticks when banana pudding is brought to a potluck

    213. KayDeeAye*

      I always say that you can’t go wrong with brownies, but if you want something easier and lower calorie, you’d be surprised at how well a vegetable side goes over. In my experience, regular salads don’t generally get eaten fast (it’s just so hard to find a good spot on the plate!), but if you roast or saute some nice, sturdy vegetables (broccoli, cauliflower, Brussels sprouts, zucchini, red bell pepper, etc.) and mix them with a vinaigrette, that tends to go over really well. It appeals to the many people who have loaded up on high-calorie things and want to give their palates a little break; it’s good served warm, cold or room temperature; and if they get a little sauce on them from the roast beef, they still taste good. And if there’s any left over, you can take it home, secure in the knowledge that (unlike mayonnaise-y things, which really shouldn’t sit at room temp for long), it will still be good to eat later.

    214. Jigsaw*

      Spinach dip is always a crowd favorite. I use the recipe that is on the back of Knorr’s vegetable soup mix (you need the soup mix). You could probably swap out the mayo and sour cream for vegan versions.

      Serve with veggies and/or pita chips and it will be gone fast!

    215. CatPerson*

      My co-worker would slow-cook a pork shoulder overnight for pulled pork, then served it with buns and BBQ sauce. Coleslaw/potato salad from the deli. It was the best potluck dish ever!

      Velveeta with Rotel chilis and Tostitos Scoops in a small crockpot is very simple and popular.

    216. Bye Academia*

      I like to bring chili! Super simple – you just dump everything in the pot and simmer.

      There are a ton of chili recipes out there. The one I use is from my family, and can either be made with ground beef/turkey, or a few cans of different beans to make it vegan. Then you can bring sour cream, cilantro, or whatever on the side.

      In your pot, saute one diced onion, and brown meat if you’re using it.
      Then add a can of diced tomatoes, a can of drained corn, a can of drained kidney beans, a can/bottle of beer, and a cup or two of vegetable or chicken stock.
      Can also add a can of black beans and a can of white beans if you’re skipping the meat.
      Also add salt, a tablespoon of cumin, and a couple of tablespoons of chili powder.
      You can also add red pepper flakes or jalapenos for a little spice, but maybe not for an office potluck!

      Bring to boil and reduce to simmer for 30-45 minutes. Taste and adjust seasoning as necessary. Done!

    217. Saint Dorothy Mantooth*

      For potlucks, the slow cooker is my best friend. You can make amazing chicken tacos with basically no work:

      1 lb chicken breasts
      1 cup salsa
      1 packet taco mix

      Cook on low for 6-8 hours (so, overnight the night before the event) and then shred the chicken with two forks
      Keep the chicken in the slow cooker and bring it to the office, keeping it set on Warm until it’s time to eat. Serve chicken with taco shells/tortillas and whatever other fixins you like.

    218. Mashy*

      Mashed potatoes!

      You don’t even have the peel the potatoes if you pick a thin skinned brand (or make it a feature if you like a good Russet)!

      If you use margarine instead of butter the dish is automatically vegan. (You can use a plain plant-based milk if you like, but I often make them with just margarin).

      Season to taste; salt, pepper, maybe some fresh parsley or something.

      It’s easy, it’s bland, it appeals to a variety of diets, and I’ve never had someone hate mashed potatoes.

    219. Just A Minion*

      I’ve been reading AAM for a while now but this is my first post… and wouldn’t you know it would be about food!
      LW4 – I have several go to’s depending on the party (or theme). Deviled eggs are always good, if it is a summer party, an easy coleslaw is a win, or a cool desert that is peanut allergy friendly.
      Coleslaw (recipe easily doubles). Base: 1 napa cabbage, sliced in strips, half a green pepper chopped, 4-6 scallions thinly sliced, 4 TBS sunflower seeds, 1 packet of Soy Ramen (the blue brick packet). Dressing: 4 TBS rice wine vinegar (I use a garlic one), 4 TBS olive oil, ramen seasoning pack and sugar to taste (you can use alternative sweeteners as well).
      Put the sliced vegies in a large bowl. put the brick of ramen in a bag and crush it (not to powder but you want to break it up into smaller pieces). Sprinkle about 2/3 of broken ramen in the bowl. In a separate bowl, mix the dressing ingredients and mix well (I usually put in a bowl with a lid and shake it). Pour the dressing over the greens and mix well. Cover and refrigerate overnight. Prior to serving, mix in the remaining ramen for an extra crunch. You can also old off on the sunflower seeds and add those prior to serving.
      Dessert (an easy oldie but goodie!) –
      1 box graham crackers, 1 can of chocolate frosting, 3 cups milk, 8oz tub of cool whip or whip cream, 2 boxes vanilla instant pudding. In a large bowl, beat milk and pudding, once mixed add the cool whip. In a 13×9 pan put a layer of graham crackers covering the bottom. Put a layer of the pudding mixture over the crackers, repeat. Finish with a layer of graham crackers. On low heat, heat the icing in the microwave until you can pour it over the top layer of crackers. Refrigerate overnight. For peanut friendly, check the frosting. You can change this to different types pending the people attending.

    220. Dust Bunny*

      I often bring Texas caviar. Everyone has their own version but here’s mine. Plus: It’s vegan, gluten-free, dairy-free, and egg-free, and doesn’t require any obscure ingredients. If you can’t eat tomatoes use red bell pepper instead.

      In order for this to be true Texas caviar, you must use black-eyed peas. At the time this recipe was developed, Texas was a major producer of black-eyed peas, and the recipe was promoted to highlight them. You can make it with other beans, and it will taste great, but it won’t be Texas caviar.

      2 15-ounce can black-eyed peas (4 cups cooked)
      1 tablespoon oil (I use olive oil)
      2 4-ounce cans diced green chiles (I like Ortega or Hatch, hot or mild, as you prefer)
      . . . or fresh chiles to taste. This does not need to be spicy.
      1/4 medium white or yellow onion, chopped
      4 medium celery stalks, quartered lengthwise and finely chopped
      Juice and zest of two limes
      Two large or four Roma tomatoes, seeded and chopped
      2-3 tablespoons dried cilantro

      Combine everything and allow to marinate for at least a few hours. stirring occasionally.

      Serve with Fritos Scoops, pita chips, or basket-style tortilla chips, or eat as a salad.

    221. OutofOffice*

      This has been a big work crowd pleaser in my experience: Cranberry Gorgonzola Cheese Ball. I usually only make this around the holidays because cranberry, but it’s delicious all of the time and relatively low maintenance.

      This is the recipe as I found it, but I will say I don’t always toast the nuts because it’s more effort and I don’t think it makes a big difference. Just serve it with crackers and/or some veggies.

      2 packages (8 oz each) cream cheese, softened
      1 package (5 oz) crumbled Gorgonzola cheese, softened
      2 tablespoons honey
      1/4 teaspoon ground red pepper (cayenne)
      1/2 teaspoon salt
      1/2 cup sweetened dried cranberries, chopped
      1/2 cup chopped pecans, toasted
      2 teaspoons butter
      1/2 cup panko bread crumbs
      1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley

      Basically, you mix everything except the last 3 ingredients and refrigerate a couple of hours. Then you toast the breadcrumbs in butter, let cool and mix in the parsley. Form the cheese into a ball and then roll in the breadcrumbs (for work, I make this the night before; I form into a ball and refrigerate and keep the breadcrumbs in Tupperware. At work, right before serving, I roll the ball in the breadcrumbs).

      Other (even simpler!) options:
      Caprese Salad – slice some good tomatoes, fresh mozzarella, chopped basil, little salt and pepper, and drizzle it with olive oil and balsamic (save the seasoning and drizzling for right before serving).

      Gazpacho – chop cubanelle, red pepper, tomatoes, cucumber, a teensy bit of red onion, garlic (remove the germ!), and some stale bread, blend with olive oil and sherry vinegar, chill, done.

      Roasted Garlic – so easy to make in bulk, and so delicious. Serve with crostini or just plain baguette slices. I know, I know, garlic smell – but it’s not as bad when roasted and if most people are eating it, it becomes less of a problem!

      Cantaloupe balls and prosciutto – stick together with a fancy toothpick. This is the least amount of work and yet feels so impressive! Reserve a bowl of cantaloupe for vegans/vegetarians and others who may not eat pork products.

    222. Combinatorialist*

      When the logistics are reasonable for bringing something hot and I want something easy I do a corn souffle.

      1 can corn, drained
      1 can creamed corn
      1 stick of butter, melted
      8 oz sour cream
      1 box Jiffy corn muffin mix

      Mix all ingredients together. Bake for an hour at 350. Very good, very easy, not very healthy

    224. Juniantara*

      Casting another vote for salads, with a homemade dressing – you can toss the ingredients together quickly right before serving and many people like a change from heavier options

    225. Decima Dewey*

      My go to used to be a corn salad I got from Nika Hazelton’s Way With Vegetables: corn, tomatoes, bell peppers, fresh basil, scallions, Dijon mustard, olive oil. It works with fresh, frozen, or canned corn. I’ve even made it with canned baby corn from the International section of the supermarket. These days some stores carry packaged baby corn in their produce sections, so that could work too.

      A Greek salad with whatever looks good at the market/produce shop works too.

    226. Former Retail Lifer*

      Someone often shows up with a vegetable platter. If you go that route, make some homemade aioli. I brought boxed couscous with added spinach, cherry tomatoes, red onions, and vegan parmesan cheese to a potluck before and it went over well. Regular couscous is much quicker than pearled couscous.

    227. Giving away my secrets here*

      Cookie Dough Cupcakes

      1. Prepare a box cake mix batter (usually yellow cake or funfetti) according to the directions on the box
      2. Pour enough batter to cover the bottom of a cupcake liner
      3. Take store bought cookie dough, and roll into small balls. (Size doesn’t really matter. If I’m using the cookie dough that comes in flat packs, it’s usually pre-sliced into 24 pieces, each one of those is 1 ball of dough)
      4. Put the cookie dough in the cupcake tins
      5. Cover the cookie dough with the remainder of the cake batter
      6. Bake as directed on the cake mix box
      7. Frost, using store bought icing (or make your own).
      8. Yum.

    228. Thin Mints didn't make me thin*

      My ex-husband, a notorious non-cook, always brings this to potlucks:

      Buy three packages of kielbasa and two 12-ounce bottles of sweet and sour sauce. Slice the kielbasa (no need to go super thin) and place in crockpot. Add sauce. Stir. Plug in the crockpot when you get to work so it will be nice and warm by lunchtime. Don’t forget a big spoon or ladle for serving.

    230. Bunny Girl*

      Baked & wrapped cheeses look really impressive and taste great without taking more than 20 minutes. You can bring fruit slices, crackers, and bread along with them. I have two I normally use.

      Baked Brie –
      Thaw 1 sheet of frozen puff pastry for 20 minutes. Place wheel of brie in the center. Smear with apricot, fig, or raspberry preserves. Wrap wheel, drizzle with honey, and bake in over at 375 for 15-20 minutes until golden. Sprinkle with almonds if feeling fiesty.

      Baked feta –
      Thaw frozen phyllo dough according to directions. Place block of drained feta at the short end of the dough. Sprinkle with chopped olives (Kalamata or black), wrap like a present and brush with butter, then sprinkle with black sesame seeds. Bake or air fry at 400 for 15 minutes and then drizzle with hot honey.

    231. Not Today Josephine*

      #4 Once forgot about the potluck until the night before. I had a cranberry quickbread mix in the pantry so I made that, added some orange peel and some walnuts, and everyone raved about it. I did label it as Cranberry-Orange Bread with Walnuts in case anyone was allergic. Nobody even guessed it came from a mix!

      1. I'm Just Here For The Cats!*

        Probably because it was still homemade! Things that come from mixes are still homemade. All a mix is, is the premeasured dry ingredients. I don’t understand why some people think that buying things like cake mixes is cheating or something. You can make your own mixes and put them in jars.

        (I’m not saying that you or your coworkers are dissing mixes. Just something I’ve noticed lately that people seem to get all cranky when they learn something was from a mix.)

      2. anonymous73*

        I love to bake and make lots of things from scratch but I have zero issue making something that starts with a boxed mix. In fact my absolute favorite cake (which I just happened to make yesterday at my stepson’s request for his birthday) is a strawberry cake that starts with white cake mix. Anyone who turns their nose up at a dessert that starts with a mix can bake their own dang cake!

    232. Ann. On a Mouse.*

      “Eclair” pudding cake

      mix 2 box instant vanilla pudding with 3 cups milk. Combine that with 8 oz of Cool Whip. In a 9×13 cake pan, layer graham crackers along the bottom. Spread pudding mix over this. Another layer of graham crackers. Another layer of pudding mix. 3rd layer of graham crackers. Then take a container of store bought frosting (chocolate is good) and microwave until it’s liquid enough to pour. Pour over the top layer of graham crackers. Refrigerate.

    233. quill*

      My family calls this “Michigan Salad” but it’s pretty easy to make.

      – Salad, which is usually romaine lettuce, celery, shredded carrot, diced bell pepper
      – Walnuts, crasins, and feta cheese as toppings
      – Rings of red onion optional topping
      – Raspberry vinaigrette dressing

    234. CPegasus*

      One I like to do is a french potato salad. You’ll still have to chop potatoes, but I use red bliss or yukon so I don’t have to peel them. boil and drain potatoes, then while warm, toss in honey mustard. I make my own – equal parts honey and mustard with a little bit of mayo to cut the tang of the mustard, then taste and adjust until you like it. It’s supposed to be served warm but it’s just as fine cold, and it doesn’t need to be refrigerated (the small amount of mayo in the honey mustard isn’t a problem).

    235. JellyBean*

      Around the holidays, my potluck go-to is homemade eggnog! It’s super easy (beat egg yolks with sugar, add milk, cream, vanilla and nutmeg, whip egg whites and fold in) and always a huge hit. Booze optional — I like to bring rum for those who like to add it, but obviously that depends on your workplace. It’s equally delicious without, so it’s also a nice beverage option for those avoiding alcohol.

      In fact, this past holiday season, my boyfriend referred several times to our “eggnog scam” — he couldn’t believe how little effort it was versus how big a positive reaction we always got when we showed up with homemade ‘nog.

    236. bopper*

      Black bean salad: Black beans, corn, red onions, red pepper and a ‘dressing”

      Watermelon and feta salad with mint, red onions, and balsamic glaze

      1. quill*

        Seconding the black bean salad, except in my family it’s “calico salad” and the “dressing” is a bunch of coriander, salt, and lime juice with a little olive oil to make it stick.

    237. PH 2022*

      The italian dressing based pasta salad box mix from the store is my favorite. I add my own stuff at home to kick it up, like pepperonis or salami, olives, etc. It’s semi-homemade, so it’s easy and it keeps well. And it’s always popular.

      As a side note, I used to work across the street from a Chinese restaurant that had a buffet. Once I forgot something for a potluck, so I ran across the street and filled a to go container with crab rangoons and egg rolls. People went crazy for it, to the point where it’s all that anyone wanted me to bring from then on, regardless of theme. Breakfast potluck? Crab rangoons. Mexican food? Crab rangoons. Honestly, it was so easy I didn’t mind.

    238. Hawk*

      My favorite desserts to bring include:

      King Arthur Flour Almond Shortbread cookies (double the recipe for a large crowd), but I make them dairy free with vegan butter. Add a tsp of extra sugar if baking dairy free (which I do in all my dairy free baking).

      3 ingredient sunflower butter cookies:
      1 cup sunflower butter (also known as sunbutter)
      1 cup sugar (use less if the sunbutter contains sugar)
      1 egg
      Preheat oven to 350
      Mix
      Spoon and flatten onto cookie tray covered in parchment paper (I like to flatten by using a flat-bottomed cup dipped in sugar)
      Bake for 8-10 minutes
      Double recipe for large crowd, which is about a single sunbutter container.

      Both the recipes I list are naturally gluten free.

      Enjoy Life has (had?) box mixes. Everything is allergy-friendly. Their brownies are amazing. To prevent cross contamination, mix the ingredients in a disposable metal pan, and bake in the pan.

    239. Shelli G*

      For potlucks, I always have good luck with my tamale pie casserole. It’s simple, uses mostly canned or frozen ingredients, and you can make it omnivore or vegetarian depending on the tamales and adjust the spice with the salsa used. Not gluten free or dairy free. Recipe as follows:
      Tamale Casserole
      Ingredients
      6 packages of frozen tamales (i get the cheap frozen kinds from Trader Joe’s)
      2 15oz cans of corn, drained (not creamed corn, but any other kind will do)
      1 15 oz can of beans (black or pinto) drained and rinsed
      1 lb of grated cheese of choice
      1 16 oz container of salsa of choice
      Directions
      1. Preheat oven to 400 degree Fahrenheit.
      2. Chop defrosted tamales into larger pieces (2 to 3 inches).
      3. Combine tamales, corn, beans, 2/3 of the grated cheese, and salsa in 9 x 13 baking dish.
      4. Sprinkle the rest of the cheese on top and cover with foil.
      5. Bake covered for 30 minutes, then uncover and bake for another 10 minutes, then broil for the last 5 or 10 minutes depending on the strength of your broiler until the top is crisped.
      6. Let rest for a couple of minutes and then serve.

    240. Empress Matilda*

      I’ve been bringing this salad for years – it’s the easiest thing in the world to make, and it’s always a huge hit. One of my friends refers to it as the salad that changed her life!

      The basic recipe is this, but it’s really versatile. I like to add sunflower seeds, my friend makes a dijon-balsamic vinaigrette, you could add cumin or paprika for a bit of heat…there are tons of options depending on your mood and your audience.

      ~2 avocadoes
      ~1-2 cans chickpeas (drained)
      ~1-2 cups shredded cabbage
      ~1/2 cup sun-dried tomatoes
      ~green onions
      ~olive oil
      ~salt

    241. SongbirdT*

      Veggie Pinwheels are my go-to and they’re really flexible so you can make them how you like.

      I use spinach tortillas, then combine cream cheese with a little sour cream and ranch seasoning for the base filling and spread a layer on the tortilla. Finally I dice up some veggies – carrot, cucumber, broccoli, and tomato normally – and layer on top of the base. Sprinkle with some shredded cheese and seasoning, roll, and wrap in plastic wrap. Chill for a while, then slice into little rounds and serve!

      Have also used spinach dip for the base filling, and you can stuff with any veggies you want as long as they’re diced pretty finely.

    242. Joielle*

      My go-to is tarte soleil – it looks super fancy but is really easy (maybe a bit tedious, but not, like, difficult) and transports well. Basically, you roll out two pieces of puff pastry and cut into circles, put whatever you want in between, and then cut into “rays” and twist each one before baking. It’s essentially filled puff pastry sticks but presented in a really pretty way.

      The recipe I use is from smitten kitchen (https://smittenkitchen.com/2015/12/feta-tapenade-tarte-soleil/) but instead of making the feta tapenade from scratch, I just use a jar of store bought pesto. Or you could do jam or nutella for a sweet version.

    243. Fully Licensed Llama Groomer*

      Slow cooked meatballs with chili sauce and grape jelly. But, if you make them in your office like I did, your whole office will end up smelling like meatballs. :D

    244. not neurotypical*

      Pigeon peas (or other beans) and rice with light adobo seasoning and a bottle (or bottles) of hot sauce on the side for those who want more spice. This is super-easy and also popular because:
      (1) Coworkers who are vegan or vegetarian for religious, health, ethical, or environmental reasons will be so grateful to you for providing something substantial that everyone can eat!
      (2) The spice-averse can handle adobo seasoning used with a light touch, which will provide enough flavor for those who prefer more flavor. (You can also bring a shaker for those who want to add more.)
      (3) If you bring a variety of hot sauces, many people will want to try each.

    245. Churlish Gambino*

      My go-to for potlucks is slow-cooker chili. It’s easy to throw together, endlessly customizable as well as gluten-free, so a groups with a wide variety of diets can eat it, and because I focus more on flavor than heat when it comes to spice, it doesn’t alienate people who can’t really do spicy foods. Every time I bring it, I rarely take home leftovers.

      My recipe:
      -2lbs ground beef (or whatever meat of your choice, including none at all!)
      -2 15oz cans kidney beans
      -2 15oz cans black beans
      -2 15oz cans fire-roasted tomatoes
      -3 15oz cans tomato sauce
      -1 can diced green chilis
      -2 fire-roasted red peppers, diced
      -1 white onion
      Spices, to taste:
      -ground cumin
      -cayenne powder
      -chili powder
      -garlic powder (or minced garlic)
      -paprika
      -red pepper flakes
      -Old Bay (guess where I live lmao)
      -salt
      -pepper

      Fixins:
      -sour cream
      -shredded cheddar cheese
      -chives

      Directions:
      1. Brown the meat, drain the fat
      2. Rinse the beans
      3. Dump everything in the crock pot and mix
      4. Cook high for 4 hours or low for 8
      5. Don’t forget to bring the fixins.

      Not a ton of ingredients, all inexpensive (except for the spices if you don’t have them already) and the prep is just opening cans, rinsing beans, and browning meat. If you decide to make it sin carne, then you’ve eliminated an entire third of the prep.

    246. Anna*

      I’ve always found guacamole and corn tortilla chips to be wildly popular and relatively easy. It also has the benefit of being gluten free for any colleagues struggling with gluten, as long as you are careful that the chips are 100% corn.

    247. NotAManager*

      A pasta salad with pesto instead of a mayo-based dressing is nice because it can sit out for quite a bit without getting funky.

    248. calonkat*

      OK, this one was my go to for years (I have no crock pot now).
      1 32 oz bag of frozen hash browns
      1 8 oz bag of shredded cheese
      1 16 oz container of sour cream
      2 cans of cream of chicken soup
      Couple of tablespoons of margarine (or butter)

      The beauty of this is that you can pick everything up on the way to work if needed.
      IF POSSIBLE (ie you remember the night before), you can speed up the cooking by thawing the hash browns in the refrigerator overnight.

      Cheese type, we like cheddar, but have used the blends. Haven’t tried all “white” cheeses, such as mozzarella
      “light” sour cream is not as good in this. There’s nothing healthy about this recipe, so just use regular sour cream.
      “Cream of” xxx. We like chicken, I’ve seen recipes that used mushroom. I think the milk based soup is the important thing. Low sodium soups are fine (probably a good idea)
      When picking up stuff on the way to work, I’d either remember to cut a piece of a stick of margarine, or just leave it out.

      I’ve always thought a cookbook of “cubicle foods”, foods that can be prepared in a cubicle, would be a good thing to have :)

    249. Events Coordinator?*

      One pot crockpot recipes. My favorite is Jambalaya, but that’s not going to be a favorite everywhere. Look for recipes that you just dump a bunch of ingredients into a crockpot and let it cook during the workday.

    250. QAPeon*

      Caprese Corn Salad (there are a ton of recipes, mine is like the simply recipes version, but I mostly wing it on quantities). For a potluck I mostly use frozen corn, but if you’re grilling the night before anyhow, throw some fresh corn on for this.

      I prep the corn, tomatoes and scallions into a big tupperware container, I prep the dressing ingredients including basil into a smaller container, and I buy the mozzarella in “pearls” and leave those in their packaging. Before the potluck I’ll add the pearls to the big container, shake the dressing really well, then add it to the big container and shake it carefully. Voila!

    251. GS*

      Any kind of fruit buckle is super easy – just mix, dump, bake.

      I am also a HUGE fan of grain salads. They’re easy, transport well, hold up well, can be eaten cold or room temp – definitely recommend.

      The first one I eat ALL THE TIME because it’s shockingly good for how simple it is. The last one I brought to a pot luck at work where like 20 other people also brought stuff and my coworkers couldn’t stop raving about it – again, super simple.

      https://smittenkitchen.com/2017/05/broccoli-rubble-farro-salad/
      https://www.thekitchn.com/recipe-summer-farro-salad-with-tomato-cucumber-amp-basil-recipes-from-the-kitchn-193060
      https://www.howsweeteats.com/2020/08/zucchini-farro-salad/
      https://www.leannebrown.com/?recipe=warm-farro-salad-cauliflower-kale-goat-cheese-lemon

    252. Lauren*

      Quinoa, corn, arugula, and goat cheese salad, olive salt, and pepper

      We use frozen bags of quinoa and corn (I believe we do 4 12-oz bags of quinoa to 2 16-oz bags of corn), heat them up for food safety, then let them cool to room temp before adding arugula (2 5-oz bags fresh arugula), toss with olive oil, salt, and pepper, and top with goat cheese.

    253. Hen in a Windstorm*

      Fruit salsa. I’ve made strawberry salsa and watermelon salsa and both were smash hits. It’s even still strawberry season (where I am). Same ingredients as a regular salsa, but use the fruit instead of tomatoes. It’s different and refreshing and very popular.

      1. Hen in a Windstorm*

        Oh! Or I also have made esquites (Mexican street corn in a bowl) with thawed frozen corn. Saves having to slice the corn off a bunch of ears.

    254. EEB*

      Two suggestions:

      -A nice fruit and veggie salsa (cherry tomatoes, cucumber, a little onion, strawberries, blueberries, mango, etc.) with store-bought tortilla chips. You don’t have to do any actual cooking, just chopping, and the addition of the fruit, especially in the summer, seems to wow people.

      -Boxed couscous mixed with sundried tomatoes and roasted zucchini and yellow squash, and dressed in a little balsamic vinegar and olive oil. You can roast the veggies while the couscous cooks, so the whole thing comes together in about 20 minutes. This is one of my go-to potluck recipes because it’s delicious hot, cold, or room temperature. People seem to really like it!

    255. Free Meerkats*

      Ham and pepper pinwheels.

      Briefly toast large flour tortillas on a skillet or comal to add flavor, but not crisp. Other large flatbreads can be used, just make sure they are thin.
      Spread thinly with cream cheese.
      Add sliced ham over about a third of the flatbread, leaving one side without.
      Cover the ham with canned roasted whole chiles or roasted Hatch chiles (peeled, stemmed, and seeded) if you can get them.
      Roll from filled side.
      Slice into pinwheels and present on platter.

      Other meats and vegetables can be used. Don’t use watery things like tomatoes unless they will be served immediately.

      1. Free Meerkats*

        “Add sliced ham over about a third of the flatbread,”

        Should have been two-thirds…

    256. Raccoonie*

      I’ve made this for many potlucks! If you have a mandoline or food processor, it’s very easy to chop all of the brussel sprouts. I like to do bleu cheese and parm when I make it. Even sprout haters like this salad, and it’s fine if it sits out for awhile. You can mix it up with different kinds of nuts too, or different citrus. It’s a good base so use whatever variation you want.

      https://pinchofyum.com/bacon-brussels-sprout-salad

    257. Nicki Name*

      Deviled eggs are pretty simple and I’ve never seen them not be popular.

      I’ve had pretty good luck with fruit salad myself.

    258. Aqua409*

      If you can bring a slow cooker to work and plug it in early. I like to do sweet and sour meatballs. Take a frozen bag of meatballs. Pour a bottle of chili sauce and a jar of grape jelly over them. Cook on high for 4 hrs.

    259. PurplePartridge*

      My go-to for years has been this marinated mushrooms side dish from Peas and Crayons. https://peasandcrayons.com/2015/05/10-minute-marinated-mushrooms.html
      Simple, fast, vegetarian/vegan and avoids major allergens. You can put them on skewers if you feel fancy but I usually just bring a jar of toothpicks. The group I’m usually bringing it for is large and includes a lot of vegetarians and some with dietary restrictions and I’ve always gotten rave reviews.

    260. kupo!*

      My mom had a recipe for Mexican pork in the crock pot that was super simple and always a hit– basically just a big pork shoulder, seasoned with garlic powder, onion powder, cumin, salt, and pepper, and set to cook on low all day. (I’m sure I could fish out the specific recipe at some point, but in classic mom fashion, it was mostly just done by heart.) She’d bring the whole crock pot along with some corn tortillas to potlucks, and the whole thing would inevitably be gone by the end of the event! It’s a fantastic low-allergen option (aside from severe FODMAP sensitivities, of course) and people always seem to appreciate a solid protein at events.

    261. Rocky Mountain Recruiter*

      This Jalapeno Popper Dip has been a hit everywhere I’ve taken it. At my last in-office job, I basically wasn’t allowed to bring anything BUT this dip. https://www.thecountrycook.net/jalapeno-popper-dip/

      2 (8 ounce) blocks cream cheese softened to room temperature
      1 cup mayonnaise
      1 cup shredded Mexican Cheese Blend
      1 cup shredded Parmesan Cheese
      4 ounce can chopped green chiles
      4 ounce can chopped pickled jalapeños
      1 cup Panko bread crumbs
      ¼ cup salted butter (½ stick), melted
      salt, pepper, dried parsley (to taste)

      Preheat oven to 375F degrees. Spray a 2-quart casserole dish with nonstick cooking spray.
      Using an electric mixer (or a food processor), mix together the cream cheese, mayonnaise, Mexican blend cheese, ½ cup Parmesan cheese, green chiles and jalapeños. Add a pinch of salt and pepper.
      Spread the dip filling into your casserole dish.
      In a bowl, mix together Panko bread crumbs, ½ cup Parmesan cheese and melted butter (and a bit of dried parsley, optional).
      Sprinkle crumb mixture evenly over dip filling.
      Bake for about 20 minutes (on the middle rack).
      Topping should be golden brown and the dip should be gently bubbling around the edges. Serve with your favorite buttery crackers or tortilla chips.

    262. Sylvia*

      Banana pudding with Nilla wafers (vanilla cookies) can be easily assembled at work with a little planning. The recipe is on the Nilla wafer box, but basically you make instant vanilla pudding the night before. Bring the pudding, Cool Whip (make sure to defrost it first as it’s usually frozen) or whipped cream, Nilla wafers, and whole bananas to work, and then slice the bananas and assemble everything in layers an hour before the event. I like to put it in a glass trifle bowl for presentation, and sometimes top it with colored marshmallows in the Spring.

      Deviled eggs is another good one, mainly because they’re cheap and seems to appreciate them.

    263. AndreaC*

      1 – Corn casserole – 2 can whole kernel corn, 2 can creamed corn, 2 packages cornbread mix, 2 cup sour cream, 2 sticks melted butter or margarine, 4 eggs beaten. Mix and throw into a greased 9×13 pan. Bake at 350 for 35-40 minutes. Top with grated cheese and bake 5-10 minutes more until melted.

      2 – deconstructed stuffed peppers – saute onions and bell peppers, season with salt and pepper. Add couscous and prepare couscous according to package directions. Once cooked, add diced tomatoes and goat cheese. Can be served cold or room temperature.

    264. Katie*

      For potlucks – I love bringing any kind of “dip”. Think buffalo chicken dip, cowboy caviar (literally take a bunch of canned items and dump them together), fresh salsa or guacamole. You can never go wrong with chips and dip!

    265. BlondeSpiders*

      I love bringing my favorite spinach salad: a bag of pre-washed spinach, a small tub of goat cheese crumbles, bag of Craisins, candied nuts of any kind, and store-bought (or homemade) bottle of balsamic dressing. It always goes quickly!

    267. Ann Onymous*

      Fruit salad – it’s quick and easy, it accommodates most dietary restrictions, and people really seem to appreciate something fresh and cool – especially in the summer.

    268. fiona the baby hippo*

      Make onion dip from the soup mix and just call it ‘caramelized onion dip’ and ppl will go WILD. i speak from experience

    269. Jules the 3rd*

      I make 2 potluck staple dishes, and they go pretty well:
      – Tomato / cucumber / parsley salad: English cuke (low seed), 1 peeled, diced. Diced tomatoes, 3c (“6 Roma”). Chopped fresh parsley, 1 bunch. Lemon juice 2 tsp (use fresh! It really matters). Sometimes put Feta, chickpeas, or beans for people to add to taste.
      – Fruit salads. Base of Peach, Strawberry, Blueberry, using very ripe peaches and cutting them over the bowl to use the juice as a sweetener. Then add various melons or mint. I usually do 3 or 4 variations, with plain, mint, watermelon or honeydew (I don’t like cantaloupe). Plain and mint disappear fast. To cut costs, I ask the peach vendors at the farmer’s market for ‘ice cream peaches’, but I have to get there early on Saturday to find them. I have also served this with whipped cream for red / white / blue salads at US Independence Day celebrations, and inside melon bowls for prettiness.

    270. shedubba*

      I do a chocolate chip cheesecake ball that’s always a huge hit. It’s like a cheese ball, but it’s sweet and you serve it with graham crackers. Let a stick of butter and 8 oz. pack of cream cheese soften. Blend together with 1/4 tsp vanilla, then gradually add 2 Tbsp brown sugar and 3/4 cup powdered sugar. Stir in 3/4 cup mini chocolate chips. Refrigerate overnight. Spoon the mixture onto a big piece of plastic wrap and use the plastic wrap to shape it into a ball. Put the wrapped ball into the fridge for at least an hour. Just before serving, roll in 3/4 cup chopped pecans (or crushed graham crackers). Serve with chocolate graham crackers.

    271. NeedRain47*

      This wins* the work party nearly every time: cream cheese salsa roll ups.
      -package of 8 large flour tortillas
      -2 bricks of cream cheese
      -about half a small jar of Pace medium salsa (according to my cowkrers other salsa is sacrilege)

      Mash salsa and creamcheese together (food processor is good), spread on tortillas, roll them up and slice into pinwheels about an inch thick.

      No cooking, vegetarian, and even some of the pickier folks like them.

      *you win the work party if all of your dish is consumed first

    272. thelettermegan*

      Kale tabouli (google-able) is my go-to. It can be made vegan and/or gluten free. It’s a ‘boil some grains and chop some veggies’ kinda recipe.

      Some holding time in the fridge is recommended, so usually you can make it morning of or the night before.

      Vegtable-tarians and vegetable-obligates really get a kick out of this dish. Raw kale is so much more nutritious than delicious, so it’s a real treat to dress it up in a way that’s remarkably tasty.

    274. Anonymous*

      One of the most satisfying things I ever got to do for work was use a potato masher to smush like a dozen avocados for a huge batch of guacamole. It was a hit, and pretty easy. I don’t have an exact recipe, it’s just lightly mashed avocado (as many as you want), chopped tomato, finely chopped red onion, lime juice, salt and pepper, maybe a little olive oil and/or chili powder, and optionally cilantro if you’re making it for people who like cilantro.

    275. Just Another Zebra*

      Since most people tend to bring lunch food, I started bringing breakfast sliders and they are so very very easy (and people like them, which is a plus). Scrambled eggs, bacon, cheese on a pack of King’s rolls, baked for a few minutes to melt the cheese. Start to finish the whole process takes 30 minutes, and since it’s something different, I usually don’t have leftovers.

    276. Robin Ellacott*

      We always end up with tons of sweets, so I usually make a seasonal salad or grain dish, or a reasonably healthy dip. It’s always popular, and is usually simple to do the night before with possibly some assembly on the day of.

      In summer I like a corn salad with lime, walnuts, feta, and jalapenos (recipe from the Real Simple website/magazine). The only remotely time consuming part is cutting the kernels off the cobs. And as it sits it gets yummier, which helps at a potluck. I make it the night before.

      For Canada Day I made a white bean dip and then put a red bell pepper in it like an octopus (check Pinterest to see what I mean) which was easy and people were amused. I did that once for Halloween too with a black bean dip and an orange pepper.

      In autumn I make a salad with roasted squash (I buy frozen butternut), pomegranate arils, and roasted chickpeas and sumac dressing and layer it all out on a platter so it looks pretty. I think that recipe was from Real Simple too, but really any salad looks pretty spread out on a platter and with a jug of dressing.

      Looking forward to all the ideas!

    277. Burger Bob*

      For summer pot lucks, I have had success with the Better-Than-the-Deli Four-Bean Salad recipe from the cookbook “Help! My Apartment Has a Kitchen!” It’s viewable on Google books. (Page 68 of the book). It’s very easy to make and surprisingly yummy.

    278. BaconLvr*

      The night before the potluck, I bake 2-3 lbs of bacon strips in the oven. Refrigerate in a Ziploc bag. Day of the potluck, empty your bag of cold bacon into a crockpot on “warm.” It takes about 15-30 mins to fully reheat the bacon. This has always been a simply and WILDLY popular option in my office.

    279. Manto*

      My favorite is corn dip and a bag of fritos. I’ve made it a bunch of times and its delicious
      8 oz package of cream cheese
      8 oz package of shredded cheddar cheese
      1 can of Mexicorn (or corn with chilies and red peppers)
      1 bunch of green onion chopped
      1 large (16 oz) sour cream
      6 whole jalapeños chopped

      Simply mix softened cream cheese, sour cream, and cheddar cheese. Then add remaining ingredients and mix well. Chill overnight for flavor to develop. Serve with Fritos or tortilla chips.

    280. 30 Years in the Biz*

      I vote for strawberry spinach salad with poppy and sesame seed dressing. Tastes good, pretty colors, and meets most dietary restrictions if you don’t sprinkle with almonds. Don’t dress the salad until right before serving or serve dressing on the side. The Allrecipes site has a very good version.

    281. Miss Anne*

      Cheese Tortes with assorted crackers.
      We served this at my wedding – https://www.seasonedkitchen.com/kentucky-cheese-torte
      This one if pork is OK – https://www.justapinch.com/recipes/appetizer/cheese-appetizer/cheese-torte.html
      I had one at a wedding a couple of weeks ago that had peppers and pineapple in it. Another had pomegranate seeds. This looks close, even if it is a ball. https://www.aspicyperspective.com/pomegranate-crusted-cheese-ball-recipe/

      Maybe a good cheese ball?

    282. Betsy S*

      A lot depends what your potluck tends to have too much of. Is there a pattern? I remember a series of potlucks where one time almost everyone brought something like pasta or pizza, and the next time almost everyone brought some sort of bean salad.

      Sometimes a dish of relatively plain rice or roasted/mashed potatoes is just the thing, especially if many folks tend to bring oily dishes. A simple but appealing salad with dressing on the side can be great , too, or fruit salad.

      On the heartier side, baked ziti or lasagna or enchiladas can be easy and popular, if your potluck needs something more filling.

    283. Noelle*

      I usually make meatballs – they’re simple and fast, and you can mix it up with different ingredients. I’ve made buffalo chicken meatballs with blue cheese sauce, Asian meatballs with scallions and a ginger glaze, mozzarella stuffed meatballs, spinach feta meatballs, etc. etc. They’re always a hit and you can’t really mess them up!

    284. YRH*

      I find that savory tends to go over better than sweet because lots of people bring desserts. Homemade hummus with fresh veggies, baked pasta dishes, and a big salad have all gone over really well!

    285. teensyslews*

      For simpler but homemade I’d go with something fun but still easy to assemble – charcuterie sticks. Get some nice cheeses, some nice salami, some little pickles, some cherry tomatoes. Cut them up and spear them onto picks. If you’ve got vegetarians you can do some ones that are just cheese. You can also just buy a grocery store cheese&meat platter and redistribute onto picks.

      For not homemade (which I acknowledge was not the ask): little snack packs of Goldfish crackers (or similar). People bring them back to their desks for the 3PM munchies and they’re always gone whenever I bring these.

    286. Bill and Heather's Excellent Adventure*

      Russian salad. You can use vegan mayo so everyone can have some. And it can be made hot or cold.

    287. Anat*

      Oh wow, I what a thread! I will have to go through this in detail and find things to add to my home rotation.
      Here’s a favorite salad I prepared recently, this is from Moosewood Cooks at Home (my favorite cookbook, so many easy veggie recipes):
      Avocado corn salad
      Per 2 largish servings:
      1 c. corn, 1 Tbs oil, 2 Tbs water, 1 tsp ground cumin, pinch of cayenne (optional)
      Cook in skillet until tender about 5 minutes, then a bit more to evaporate water
      1 avocado, toss with 2 Tbs lime or lemon juice
      1/2 bell pepper
      2 Tbs minced red onion
      salt to taste
      Tabasco to taste (I usually just put it on the table)
      Mix everything
      Top with cilantro leaves if you have them

      If I were making for a crowd I’d probably decrease the percentage of avocado to control the cost. It’s still good with less avocado.

    288. H.C.*

      I tend to go with individually sized baked goods (cookies, brownies/blondies, biscuits, scones, hand pies, etc.) since they are shelf-stable, already portioned out & do not require utensils to eat. And if there are any extras, easy to bring home or share with folks in your other social circles (w/o them suspecting that they’re leftovers)

    289. Ms. K*

      IDK if this is still too store bought for you op, but it does take some prep. And it’s appropriate for Memorial Day, Independence Day, and Labor Day in the U.S. Slice a large pound cake and line the bottom of a 9×13 with it. Add blueberries and sliced strawberries. Cover with Cool Whip and smooth out. Finish by using more blueberries and strawberries to make an American flag. (I suppose you could also make a Union Jack but you’ll need a lot of blueberries.

    290. Random Biter*

      I enjoy cooking for other people, but when it comes to office potlucks I try to do as simple as possible. One of the things I’ve noticed that seem to fly off the place is pineapple upside down cake. So very, very easy with minimal ingredients and no frosting to mess around with.

    291. Legally a Vacuum*

      Always a hit for me:

      Baby spinach, crumbled feta, sliced fresh strawberries. Balsamic dressing on the side.

      Feta can be on the side to accommodate vegan diets.

      It’s visually pretty, a nice change from heavy foods at a potluck, and I’ve never got a single complaint about it being my contribution.

    292. PlainJane*

      It would depend on what kind of potluck it is. If it’s snacks, a good old fashioned vegetable tray (make some refreshing dip if you feel like you’re uninvolved with the deliciousness of fresh fruits or vegetables–something simple like plain yogurt or cream cheese with your favorite flavor of choice (cream cheese and chives, Greek yogurt with dill, whatever you like). If it’s a full lunch, you can’t go wrong with a simple beef stew or chicken soup–toss in the ingredients, and let it simmer while you’re doing other things. The soup will require getting the bones out and shredding the chicken, so I’d be more inclined to the stew for simplicity. Add dumplings for panache (they take maybe five minutes, then you throw them in with the last twenty minutes or so of the simmer).

    293. GatsbytheGreat*

      I make this bean dip for every single potluck I’ve ever attended since I was a kid and it is popular amongst every type (work, school, friends over). There’s never any remaining to take home! It’s not the most gourmet thing in the world but it is tasty.
      – 1 can refried beans
      – 1 small container sour cream or greek yogurt
      – 1/2 can of Rotel peppers and tomatoes
      – 1/2 packette of taco seasoning (spice level your choice)
      – 1 bag of shredded mexican cheese (1/2 bag is mixed in and the other 1/2 just spread on top)
      Mix all ingredients together in a baking dish and cook for 25-30 minutes at 350. Done and serve with chips!

    295. Unaccountably*

      1. Roast brussels sprouts or broccoli with chopped bacon and garlic. Sprinkle with balsamic vinegar before roasting. Keep them warm in a crock-pot.

      2. Spinach and artichoke dip, with tortilla chips or a vegetable platter.

      3. Mixed fruit. Not fancy, but always welcome.

    296. LunaLena*

      When I still worked in offices that did potlucks, these were my go-tos:

      – Japchae (Korean sweet potato noodles with vegetables and beef): it’s pretty easy to make, the most time-consuming part is cutting up the vegetables. Also easy to adjust for allergens or dietary restrictions, since you can throw in just about any vegetable, eliminate the meat, switch soy sauce for tamari, etc. It’s also easy to make in large quantities, easy to fancy up or simplify as needed, and tastes great both warm and cold – and as a bonus, it heats up well in the microwave if you end up with leftovers. To simplify things for myself, I like to buy pre-cut beef (my store carries fajita-cuts of beef, which works perfectly) and marinade it in a store-bought Korean BBQ marinade. If you want to do a homemade marinade, a simple bulgogi one will work as well. Bring tongs for serving, though, because the noodles can be a bit slippery.

      -4-ingredient brownies: literally just a 13oz jar of Nutella, 2 eggs, 1/2 cup of flour, and 1/2 tsp of salt. Mix Nutella and eggs, then add flour and salt. Bake for 20 minutes in a 8×8 pan at 350 degrees. A coworker demanded the recipe for his baker sister because he couldn’t believe it was only four ingredients.

      – Dip in a bread bowl: make your favorite dip, scoop out the insides of a bread bowl and cut up the bread for dipping, and serve. I used to make a dip made up of cream cheese, sliced ham, cheddar cheese shreds, and green onion, then bake in the bread bowl for a few minutes so that all the flavors melted together. I also bring a plastic serrated cake knife so the bowl could be hacked apart and eaten as well. At the end of the day I was left with just the lid of the bread bowl and the bottom piece.

    297. Anna Marie*

      This will likely get buried but I do a quick salsa. I may get the night before and let it marinade.
      2 cups diced tomatoes
      1 cup diced red onions
      1 cup diced green peppers
      1 can black beans
      Minced garlic, Cilantro, balsamic vinegar, olive oil, salt and pepper to taste

      I probably use like 1 tbs balsamic vinegar and olive each for this size.

      It’s addictive. I eat it by the spoonful

    298. LPUK*

      My Mum has a really simple variation on potato salad that ensures hers is always the first to go in any buffet. baby potatoes with a dressing of mayo with salt pepper and a teaspoonful or so of tomato puree/paste – just enough to turn it pale pink. You can chop chives or mint into it if you want to be fancy, or even chopped boiled egg if you want to make it more substantial. You wouldn’t believe how much difference a little tomato puree makes!

    299. Midwest Manager*

      I’ll echo the sugar snap pea idea (I find they’re even better if you blanch them for 15 seconds and then shock in ice water), and my current favorite dip which is just plain Greek yogurt mixed with chili crisp. I’ve also had great response to asian-flavors coleslaw (cabbage, red pepper, sliced snow peas, slivered almonds, sesame seed (if no allergies), and a rice vinegar/sugar/s&p/oil dressing – can add toasted broken up ramen noodles if you want). But by far the most popular stuff I’ve done is either a big tray of baked ziti (depending on your warming resources) or pulled pork that I cook in the oven, and then dump into a crock pot to keep warm. My fave recipe (Michael Mina’s, it’s online) is juicy enough that I personally don’t use bbq sauce, but I usually provide a bottle for folks who want it. Buy some rolls and you’re good to go. Oh, and yeah—I have never been to a potluck where the deviled eggs didn’t *fly* off the plate!

    300. Fourth and Inches*

      My go to for potlucks is usually pasta salad. Chop up some celery, carrots, cherry tomatoes. Cook a box of your favorite shape of pasta. Mix the pasta with the veggies and add a bottle of dressing (I usually go with a standard Italian style dressing). And that’s it! Simple, relatively inexpensive, meat-free, easy to serve.

    301. EmmaPoet*

      I make a simple homemade oatmeal bread and honey butter spread for most of the potlucks I go to and it’s always been a hit (not vegan friendly/dairy allergy/honey allergy friendly, but the people at these potlucks are none of the above.) The bread recipe is from a cookbook I got as a child, and the honey butter is two sticks of softened unsalted butter blended with half a cup honey- I use a local honey with a stronger flavor to offset the mild bread.

    303. Rose Pate*

      Hearty Southwest Salsa: 1 can black beans, 1 can whole kernel corn (both drained), 1 can diced tomatoes with green chiles, half a medium onion, chopped, 1 avocado cubed, juice of half a lime, kosher salt and hot sauce to taste. Can easily scale up to larger amounts. Can be safely left unrefrigerated for quite a while. Tortilla chips on the side nice.

    304. What a way to make a living*

      I did flapjacks once and put some sparkly bits on top. They seemed to go down OK!

      Or a simple pasta salad, with good quality olive oil and chilli splashed on.

    305. Mephyle*

      Steamed brussels sprouts tossed with browned buttered dry bread crumbs. Make the flavour pop by mixing a pinch of sea salt flakes into the bread crumbs.
      Roasted brussels sprouts may be tastier, but this is super-easy, and really good too (for brussels sprouts fans – the bigger the potluck, the higher the probability that there will be some people that love sprouts).

    306. Pre-packaged Potluck Fan*

      As someone with a severe food intolerance, I will always gravitate toward pre-packaged at a potluck because I can read the label. There’s a learning curve associated with cooking for people with allergies or intolerances (and mine, dairy, is in EVERYTHING, including things you wouldn’t expect). Recently I was given a pasta salad that the person had gone to a lot of trouble to make sure was dairy free but then put pesto in it, which she didn’t realize has cheese. So even with well-intentioned people, things can happen.

      1. pancakes*

        Bah. I bet a pasta salad with a chimichurri-based dressing would be great, and cheese-free. There are some great vegan pesto recipe out there too.

    307. Nichole*

      Can’t go wrong with dips. Dump the ingredients into a crock pot or instant pot and stir a couple of times. Think spinach artichoke, Buffalo chicken, pizza, queso, chili cheese, crab and cheese, bean, creamy corn, and beer cheese dips. You can also go sweet with chocolate, yogurt (not cooked obv), caramel, caramel apple and s’mores. You can also go layered dips like a seven layer taco dip.

      Another option is are party sandwiches. Like: https://www.allrecipes.com/recipe/216756/baked-ham-and-cheese-party-sandwiches/ And https://potatorolls.com/recipes/baked-mississippi-roast-party-sandwiches/

    308. Princex Of Hyrule*

      A good salad can go a long way! I like making Waldorf salads or ambrosia salads, but green salads are even easier — mostly lettuce, plus fruits, nuts, and other goodies.

    309. Carrie*

      Meatballs in a sauce that’s one part yellow mustard to one part jelly (can be grape, strawberry, black current, whatever!). The meatballs can be store bought or home made in advance, then just heat them up in the mustard and jelly mixed together for a sweet and sour-style dish.

      If you want to make it more of a dish and less of a cocktail appetizer, toss in some broccoli, bell peppers or whatever vegetable you like.

    310. Steph*

      I make an apple crumble in a mini crock pot with a liner as my go-to. Takes 20 min prep then I plug it in at the office. it’s warm, not too many ingredients for the un adventurous eaters and the liner makes it a mess free clean up! If I’m feeling fancy I’ll bring whip cream or ice cream as a topping. It’s usually the first to be eaten.

    311. SkyePilot*

      Late to this but a few ideas:
      Dump cake – dump cherry pie filling and crushed pineapples into a 9×13 baking dish, top with store bought yellow cake mix, dot evenly with a stick of butter and bake at 350F for about 25-30 minutes until the top looks ‘cakey’ – done.

      Buffalo Chicken Dip – find recipe online. Always a hit, leftovers are good as sandwich spread :)

      This feta dip https://www.mastercook.com/app/Recipe/WebRecipeDetails?recipeId=16773440 (also good as a sandwich spread in the unlikely event you have leftovers. I double it so I can use the whole double package of feta from costco as it is the cheapest way to buy feta and omit the thyme)

      Caprese pasta salad – penne pasta, halved cherry tomatoes, either cubed fresh mozz or fresh mozz pearls, julienned basil, toss with nice olive oil, serve with balsamic glaze to drizzle. Can add cut up/cubed salami if you’d like a little protein.

    312. Night Owl*

      I love baking, and my contributions to pot lucks also trend to fancy/complicated, but when I’m trying to go simple, I do a cheesecake (or divide it into a mini muffin tin for mini cheesecakes). Always a crowd pleaser, and there are plenty of simple recipes out there – plus you can get gluten-free crusts/graham crackers if that’s an issue!

      For savory options, simple dips – hummus, spinach dip, etc – are also always a great addition to potluck tables!

    313. Not That Kind of Lawyer*

      Here is a super easy and quick pasta salad.
      Ingredients
      Rotini Pasta (1-2 boxes depending on crowd sized)
      1 Jar Olive Salad (check you grocery store) or small jar of green olives and a small jar of black olives chopped
      2 tbsp. Olive oil (not needed if you have olive salad)
      shredded parmesan cheese
      1 cucumber chopped
      sliced pepperoni
      cherry tomatoes halved
      garlic powder
      onion powder
      creole season salt (optional)
      salt and pepper
      Recipe:
      Boil then drain the pasta
      Stir in olive salad to taste
      (if using chopped olives stir in olive oil then olives)
      Stir in cheese, cucumber, pepperoni – add more olive oil or olive salad if dry
      Season with onion powder, garlic powder, season salt, salt and pepper to taste
      Refrigerate at least one hour before event or overnight.
      Enjoy

    314. AC Stefano*

      I was just talking about my favourite potluck recipe to a friend!

      World Famous Pasta Salad:
      Salad:
      24 oz tricolour rotini
      24 oz mild or medium cheddar cheese
      24 oz grape tomatoes
      24 oz frozen broccoli

      Dressing:
      1 jar miracle whip
      3/4 dried parsley
      1/4 dried basil
      garlic power to taste
      salt and pepper to taste

      Note: all dressing ingredients can be adjusted to taste. Listen to your ancestors.

      Mix the ingredients for the dressing, set aside. Cook pasta according to directions. Pour over frozen broccoli in strainer (cools the pasta faster and shocks the broccoli). Let cool to room temp, mix in cheese, tomatoes, and dressing. You can do this the night before, store it in the fridge, and it’s perfect. And, it lasts a long time at room temp.

      My mother fixes this, and there have been *fights* over the last spoonful, and it’s so simple and really takes no time, because you can do other things while the pasta is cooking/cooling. And the proportions can be adjusted really easily.

    315. AC Stefano*

      Oh! Also. Frozen meatballs marinated in honey mustard dressing all night, then cooked in the oven (or slowcooker to keep them warm). We make those for my mom’s annual Christmas party, and they’re a huge hit.

    316. Leenie*

      I never actually tried them because I don’t eat beef or pork, but the guy who brought the Lil Smokies in BBQ sauce always went home with an empty crockpot, and I can’t imagine anything much easier than that.

    317. COHikerGirl*

      In my quick glance, I didn’t see the two things I always bring.

      1. Chips and dip. Lipton Onion Soup mix in sour cream and potato chips. Goes super quick and is super easy. 1 packet of mix for 16 oz of sour cream.

      2. Spinach dip in a bread bowl with either more bread or veggies. Knorr Dip Mix (uses Mayo, sour cream, the mix, and frozen spinach), mix it up, let it sit overnight (needs to chill, overnight is best!), and put it in a hollowed out bread bowl to be fancy. Very easy, very delicious, I have only had leftovers once.

      I have been known to make these for myself for meals…lol.

    318. Marian the Librarian*

      Look for anything where the recipe is “can of X, can of X”. I make a bean salad:
      -can of chick peas
      -can of black beans
      -bag of frozen corn
      -bag of frozen green beans
      – bag of frozen peas
      – chopped bell pepper or any other veggies you feel like (if you’re feeling like chopping)
      Then leave some salad dressing on the side for folks who want it.

    319. AppleStan*

      OP #4, here are things that can be made with a few ingredients that aren’t time consuming (for anything marked with crockpot, PLEASE make sure you use those crockpot liners for easy cleanup — you literally pick up the liner and toss it away):

      1. Buffalo Chicken Dip (Crockpot)
      2. Cookie Dough Dip
      3. Cinnamon Swirl Banana Bread
      4. Strawberry (or any flavor, really) Rice Krispie Treats
      5. Spinach Artichoke Dip (Crockpot)
      6. Pizza Dip

      I’m sure I can come up with others, but this is what popped up on the top of my head.

    320. Sam Von Schmamm*

      I suggest staying away from desserts. There’s always a plethora of them. I suggest doing something vegetarian, like my recipe for quinoa salad- 1 c cooked quinoa, 1 can black beans, 1 can corn, pint +/- sliced grape tomatoes, 1 diced avocado, chopped cilantro, lime juice, S&P. If you’re not customer facing, throw in some diced red onion. Mix and serve. You can sauté some chicken and serve it on the side. It’s wildly popular, even among the carnivores, even if you don’t serve it with a side of chicken. Good luck!

    322. Margaery Tyrell*

      I’m going link-heavy since I rely on my food blog go-tos for some of these and hope this can be helpful! Apologies in advance to Alison haha.

      BREAKFAST/DESSERT
      * Quiche / frittata is relatively straightforward. If you pre-buy the crust, quiche muffins come together pretty quickly: https://www.culinaryhill.com/quiche-muffins/
      * Banana bread (esp with chocolate chips) is always an easy quick hit! You can make it gf by using 1:1 AP replacement flour (my go-to is King Arthur’s).
      * I’ve made Buzzfeed’s Choco Chip cookies for work functions for years, and they always go quick: https://www.buzzfeed.com/lindsayhunt/ultimate-chocolate-chip-cookies
      * It’s a *bit* of prep work, but once it goes in the skillet, any kind of hash comes together pretty quickly: https://smittenkitchen.com/2010/05/spring-asparagus-pancetta-hash/

      SIDES
      * I’m a fan of an herb-sauce (rather than mayo) potato salad: https://cookieandkate.com/herbed-potato-salad-recipe/
      * Chinese-style Pickled cucumbers and/or smashed cucumbers are bright & refreshing https://thewoksoflife.com/smashed-asian-cucumber-salad/
      * Roasted brussels are a toss-in-the-oven and finish with sauce kinda deal https://cafedelites.com/roasted-brussels-sprouts/
      * Buy a baguette, and you can make fresh garlic bread pretty quickly https://www.twopeasandtheirpod.com/garlic-bread/

      MAINS
      * Other people have said so but 1000% mac & cheese. Sub pasta for quinoa if you need to make it gluten-free.
      * TBH it can be a bit of work (veg prep), but ratatouille is essentially a vegetable stew you can ignore for a bit https://cookieandkate.com/best-ratatouille-recipe/

      Good luck OP + all you potluck cooks!

    323. BatManDan*

      Pineapple cheese bake:
      Casserole dish
      – layer of pineapple chunks
      – layer of sugar
      -layer of flower
      -layer of cheddar
      -layer of crushed Ritz
      -melted butter
      Bake at 350 for 20 minutes
      Don’t have to measure any of it. Can mix and bake “on site” if there is an oven. Reheats well. Dessert, side dish, appetizer.

    324. Umiel12*

      Ham & Cheese Roll Ups – I have taken these to many potlucks, and they always get gobbled up.
      Two cans of Pillsbury Crescent rolls
      Sliced Swiss cheese
      Sliced ham (like for sandwiches)
      Dijon Mustard
      Take the crescent roll dough out of the can. Each sheet will be perforated to make triangles. Squeeze together the perforated seam to make one sheet of dough. Spread one side with mustard, place one or two slices of ham ove the mustard, and then place one or two slices of cheese. Roll it up into a log, and then slice it into six or eight pieces. Cook in oven following package directions.

    325. Chirpy*

      I love these suggestions as I never know what to bring…the stuff I like to make doesn’t travel well or isn’t worth it to my coworkers or isn’t their tastes…

      The one thing I make that people always love is sugared cranberries. It’s super simple, just cranberries soaked in a sugar syrup, then rolled in sugar, so no allergies. It is a fall/winter only thing though as you do need fresh cranberries (frozen won’t work).

      A good easy summer thing is Arabic Salad, which is just finely diced tomatoes, cucumber, fresh parsley, olive oil, lemon juice, and salt. You do need quality ingredients or it’s super bland (particularly, I use heirloom tomatoes and good olive oil). Sometimes it goes over well, but I’ve had coworkers think it’s the weirdest thing ever. (Then again, those people voted for the most watery, bland, lame chili in our chili contest, so, YMMV.)

      1. Chirpy*

        I should add- the Arabic Salad is de-seed the tomatoes, then dice. You want approximately equal amounts of tomatoes to cucumber. Green peppers can be added as well. I don’t know if it has another name, but I had it for the first time in Jordan and that’s what the recipe I found online afterwards called it.

    326. Kit*

      This one is so simple even I, who do not cook, managed rave reviews when I brought it to work: Veggie pinwheels!
      Ingredients:
      * Large tortillas (at least 12″ across, plain flour or whatever variety strikes your fancy will be fine)
      * 1 pack cream cheese (or Neufchatel, if you want to be lower-fat about it)
      * 1 packet powdered ranch dressing mix
      * assorted fresh veggies that are good to eat raw and not too moisture-heavy (I usually do broccoli and cauliflower, and my mum adds carrots)

      Mix minced veggies, cream cheese, and ranch dressing thoroughly. Spread the mixture evenly across the tortillas; roll each tortilla into a tube. Refrigerate for ~30 mins or until firm, then slice into wheels. I usually plate so that the pinwheel design is visible, and also taste-test the ends, which are never attractive enough to serve (but still taste just fine).

      These look much fancier than they actually are, and are also great for kid-friendly hors d’oeuvres, despite containing Actual Vegetables. (Cream cheese and ranch dressing mix help a lot, to be fair.)

    327. Jack Straw from Wichita*

      Pull Apart Pizza Bread are delicious warm out of the oven or cold. All you need is frozen dinner roll dough, shredded cheese, Italian seasoning, oil, and pepperoni or other toppings. Pop them in muffin tons and you have a delicious, shareable snack!

      This is the base that I use, but changing things around is easy. Just make sure you anticipate the water in veggies cooking out and either dry them as much as possible or sauté beforehand. https://tiphero.com/pull-apart-pizza-muffins

    328. Krbgal*

      A personal favorite at work is a cake I found on Allrecipes called Too Much Chocolate Cake. It’s a one bowl recipe where you mix devil’s food cake mix, pudding mix, sour cream, eggs, and oil together (chocolate chips are optional). Throw it into a bundt pan and cook for about an hour. The pudding mix and devil’s food cake mix makes it super moist for days.

      I personally find it pretty simple, but I’m used to some baking ideas taking hours and a lot of prep time.

    329. the deal*

      I have a wonderful fresh salsa recipe that’s great with tortilla chips or as a side. (I’ve also been known to use as filling or on scrambled eggs, but not for a pot luck.)
      1 15oz can black beans, drained and rinsed
      1 15 oz can Cannellini beans, drained and rinsed
      1 1/2 c frozen corn
      1 c chopped red bell pepper
      3/4 chopped white or red onion
      3/4 chicken or vegetable broth
      2 T fresh squeezed lime juice
      1 t dried oregano
      1T chili powder
      3 cloves garlic, minced
      1 1/2 t ground cumin
      1 t salt
      t ground pepper
      Combine and toss all ingredients in large bowl to coat, cover and refrigerate at least one hour – but better overnight. Oh so good and can be made vegetarian! I also like to use fresh corn in season – blanch before cutting off the cob – but good using frozen too.

    330. works with realtors*

      We have quarterly potlucks and always do some sort of theme that allows people varying levels of participation. This quarter’s was a “salad spin-off,” so we had pasta salads, potato salads, fruit salads, bean salads, etc.

    331. Jerusha*

      Green slime!

      This is my family’s variation on the spinach dip from the Knorr’s soup packet. Ours tends to be much stiffer and more spinach-heavy than the packet recipe.

      Recipe:
      1 packet Knorr Vegetable soup mix
      1 cup mayonnaise
      1 cup sour cream
      1 6-oz can water chestnuts, diced
      1 small or 1/2 medium sweet onion, diced (red or sweet yellow is fine)
      1 14-oz bag or 2 10-oz bricks of frozen chopped spinach, thawed and drained

      You can make this all the same day, but you’ll get better flavor if you at least mix the soup mix, mayo, and sour cream the night before to let all the bits in the soup mix rehydrate. Plus it’s easier to get it mixed thoroughly when you’re not fighting your way through a mound of spinach.

      Procedure:
      0. Put your spinach in the fridge to thaw. I suggest putting the package(s) in a bowl, not on a plate – it’ll start leaking water like mad as it thaws
      1. Mix sour cream, mayonnaise, and soup mix in a large bowl. Let sit overnight in the fridge, if possible
      2. Dice water chestnuts (unless you found a can of pre-diced) and onion. Add to mixture from Step 1 and mix thoroughly. This can go in overnight or be added just before the spinach.
      3. Take your thawed spinach and wring it dry. Really dry. As dry as humanly possible. I usually wring it down to the point that I have to manually re-shred it when adding it to the other ingredients.
      4. Mix the spinach into the other ingredients.
      5. Serve it forth. For quick and easy, sturdy crackers like Triscuits or Wheat Thins. (Alas! for no longer being able to get rye Triscuits!). For fancy, serve in a bread bowl. Get a round loaf of crusty bread from the store/bakery/Panera [or bake your own, but the point of this was quick and easy]. Cut the top 1/4 to 1/3 off, pull the bread out of the middle and tear into bite-sized chunks, and dice the portion you removed.

      Allergy/dietary restrictions:
      As it stands, suitable for vegetarians. Can be made dairy-free or vegan with reasonable substitution.
      Ingredients are (to the best of my gentile knowledge) kosher-compatible, however the soup mix isn’t certified kosher.
      Some people react to components of the soup mix – the likely culprits seem to be the yeast extract and various other give-it-umami ingredients. I don’t have a good substitute for this.
      I have used Tofutti fake sour cream when making the product for a person with a dairy allergy, and found the end result to be indistinguishable from the dairy version.
      I have not tried to make it with a vegan mayonnaise, but I imagine it would be fine if the texture is fairly similar to egg-based mayo.

    332. Lisa*

      Guacamole!!! Homemade guacamole is quite easy and is so much better than the pre-made stuff. Just be sure to buy the avocados a few days in advance so that they ripen, and put saran wrap directly touching the top of the guac so it doesn’t brown on the way to work. Make a big bowl (like 8-12 avocados) and bring some tortilla chips (with a bowl to put them in so it looks nicer) and you’re set. It’s not a budget option, but it is easy, vegan, free from the 8 major allergens (though some people are allergic to corn, I think), and always a huge hit!

      1. AttackKitten*

        Homemade hummus and babaganoush are also super simple and way better than store bought. You can also buy pitas and make them into chips in the air fryer. Even salsa is crazy easy.

    334. wine dude*

      Shoot, anything you can do in a crock pot. Like – get a big bag of frozen meatballs and heat them up in your simple yet tasty secret BBQ sauce. Or the easiest sauce is equal parts ketchup and grape jelly.

    335. cassie n*

      judging from the replies, i take it potlucks are wildly popular lol

      i used to make alfredo nachos, all homemade. nobody knew nachos could even be made with alfredo. i brought toppings such as black olives, mini pepperoni, sausage, onions, mushrooms, etc.

      my entire crock pot was empty within 15 minutes!

    336. COBOL Dinosaur*

      Depending on the time of year a watermelon, cucumber and feta salad is good. Another dish I make that is always a huge hit is ‘Cowboy Caviar’

    337. Cedrus Libani*

      I make Jalapeno Popper Dip regularly; my family insists that I make it for every get-together.

      2 blocks (16 oz) cream cheese, softened
      3/4 cup shredded cheddar *
      3/4 cup shredded mozzarella *
      1 cup mayonnaise
      4-6 jalapenos, de-seeded and chopped fine **
      4 green onions, chopped fine **
      two pinches of salt

      * often replaced with quesadilla cheese blend
      ** just throw them in the food processor

      Preferred method: Take all of the above, mix them together in an oven-safe container, and then bake until warm and melty (20-30 minutes at 350F). I then cover the container with foil, swaddle it in some towels, and carry it where it needs to go. It will hold like that for a couple of hours.

      Alternative method, for when you need to be at work several hours before the event: Take all of the above, mix them together in a Crock Pot, and leave it in the fridge until safely chilled. (Food safety 101: nobody likes lukewarm mayonnaise, keep it hot or cold.) About an hour before the event, turn the Crock Pot to low and let the dip get warm and melty.

    338. anon recipe times*

      I think this is fairly simple, and it’s one I love to make for potlucks since it’s easy to make and usually the only thing like it at the ones I’ve attended! It’s not a very healthy recipe, but you could probably cut back the sugar/reserved bacon grease if you wanted! It’s a pretty forgiving recipe honestly, and you could easily make more for bigger events (might have to make it in batches, depending on the size of your cooking implements). You don’t even really need extra things to serve it with – a crock pot to store/keep it warm, a slotted spoon to serve (slotted is helpful, this can get a bit soupy near the bottom of the pot), and it’s just meant to be eaten on its own as a side, so no need for like, crackers or anything (I don’t think it’d stay on a cracker, but maybe slices of french bread or something if you really wanted?)

      Ingredients:
      -two 14.5oz cans of stewed, diced tomatoes (I’ve only used plain, or the kind with bell peppers already in it, I’m not sure how this would taste with some of the pre-seasoned varieties?)
      -1 lb of bacon (I prefer thick cut, but use what you like!)
      -1 cup of sugar (if you want it less sweet, you can cut it back some!)
      -one 32oz jar of sauerkraut (I prefer to rinse and drain it first, which makes the kraut flavor milder)

      Instructions:
      1. Chop the bacon into small pieces and cook it until done, reserve about half the bacon grease (if you have particularly oily bacon or don’t want as much grease, maybe keep less, but reserve at least enough for step 2)

      2. Set the bacon aside on some paper towels to drain, pour the sugar into the oil in the pan and mix over low heat until all dissolved.

      3. Combine all ingredients in pan (or, if you don’t have a big enough pan, move everything to a suitably-sized cookpot!) over low heat, mix until well combined.

      4. It’s ready to serve! I prefer to keep it in a crock pot for potlucks, as it keeps everything contained and at a good temperature.

      (I think the leftovers are delicious cold, but it’s definitely best warm so that’s how I’d suggest serving it to other people)

    339. Not a moose*

      For apps a classic formula is “something over cream cheese” with crackers. Pepper jelly, chutney, a homemade relish and things like that are good.

      For an entree: quiche. It’s easy but people still find it impressive. You can make it vegetarian or with meat. It’s pretty cheap, depending on what filling you use. You can even use pre-made crust in a foil pan if you worry about losing your dish. Or make little frittatas in a muffin pan if you want individual servings.

    340. Esmeralda Fitzmonster*

      A bag of rainbow slaw tossed with carrot ginger or peanut dressing (homemade or store bought,) plain or with shredded rotisserie chicken. Or falafel meatballs- made from a mix, baked in the oven, with dill -cucumber yogurt sauce. These are my go-tos and they are different enough that nobody brings the dance thing, but still appealing to most.

    341. Not your typical admin*

      My super easy go to for potlucks is crockpot meatballs. I grab a bag of frozen meatballs, bbq sauce, and a jar of grape jelly. Plug it in on high in the morning and it’s ready by lunch. I never have any leftovers.

    342. Spoo*

      Costco BBQ pork. It’s like $6 a package and it’s always gone at the end. I do add more hot mustard and sesame seeds than what comes with it. Slice it up the night before into a gallon ziplock put the sauces in small disposable bowls and it just takes minutes to serve. No reheating and no dishes to take home

    343. Somebody blonde*

      If you can get Mochiko, homemade mochi are both insanely easy but seem impressive at potlucks.
      My aunt always does prosciutto-wrapped asparagus, which is also pretty easy.

    344. SaraSci*

      If you know you can access an outlet, most things in a slowcooker/crockpot are very non labor intensive. You can do soups, chili’s, dips, desserts, or whatever you want. Crockpot barbacoa and tortillas will make you lots of friends haha.

    345. Selphie Trabia*

      I do a really good appetiser that always gets eaten completely.

      INGREDIENTS:
      Pastry sheets
      500g Frozen spinach
      200 ml sour cream
      1 packet powdered cream of whatever soup with no noodles
      Shredded cheddar cheese.

      METHOD
      1. Nuke frozen spinach in microwave until steamy hot
      2. Add soup powder and mix thoroughly. Leave to cool.
      3. Add sour cream and mix thoroughly
      4. Cut pastry sheets into 9 squares each.
      5. One spoon of spinach mix in the centre of each square and sprinkle cheddar cheese on top.
      6. Fold edges in on pastry squares to make little blanket wraps.
      7. Bake as per pastry sheet instructions.

    346. Mac*

      I am loving all these suggestions!

      The thing I will always go for first if I see it at a potluck is just simple ziti/corkscrew pasta in pesto, with maybe some fresh mozzarella balls or cherry tomatoes in it, but honestly, just pasta with homemade pesto is a slam dunk as far as I’m concerned.

      The 3 things I’ve brought to potlucks that have gotten good feedback are:

      -Fruit salad, whatever’s in season (I kick it up with a bit of grated fresh ginger and a drizzle of orange blossom water)

      -Forbidden black rice salad (I don’t remember where I got the original recipe, but basically you cook the rice, add whatever pre-cooked veggies &/or fruits you like –I’m partial to a sweet potato+apple+snap pea situation– and toss with a pretty simple dressing that’s basically miso, roughly mortered/food-processored black sesame seeds –or tahini also works fine, garlic, mirin, and rice vinegar with maybe some warm water to thin. Garnish with a sprinkle of white sesame seeds so that it looks like a starry sky, and be prepared for only the more adventurous eaters to try it.)

      -My own Puerto Rican take on sushi, which is very picnic friendly because no fish. It takes a little prep time in terms of sourcing the ingredients if you’re not the kinda nerd who eats both nori and plantains regularly, but when you go to make it it’s pretty easy:

      Cook sushi rice and season it (if you can get your hands on the powdered sushi vinegar “Sushi no Ko”, that’s a great shortcut right there– I usually find it at Hmart, but I’ve seen it in other Asian groceries).

      Take overripe (sweet) plantains and cut into strips; fry in olive oil or butter until burnt and crispy on the edges. Take your sushi nori (seaweed sheet), squish some rice on there, add ripe avocado and your plantain strips, roll it up & slice it, and you will end up with sweet-savory morsels that are weird but scrumptious. For a heartier version with more crunch, I will also sometimes mix a few spoonfuls of canned corn into the rice before I put it on the nori (tho this does make the rice wetter, so the nori will wilt. But I think it still tastes good.) I haven’t yet tried a squeeze of lime to prevent the avocado going brown, because I’m just not that fussy, but please, experiment away!

    348. Raida*

      I do things that take maximum one mixing bowl.
      Brownies are a big hit – don’t ice them, doesn’t matter how they’re cut up, bring them in still in the tray they were baked in.
      Carrot & Zucchini Slice – basically a lot of eggs, carrot, zucchini, cheese, bit of onion and ham and oil. If you’ve got an electric method of grating it’s a dead easy recipe, good cooked thin, good hot or cold as finger food.

    349. NB*

      I always like to contribute some thing that doesn’t require refrigeration to stay safe, and one of my favorites is a black bean and corn salad. Filling, delicious, and easy to make.

    350. Miss Muffet*

      My go to is Alton Brown’s Moo-Less Chocolate Pie. It’s super rich and creamy (and made with silken tofu, but no one can ever tell). Super easy – just mix the things in the blender and pour into a pre-made crust and chill overnight. I leave the coffee out if I need to make it halal. People LOVE it!

  2. CatCat*

    “Thanks for following up with me. I teach Advanced Llama Grooming at X University so I’ll add this to my pool of resources for students new to the subject.”

    Smooooooooth!

      1. bamcheeks*

        Honestly I think this is a very high-key burn. It’s satisfying but I f this is someone the OP needs to keep onside, I don’t think this Hoi my to do it. It’s a full-on smack down!

        It’s one of those situations where the other person has done something so insulting that it’s hard to call it out without being offensive. But I think the least bridge-burny thing is to give them the benefit of the doubt and assume it’s a genuine mistake, and address it as such. “Many thanks, but I think there’s a misunderstanding — my qualifications are XYZ, and my experience is ABC. This is actually the kind of resource I use with my students!

        1. Striped Sandwiches*

          I get this sometimes. I’ll say ‘I have a class tonight’. Oh, what are you studying? It’s very satisfying to say ‘Actually I’m the teacher’.

        2. BubbleTea*

          I disagree – Alison’s response allows the patroniser to save face (because it is what you’d say if you believed the sender had intended it as a resource for your students and you’d never even considered that they might be assuming incompetence) and your suggestion makes it plain there was not just a mistake but it was noticed.

          1. MK*

            Eh, if the patroniser made it obvious that they doubted the OP’s credentials, it doesn’t actually allow them to save face, it comes off as passive-agressive.

            1. Richard Hershberger*

              It totally is passive aggressive. People tend to take that as an automatic negative, but passive aggressiveness has its place.

              1. bamcheeks*

                Yeah, I completely agree that passive-aggression has its place– its place is when you’re comfortable with the aggressive part of passive-aggressive, and recognise that it might destroy a relationship just like any other form of aggression. Maybe this is that place for OP! I think if it’s safe and appropriate to damage the relationship then it’s a great response. It’s the people saying, “this isn’t passive aggressive, it’s allowing the recipient to save face” that baffle me.

                1. bamcheeks*

                  (And by “baffle”, I mean I think this is a cultural value that I just don’t share.)

                2. Myrin*

                  I agree with every one of your points and am fascinated by the different views on this matter.

                  Like you, it’s not that I wouldn’t ever use a response along those lines, but it would have to be in a situation where I wanted to be rude, possibly with the intention of severing ties.

                  I think what pushes this firmly out of “saving face” territory for me is the fact that you can’t at least pretend that the panel member meant her email the way OP’s response interprets it. That really is key to me here.
                  If OP says “I think there’s been a misunderstanding”, then that could actually be true! From everything else she’s said, that doesn’t seem to be the case – the panel member’s behaviour sounds boorish, condescending, and way too aggressive. But theoretically, she could’ve completely misunderstood OP’s role or at least the depth of her experience.
                  Her email to OP, on the other hand, can not in any way be interpreted as something she sent for OP to forward to her students; there’s no plausible deniability, basically, and I really think that that’s a key ingredient to any kind of face-saving scheme.

                3. Richard Hershberger*

                  Here is a real-world example. A couple of years ago a new neighbor moved in next to me. These are connected townhouses with fenced back yards. His unit also has an upper-level deck that overlooks my back yard. This is not great, but I can live with it. What I couldn’t live with was New Guy and his buddies sitting on that deck and tossing empty beer cans and cigarette butts into my yard. What were my options? I could have knocked on his door and told him to stop it, but I didn’t want to do this. It would have a lot of potential to make things worse, and it isn’t as if he didn’t know he shouldn’t be doing this. And frankly, his poor behavior should not impose on me an obligation to do something I didn’t want to do. So instead, I would go out into the yard early in the morning, and toss the empties and the butts back over the fence. This was entirely successful. He stopped doing it, and we have never spoken of it. We are never going to be buddies, but we now have a civil neighborly relationship. Total win. Would the direct approach have been as successful. Maybe, but maybe not.

                4. Observer*

                  I don’t think that one could credibly say that “I think there was a mistake” because it’s very obvious that it wasn’t an honest mistake.

                  I don’t think that what Alison suggested saves face in the sense of anyone actually thinking that this was the original intention. But what it DOES do is say “Look, you are hugely overstepping and it’s time for this to stop. If you are up for pretending to be respectful, I’ll play along and let you save face in public.”

              2. MK*

                I disagree that passive-aggressiveness isn’t an automatic negative. If you care about maintaining a cordial relationship, it will sabotage that just as much as raising the issue in a straightforward way. If you don’t, what exactly are you gaining by getting in a not-really-subtle dig instead of raising the issue in a straightforward way?

              4. Artemesia*

                There is no way to respond to this that is not either passive aggressive or aggressive. This is a face saving passive aggressive — ‘that sounds like a great resource for my students, thanks.’ Saying ACTUAAALY. I am an expert blah blah is direct and more aggressive.

                So passive aggressive, aggressive or ignore. Not a lot of good choices.

                1. I'm LW 1!*

                  I’m going with Alison’s idea. I think passive aggressive will go over better in my field.

            2. Just Your Everyday Crone*

              For people who find it passive aggressive but think, a more direct correction would be fine, what’s the “aggressive” part of Alison’s script? Both of them say, actually, I’m an expert, but that message is considered aggressive in one but not the other?

              1. Lydia*

                I feel like it’s seen as aggressive by people who may be uncomfortable with standing up for themselves, or see correction as inherently rude. It can be rude (Do you even know who I am?), but in this case, it’s not aggressive and it’s not rude. Or even who think niceness and politeness mean keeping quiet when that isn’t true.

                1. MK*

                  I doubt the people who think a more direct correction would be fine are the ones uncomfortable with standing up for themselves.

                2. Loulou*

                  I don’t see correction as inherently rude, and it sounds like this particular person has been very rude to OP. But I would only use Alison’s response in a situation where someone had been very rude to me. Simply sending a rudimentary resource to an expert alone, without the other behavior, wouldn’t merit that response. Non experts often have no idea what is basic to an expert.

              2. MK*

                In my view, a direct correction, when delivered politely, is neutral. You didn’t know I was an expert, so you acted on the assumption that I wasn’t, I am telling you I am an expert, so that we can move on with the correct knowledge. Not aggressive.

                The script, a.k.a. pretending to think you knew I was an expert and meant something completely different when you treated me as if I wasn’t qualified, when we both know it’s not the case, can come across as a convoluted dig or sarcastic or even mocking, especially in email, when there is no way to read tone. It’s like entering a game of pretend while trying to be sassy, plus you are assuning the other person can’t take a simple correction like an adult.

                2. PeanutButter*

                  But the direct correction can be recounted in a way that doesn’t *seem* neutral, while still quoting OP verbatim.

                  Unless the panel member straight up lies about what the LW said in response (if LW takes Alison’s advice), there’s no way the panel member can twist a perfectly polite “Thank you for these resources, my students are going to love them!” into LW being rude/abrupt/”too sensitive” etc. to anyone else.

                  I have been inadvertently rude/insulting/etc due to internal biases/faulty assumptions/incomplete information/sometimes just not being the best person, and have received responses like Alison suggested. They provided the necessary correction (and shame for how I’d just realized I was behaving) and also extended a gracious social fiction we could agree on to move forward from my missteps.

                3. Unaccountably*

                  I think I’d respond the same way to Alison’s wording as PeanutButter, assuming I’d made the assumption in good faith and gotten overly enthusiastic about sharing resources. (This has happened.) Like, oops, but now I know better and it allows me to pretend I knew all along.

              3. Unaccountably*

                I can’t even decide now. I agree with everyone on both sides.

                All I can contribute is this. I would send the “I think there’s been a misunderstanding” email if I legitimately thought there had been a misunderstanding and the person was just having a bad brain day, as we all do. I might also send it to someone I legitimately disliked but couldn’t offend, like a client.

                Alison’s response is the one I would send instead of literally writing out “Bless your heart.” I would send it with malice aforethought. It would take the place of writing “Dear Mx Dunning-Krueger: How cute that you don’t know the difference between someone with a basic understanding of llama grooming (like yours) and an expert! I will send your little articles to my students, who are also at an introductory knowledge level just like you, and maybe it will help them go from 0 understanding to ‘I took a 101 level class on this in college’ level of understanding. Thanks!”

                1. I’m LW1!*

                  I don’t think it was a misunderstanding. If nothing else, the years I have worked should have been a clue I did not need Llamas 101.

              4. bamcheeks*

                I don’t think saying, “you’ve made a mistake, I actually have this level of expertise”. Pointing out a mistake or correcting an error directly aren’t aggressive to me: none of them is intended to make the other person feel bad about themselves, just to correct a factual error so that you can both do your job more effectively.

                The aggressive part of Alison’s script to me is that it’s designed to make the other person feel bad about what they did. To me, it’s saying, “what you did [fail to recognise my expertise] was so insulting that I can’t even directly acknowledge that it happened, I need to correct you but it’s so bad I would embarrass us both by naming it”.

            3. Lydia*

              That’s okay. This person will 100% continue to disrespect the OP if they aren’t corrected, which will probably damage that relationship even more over time. It is completely all right to establish your expertise in a situation where you are being undermined, especially since the OP would be correcting in private after being undermined in public. Maintaining relationships you need isn’t always about shutting up and taking the disrespect. This is especially the case if the OP is a woman and/or BIPOC and the rude person is white.

              1. After 33 years ...*

                IMO, this person will 100% continue to disrespect the OP. (period). While it can matter if you are young / female /BIPOC, it’s happened to old / male / white me on more occasions than I care to remember. If the subject is adaptation to climate change, the offered resource is typically “Climate change does not exist, read this and be enlightened”. (Similar responses for other contentious matters). Introducing yourself, sending your publications, etc., doesn’t work.
                OP, please consider disengaging for your own peace of mind.

                1. Artemesia*

                  Climate change denial is not however a parallel with this condescension towards the OP. One is a sort of mansplaining assumption that this girl can’t possibly know anything. The other is conspiracy loon — not the same sort of push back at all.

                2. After 33 years ...*

                  Apologies Artemisia , I can’t nest to your comment. That’s one topic example – unfortunately I’ve got others – including some that generally wouldn’t be thought of as contentious. Condescension, the assumption that an academic as speaker can’t know anything, isn’t confined to conspiracy types. It’s something I’ve experienced, and I’ve allowed it to upset me too many times in the past.

                3. thelettermegan*

                  In a work environment, though? OP doesn’t have to take it personally (nor should she) but it’s in her best interests to clarify her credentials, and at the very least, start a paper trail.

                  We put up with all sorts of stuff in the messy real world, but the sensory-deprivation cubicles where we’re supposed to be most productive should protect us from continued disrespect/misunderstandings.

              2. Hippeas*

                This is exactly what I came here to say. Thank you for saying it so eloquently. This relationship is already ruined – by the other person. OP’s standing up for herself may be the one thing that makes that boor respect her.

              3. Mr. Shark*

                The rude person is a woman, fyi. So I’m not sure how much woman optics comes into this scenario, although as you say, it could be BIPOC in nature if that is a factor.

                1. Unaccountably*

                  Well, women can be misogynist too, and we can also be just outright rude and condescending to other women.

                  Not all relationships are worth saving. I know some professors who are like the rude person here, and when I learn that someone has a great relationship with them I am inclined to give them the side-eye.

          2. bamcheeks*

            I think this is probably one of those big cultural differences like Ask/Offer, where “it’s ruder to directly call out a mistake” and “it’s ruder to pretend the mistake was so insulting you can’t even name it and have to pretend they couldn’t possibly have meant that” collide.

            For me, anything which has a “hidden burn” is much ruder and more aggressive. I would find it very hard to build a positive relationship with a person who sent that.

            1. Irish Teacher*

              Yeah, I definitely think it could be cultural. It strikes me as quite an Irish thing to do. It amuses me a little watching British versus Irish talent typed shows where the British can be quite critical, to the point of saying “you can’t sing,” whereas, well, one memorable example on an Irish show was “I really like your shoes.” Translation: I don’t like anything else about your act but I don’t want to insult you on TV. I was actually at a show once where I was sitting close enough to the stage to hear the judges chatting in the break and there was one English judge and one of the Irish judges was trying to explain to her that…she isn’t actually supposed to criticise acts. Her response was that she thought it better to be honest or what was the point? She finally compromised that she would choose just one thing to point out if she thought an act had multiple flaws. Now, obviously those were two people and don’t necessarily represent full countries, but…it was an interesting conversation.

              I think with Ireland, part of it is that the country is so small. It is very likely you will meet people again or that you know members of their family/have friends in common, so…plausible deniability becomes necessary in a way it might not be in a larger country. History of colonialism probably also plays a part. Back in the 19th century, being passive aggressive (for example, singing anti-British songs in Irish when the British soldiers were passing) was a good way of making one’s point without giving them any justification to arrest or kill the person – there’s actually a part in I think it’s Peig, where this old man comes back boasting about how the British arrested him for nothing but singing a song and couldn’t make any charges stick because there was no law against that.

              For me, it sort of depends. I don’t like hidden burns, but…I wouldn’t really consider this a hidden burn. It’s just a hidden “I actually have those qualifications.” What I dislike is when the burn is hidden so you can’t defend yourself, like “it’s such a pity that SOME people get promoted without even having the correct qualifications” and if you say you HAVE the qualifications, they smirk with the “how did you know I was talking about you, so? Clearly you are missing qualification or you wouldn’t know” and if you say nothing, well, that proves you don’t have them because if you did, you’d have defended yourself. It’s heads they win, tails you lose and that is what I consider passive aggressive.

              This strikes me as on a par with saying “actually, I have those qualifications.” I don’t see it as ruder or less rude, more or less aggressive. Yeah, it’s a more passive way of doing it, but…I’d only consider it passive aggressive if the alternative was aggressive and I don’t think pointing out their mistake is. I can see how it could be considered passive aggressive, but…I feel that implies that telling them you have the qualification is aggressive. If I got either of those replies, I would be embarrassed and probably feel I should contact the person to apologise. Whether they did, “oh, that will be of use with my students” or “actually, I teach this topic,” I’d see the problem as with me, that I was wrong and they were simply putting the matter straight. The only difference is I might be less inclined to apologise if they did the “I’ll pass this on to my students” as I might be HOPING they thought that was what I meant it for.

              1. bamcheeks*

                There are definitely places where Ireland is more indirect than England, but this isn’t plausible deniability to me! Plausible deniability is, “it’s possible you were being straight up rude (or racist/sexist) in denying my credentials; I’m giving you the benefit of the doubt and assuming it was just a misunderstanding.” “The idea that you might have misunderstood my credentials is so horrifying and embarrassing to both of us that I’m going to concoct a story that both of us knows isn’t true” feels to me like making a much, much bigger deal of something than it needs to be!

                1. Leenie*

                  But Alison’s response doesn’t pretend that the sender intended it for the students at all. It’s simply saying that’s who the recipient would use it for. I don’t actually see that much daylight between your suggestion and her original one. Hers is more curt. But they’re both essentially saying, I can’t use this because it’s beneath my level (here are my qualifications), so I’ll share it with my students.

                2. Heather*

                  Completely agree. The professional and kind thing to do is assume that the person has made a mistake and say “actually, I know what I’m talking about”. Going all snarky with “oh, bless your heart for sending this for my students” is completely unnecessary.

              2. Verthandi*

                I suppose with hidden burns like “It’s a pity that SOME people….” you could ignore the stresses that make it insulting and the subtext that it’s directed at you and treat it literally.

                Go off script. Agree with them. It’s true that it’s a pity, but it’s not true that you are the SOME people being referenced. They might not know how to respond to that. Mission accomplished.

              3. thelettermegan*

                I think this really explains what was so powerful about Allison’s script – it doesn’t require an apology as a reply. The offender can just do better next time and then whole incident can be forgiven/forgotten without making more work out of it.

                1. bamcheeks*

                  I would MUCH rather receive a direct correction that gave me an opportunity to apologise than a snide dig that assumed I wouldn’t want to apologise!

              4. Beany*

                I’m impressed/horrified you managed to connect this to Peig. Don’t tell me I’m going to have to read that book again after 30+ years (if I do, it’ll be an English translation).

            2. Meep*

              To be fair, it sounds like the woman emailing OP is adapt at burning bridges if this is how she talks to people she barely knows.

              1. Puggie Mom*

                I agree. Who takes it upon themselves to send an unsolicited email like that to someone they barely know. The panel member is being passive aggressive to the OP, imo. If the OP responds in kind, so be it.

                IOW – (and I know this is childish, but…) The other panel member “”started it.”

                OP – respond in kind – tit for tat

              2. Unaccountably*

                Yes, you don’t send someone an email like this if you’re interested in maintaining a professional relationship with them.

        3. Miss Pantalones En Fuego*

          Yeah I wouldn’t do this either. I’d either ignore it or just give a bland “thank you” response. Saying “I’ll pass it on to my students, don’t you know I’m an expert” seems way too snarky if you want to cultivate a relationship with this person.

          As someone who has failed to convey my expertise in a professional situation and then got treated as a newbie in a very patronising way before my feeling is that somehow the OP didn’t do as good a job at showing their expertise as they thought. My takeaway is that rather than throwing their credentials around, they should tweak their presentation to give more background on their previous work on the subject. And honestly look at their speaking skills. Did they inadvertantly give the impression they were inexperienced through using too many ums and ahs or something like that? I once worked with someone who did a lot of brilliant research but in every presentation they said “and stuff” after almost every sentence and it gave the impression that they didn’t really know what they were talking about.

          1. MK*

            Unfortunately, with someone unreasonable enough saying nothing is also dangerous. If the OP allows this person to go on thinking that they are unqualified, they may well mention it to others who do know the truth and made to look/feel like a fool. And then they won’t blame themselves for jumping to conclusions, they will blame the OP for not correcting them.

            1. Emmy Noether*

              Or, worse, they’ll mention it to someone who doesn’t know the truth and be believed.

          2. Cat Lover*

            Ehhhh, personally I like Alison’s response, mostly because of someone acted rudely during a presentation, there is no way I wouldn’t respond, LOL. Giving a bland “thank you” response signals that they are right about the expertise, and that’s not helpful for anyone.

          3. sofar*

            Based on the letter and feedback LW got from others, I don’t think the presentation was the issue here. And, even if LW somehow left this person unaware of her expertise, it’s still wildly inappropriate of this person to send an email with “resources” and unsolicited attempts to teach.

            LW has a long career ahead of her, and these are the things you have to nip in the bud as soon as possible. Early on in my career, I accepted “help” from someone who knew less about my area than I did, just to be polite, said “thank you” every time he gave me condescending help. And it backfired on me, as it indirectly communicated to others that I wasn’t confident in my own expertise. And someone who doubts you from the beginning isn’t going to be much help to you anyway.

            1. Mr. Shark*

              Right. I think if she didn’t send the e-mail to the LW, then it’s okay to just leave it alone and not respond.

              But once she sent the e-mail to the LW, the LW definitely should respond and make it clear that she’s a SME in that field, and is well aware of the information that person has sent her.

              So I like Alison’s response. It is not so “in your face” that the person who sent the e-mail is a complete jerk, but it’s also very obvious that the LW has expertise in the area and does not need the condescending coaching from that person.

          4. Flash Packet*

            Nah. Everyone else on the panel was able to figure out hat OP is an expert. It’s just this one person, which tells me it’s a Them problem, not an OP problem.

          5. The OTHER Other*

            Good points about whether maybe OP is undermining her own authority by either not giving her background or perhaps not using a tone of certainty, but LW says they got compliments from other board members.

            I don’t think the OP does want to cultivate a relationship with this person, they just don’t want to destroy the relationship outright.

            IMO many of the comments are worrying far too much about the feelings of the rude board member and whether her “face” is saved. Personally I would probably ignore the email or reply with a forthright “I teach advanced llama grooming, why are you sending me articles about what a llama is?” but that’s me, I think Alison’s suggestion fits OP much better.

          6. I'm LW 1!*

            I don’t think that was it. I was, in essence, asking the panel to devote some of a resource to a project. The skeptical person has a reputation, people told me later, of NEVER wanting to spend any resources on anything and comes in looking for reasons to say no. She’s done it to basically everyone for the past six months per someone else on the panel. I think my looking young was just her excuse.

            1. thelettermegan*

              It’s a good idea to find some way to correct her, if that’s the case. I’d imagine the rest of the board members would appreciate her finding actual reasons to reject spending rather than grasping at her own misconceptions.

              1. Where’s the Orchestra?*

                I don’t know – my dad had to work around a person like this at one point (for almost 3 years). They were always a NO – and it was a matter of working around them to get the decision point.

              2. Lance*

                From all that the OP is saying, though, this doesn’t sound like someone who would care to be corrected; odds are, from knowing people that can be like this in my own life, it’d be equivalent to trying to shove your way through a brick wall.

        4. Myrin*

          I wouldn’t necessarily call Alison’s suggested wording a “high-key burn” but it feels a bit… IDK, passive-aggressive? I don’t think that’s the right expressions but I can’t really articulate what I mean better at the moment. I like your wording much better because it’s honest and the truth while still matter-of-fact and polite.

          1. bamcheeks*

            It’s pretending you thought someone meant A, because it would be so terrible if they meant B that you can’t even name that possibility, even though you’re actually 100% sure they meant B. The hidden message of, “I’m sure you couldn’t possibly have been so rude to think I’m NEW TO TOPIC” is much more aggressive to me than straight up, “I think you’ve got the wrong end of the stick– I’m not NEW TO TOPIC! Not a problem, just wanted to clear that up.”

            1. Rain's Small Hands*

              And to me its so much less. Because if I am on the giving end of the error, I can pretend I didn’t make it (i.e. saving face), I can’t with the direct approach. Also, the indirect approach is sort of funny and can be laughed at. The direct approach is just – taking me down a peg. The first approach I can come around and actually like you. The second approach puts me right into BEC territory with you.

              1. Myrin*

                Because if I am on the giving end of the error, I can pretend I didn’t make it (i.e. saving face), I can’t with the direct approach.

                See, I think this point is where the divergence in opinions is coming from. Because to me, it’s not about pretending I didn’t make an error but about pretending there has been a misunderstanding (which is what bamcheeks’ original comment suggested). And I like to say that misunderstandings are literally always possible – someone can be as clear as day and there will be someone somewhere who gets a crucial point wrong. They are more unlikely to happen in some situations than others (like I said above, from everything OP tells us in her letter, this was an intentional condescending move by the panelist, not her mixing up someone’s credentials or something) but the possibility is there, so you can always pretend like this is one of those rare occasions where an oh-so-unlikely misunderstanding happened.

              2. bamcheeks*

                I don’t WANT to pretend there wasn’t an error, and I don’t want to work with people who don’t want to own up to an error! “This doesn’t require anyone to acknowledge or own up to an error” is not a positive feature to me!

                1. Nina*

                  Okay, but most people have to take a sec to regain equilibrium when folks tell them they’ve made an error, and it seems kinder to let the panel member take that second in the privacy of wherever she checks her emails, rather than risk a kneejerk response that she can’t come back from and humiliate her, which no, you really aren’t going to have a good working relationship after that.
                  This means LW doesn’t have to run the risk of panel member being either a) someone who takes offense at having errors pointed out (because panel member can choose to save face) OR b) someone who takes offense at NOT having errors pointed out (because panel member can choose to take the message as pointing out her error).

        5. Purple Cat*

          It’s not a smack-down at all! The other person didn’t bother to research OP’s credentials, and assumed OP was unqualified. This response matter of fact reminds Council person who OP is while thanking them for the resource. You can’t read that email on its own and assume any ill-intent or aggressiveness.

          1. Where’s the Orchestra?*

            Once knew a female engineer (who just unfortunately looked about a decade younger than she was) who also served as an adjunct at the local college. Her go to was “thank you for passing along this other resource for me to evaluate. As an engineering professor at Blah State college I’m always on the lookout for extra resources for students who want them.”

            She saw it as an out if the person was just confused, but also a way to emphasize her credentials and that she wasn’t just going to pass things along without going over the resource first.

        6. sb51*

          Yeah, I’d go with something much closer to what the LW said in her letter: “Oh, sorry, I had to skip explaining my background for time, but I’m [qualifications].” And then perhaps, if you want to build some amount of rapport for the future, inquire about their concerns with the decision.

          Basically: “you can disagree but you can’t do it by undermining me”.

        7. Nanani*

          I think the suggested line does that perfectly well, and even has a built-in face-save for the condescender. “Of course you realize I’m an expert right”

        8. Critical Rolls*

          This is not a smack down. A smack down is, “I am an expert in my field with and advanced degree and 427 years of experience. Be so good as to stop questioning my qualifications.”

          Alison’s response delivers the information without it being too directly *in response* to the panel sitter’s undermining, which is about the best you can hope for. This person has already been very aggressive about calling OP unqualified. Being told they’ve made a mistake seems unlikely to go over well. Frankly, this kind of behavior doesn’t point to someone who’s all that interested in a good relationship, and there’s only so much you can do at that point.

    3. learnedthehardway*

      I think the OP should respond with that statement, whether or not they expect to have further interaction with the other panel member. Some things need to be set straight. And the OP’s expertise should be recognized, just in case the other panel member is going around questioning the OP’s qualifications to other people, behind the scenes.

      1. EPLawyer*

        The council member may well be. Considering she was so agressive in the meeting then her actions afterwards. I mean seriously, you come in from out of area, you don’t know the territory, you clearly don’t pick up the clues from the other members who do know the area, then you decide you know best and send a complete stranger “resources” to help them?

        Alison’s answer is perfect. It’s a burn, but its one the member deserves, while on the surface being perfectly professional.

        1. Justice*

          Yeah, I’m not sure what kind of relationship people think the OP can salvage with this person. She questioned OP’s opinions to her face, voted her proposal down, and then sent an email that was 1000% more rude and passive-aggressive than Alison’s suggestion.
          Correcting her misapprehensions and trying to shut down any further comments from this person is really the best OP can hope for.

          1. I'm LW 1!*

            I’m not so much trying to salvage a relationship, but it would be nice if she didn’t assume I’m inexperienced and try to use that as an excuse to deny help to my client. I’m OK with hard questions and got plenty from others, but I’m not OK with being told I don’t know what I’m doing since it is inaccurate (I literally teach my area’s equivalent to the class she sent to me)

            1. Where’s the Orchestra?*

              Sounds like this person is the council’s Negative Nelly who just always is at permanent NO. This is the sort of person who needs to be surrounded by others so that the No doesn’t always stand as the answer.

              1. I'm LW 1!*

                Yes, and apparently, she’s burning bridges left and right. I may not have to deal with her again if she keeps this up.

                1. GreenDoor*

                  LW 1, since you’re not worried about salvaging the relationship, I’d use the language from your own letter:

                  “Thank you for sending this article. I’m not sure whether to be amused or offended.”

                  Let her come back and explain which – if she has the nerve!

          2. INFJedi*

            Indeed. I think the e-mail suggested by Alison is the best move.
            It’s still polite enough and at the same time shows that OP can stand up for themselves.

            Will it change the other person’s view on OP? Doubtfull, but it’s clear that she doesn’t like OP at all, but she can never claim that OP was rude.

      2. Ginger ale for all*

        I think the OP should also create an email signature that lists their place of employment, etc to sign off on the reply. Don’t use the Thanks, Pat response, use a Thanks, Dr. Pat Patterson, PhD, Director of the Slow Burn Institute, etc. response.

    4. Snuck*

      Love this!

      I think the OP should set the record straight, as professional reputation and an understanding of her capabilities is probably very important.

      I like Alison’s advice, or would offer up a “Thanks for these, it’s good to see that I’m up to date with current industry knowledge after my undergraduate studies a number of years ago. I’ll keep an eye out for similar. I’m currently reading “How to train Llamas to Groom Themselves” and branching out a little for some postgraduate studies, have you seen anything on that lately?” And pretend it’s a professional interlude.

      1. MagicUnicorn*

        This is good. It assertively yet politely sets the record straight and allows the other party a chance to save face, while also offering a low-stakes chance for further cordial conversation.

        The original response is perhaps momentarily satisfying but does seem rather juvenile if the intent really is to promote a pleasant working relationship. It rather surprised me that AAM suggested such a petty reply.

        2. Unaccountably*

          It takes two people to have a pleasant working relationship; it’s not all on the LW. In fact, if the other party decides they don’t want a pleasant working relationship, there are no magic words that the LW can say that will make them want one. We all need to stop holding the victims of rudeness responsible for not maintaining a relationship that doesn’t exist because the rude person torpedoed it.

          1. Snuck*

            Absolutely agree. However I think the OP does want a positive relationship if they can pull one together. Evidence of this is the fact that they haven’t ‘clapped back’ or responded to the outside party, instead seeking advice how to mend the bridge. They also have made mention of their motivation that they all work in a small field so has thought this through professionally, not just personally. There’s also the indication that there will be more work in the future with this person, so the relationship dying now would be problematic.

            In this situation it makes sense for the OP to at least attempt to maintain a cordial working relationship, but also I feel protect their reputation.

            But if the other party continues to be rude and unpleasant then yes, you can just walk away, and next time you come face to face and have to work together you’ll have to be pleasant, professional and work a lot harder to get anywhere. Sometimes a little effort now saves a lot later. Should you have to? Nah. But if you choose to it shows a lot about your own professionalism (which OTHER people notice and respond to as well), and your own confidence in your abilities.

      2. Flash Packet*

        The OP is already teaching this subject at the graduate level. She doesn’t need to keep “up to date with current industry knowledge” because she *is* current industry knowledge.

        If it were me, I would tweak Alison’s wording to say, “Thanks for passing this along; I agree it’s a good resource which is why I have it on the supplemental reading list for my students in the Advance Llama Grooming course I teach at [Graduate-Level School in Blah University], in case they want to reinforce what I’ve covered in the lectures.”

    5. tamarack and fireweed*

      Yes, or also, “I agree with you that X is a great introductory resource! It’s my go-to recommendation for my students who are new to the topic. (I teach Advanced Llama Grooming at X University.)”

      1. Cheerfully Polite Grey Rock*

        Maybe have the follow on as “I teach Advanced Llama Grooming at X University, so if you’d like any recommendations on Intermediate-Advanced resources as well, I would be happy to send you some!”?

        Totally being helpful to a new professional interested in your field! :)

        2. Tau*

          Oh, turning it around on them as “clearly you are a newbie asking for an expert’s help to get started, right?” is fantastic.

          1. Flash Packet*

            Oh, my, this is rather good. It would be fun to think about replying in a way that says, “Yes, that’s a great beginner’s resource and I agree you should start with that one! Here’s the reading list I give the grad students in my Advanced Llama Grooming course, if you ever want to dive deeper into the topic.”

        3. Emma2*

          I think this goes much further than Alison’s response by directly calling into question the other woman’s qualifications. While the other woman was rude in the first place, this escalates the situation in a way that I think is pretty unnecessary, particularly in a professional context. It may feel satisfying to try to score points, but is it really worth it? This woman is someone who may sit on a future panel making decisions about things that are important to OP’s clients – I think escalation is generally a poor choice in professional contexts, and even more so in this scenario.

    8. The answer is (probably) 42*

      I actually sat back in my chair and said “ooooooh” out loud when I read this. It’s perfect!

    9. After 33 years ...*

      Be prepared for, “Well, that shows how low your university’s standards are, if they think you’re an expert”.
      Source: personal experience.

      1. Richard Hershberger*

        The plus side is at that point this person has definitively told you who they are. All you need do at this point is believe them.

      2. So Many New Names Here*

        And? You survived the bad the feeling? I honestly don’t understand what the take away should be.

        1. Victoria, Please*

          Just be prepared, that’s all. Decide if you want to continue to engage or not.

          After 33 Years, sorry you got that. That person needs some help in personing, if not whatever the topic is.

        2. Captain Vegetable (Crunch Crunch Crunch)*

          A lot of people seem to think this response will be a crushing blow and there will never again be an issue with this person- the takeaway is that there may be a further escalation.

          1. Lydia*

            And at that point the OP can shrug and move on. The only thing they’re required to do after that is be pleasant to them in public. Someone sniping at you about your university’s standards is not escalation; it’s sour grapes.

          2. I'm LW 1!*

            If there is, I can deal with it. I’d prefer she live and learn, but she is only one person on the panel and the majority of others saw the point in my presentation and approved my ask. So if it goes south, it won’t doom me. And the head of the panel was not best please the with this person, which may help me.

    11. ecnaseener*

      I was thinking go one better: Thanks for following up with me. I teach Advanced Llama Grooming at X University but I’ll pass this along to my colleagues who teach the intro course as a resource for their students.”

      1. After 33 years ...*

        Ok, if you want to be aggressive, but be aware that this could be an unwinnable effort. The panellist may very well reject you as unqualified regardless, or an unworldly academic theorist, or an arrogant elitist, or all of the above. Academic qualifications can be a liability to some.
        I used to serve as a panellist discussing adaptation to climate change. I have been on panels where the members were selected by the organizer for their “diversity of views” (one reason why I like to know who’s nominated me to serve, as per the discussion earlier this week). Those disputes aren’t winnable.
        YMMV, but for me, not responding is the only way.

        1. ecnaseener*

          Uh, I wasn’t suggesting this to be aggressive. It’s very similar to the original script, just with explicit acknowledgment that these are intro-level resources. It’s still a perfectly polite thing to say, treating the person as if they were acting in good faith, letting them save face.

          People are going to react how they want to react. You’re quite right that this type of script isn’t going to “win a dispute,” but that’s not what it’s for…? It’s for politely pointing out someone’s misconception about you, in a way that lets them adjust their approach without losing face if they so choose. That’s how you kinda have to go through life, right? There are never magic words to win people over or make them respect us, so we use non-magic words and let them react how they will.

          1. PeanutButter*

            Yeah, I think this is what some people are missing. Alison’s response isn’t about winning, it’s about declining to play power games, and letting the panel member know that if they choose to force the issue, they will lose.

            1. Unaccountably*

              Yeah, there’s a lot of conflict avoidance masquerading as the high ground out there. Alison’s response is a perfect example of the adage that you can’t control other people’s behavior, all you can control is your response to it. You can’t burn a bridge that someone else never built.

    12. The OG Sleepless*

      I got a public comment similar to this one. It was in a Facebook group (I know, I know) for a specific area of my field that is open both to Expert Llama Groomers and Assistant Llama Groomers. I didn’t realize when I joined that the members were mostly Assistants, so it ended up having limited usefulness for me. One day an Assistant posted a statement that was factually incorrect and was important enough to need correcting, so I posted “Substance X does not do this, Y would be a better choice.” The person immediately answered, “No, Substance X works well for that. As an Assistant of 7 years, I’m always happy to help educate!” I typed out, “Thanks. As an Expert of 29 years, I appreciate your efforts” but then I decided a better response was just to leave the group. My only regret is that anyone else who reads it will legitimately think that Substance X will do this thing, and that I got schooled about it. My level of expertise is prominently displayed on my Facebook profile, so I can only hope the mods looked me up and saw what a gaffe this person made. But it still bugs me.

      1. Beauty*

        I’ve definitely come across that in professional Facebook groups and have left most of them because of it. Lots of woo peddling (selling products and services that were money makers, but scientifically impossible) and self proclaimed experts talking down to others with different experiences. I stopped trying to defend myself or argue with the snake oil salesmen because it’s just not worth it.

      2. Sharp-dressed Boston Terrier*

        I get that you really didn’t want to fight snark with snark, which rarely ends up well for anyone, but I think straight up leaving the group without responding at all did the other assistants a disservice, especially if there are serious consequences to using Substance X that should be avoided at any cost (scarring, blindness, permanent creeping alopecia, and so on and so forth). You had firm knowledge that would have benefited anyone in the group with ears to listen. I think engaging, even briefly, would have d0ne some good.

        This is not meant as a judgement; I’ve peaced out of discussions that turned into arguments that turned into flame-fests at the drop of a hat even when I was quite certain I had something concrete and constructive to contribute. You have my sympathy.

      3. Rain's Small Hands*

        Facebook is so horrible for that in that it isn’t a format for debate. But IMHO its always good to correct information that is not factual, especially if it can harm someone. I would personally do it with a link to a little research. Because someone with 29 years can be wrong – as can someone with seven – and its about the fact, not the deliverer.

    13. Falling Diphthong*

      It perfectly hits what you would say if you sincerely meant that. “How helpful! This attendee has thought of some resources for my students. Very kind.”

    17. Free Meerkats*

      If the OP has some high-level, peer reviewed publications, I suggest she reply and say, “Thanks for the reference, here are some I wrote.” and include links to them.

    18. Empress Matilda*

      Right? Just enough snark to make the point, but not so much that there’s anything specific to complain about. Absolute perfection.

    19. The OTHER Other*

      The response was some excellent jiu-jitsu.

      Given this board member’s hostility and tone-deaf communication, I actually question HER credentials and suitability for this position, not the LW’s.

    21. Jack Straw from Wichita*

      Right? I *literally* stood at my desk and applauded when I read that line.

    22. PannaLisenka*

      I genuinely wonder how many of the “oof, that is too passive-aggressive” reactions stem from the sexist, cultural idea that if a woman is anything other than willing to quietly accept a slight, she is a rude b*tch and the internalised need to constantly check yourself for assertive behaviours. Allison provided a perfect, short and sweet response. Years ago I would have agreed that this is way out of line and unnecessarily aggressive, but having now the experience of working with my male colleagues, I absolutely agree with Allison’s idea. I feel like the negative reactions to the script come from the same place as the advice to laugh politely at sexist jokes to be a team player does.

  3. HA2HA2*

    2 – I suspect the boss won’t be blindsided. If she’s said “professionally I would hate to lose you but as a friend, do what you got to do” she already suspects you’re looking around. If she COULD promise you more money, or a timeline for more money, she probably would have already done so. And since she knows you’re underpaid and overworked, it’s not like it would be a surprise if you left.

    Don’t say anything more. Too much of a risk for no reward, and if she’s a good manager she probably has in the back of her mind a guess that you might leave soon if the issues aren’t addressed. There’s really no gain for you or for her if that guess becomes more concrete.

    1. learnedthehardway*

      For OP#2 – don’t put your boss in the position of knowing you’re planning to leave. Beyond the fact that you can’t control what people will do with information you tell them, you don’t want to put your boss in an awkward position of having to decide between what is best for you and what is best for the business she works for. What she doesn’t know can’t hurt you and might help her.

      1. Snuck*

        Yup. You might be able to trust your boss, but do you trust their boss?

        Your boss will almost certainly quickly start talking to HR and their boss about back filling you, even if it’s an ‘in the future’ thing, and thus while it’s confidential to the team, your boss’ obligation to business priorities means it’s not a Hard Secret. It can’t be, your awesome boss shouldn’t hide important things from business priority planning.

        1. Tau*

          This! Not keeping information that could have a significant impact on the business secret is in fact part of her job. By telling her and expecting zero repercussions, you’d be expecting her to put your interests above the responsibilities of her role. That’s a pretty crappy thing to do to a fantastic boss.

      2. Falling Diphthong*

        “Lucille, how’s morale on your team? Do you have anyone you think might leave soon?”

      3. Smithy*

        Exactly to all of this. While she might take your leaving as a done deal and have that impact her – she may also start pushing even harder to get you a raise. Expending more of her workplace capital and moving up her approach, to just have that increased raise be not enough to keep you anyways.

        Then the OP or others in similar spots are left in places where a manager has really put their neck out for them – and the ultimate result still isn’t really enough to keep them. Or where you stay another six months or so and hope that’s long enough…

        Ultimately – the reason the hesitancy to share with a boss is so high is because it’s almost as though you’re telling your boss a secret that they’re not supposed to share and not supposed to act on. Because this is business and not personal life or (hopefully) legal/ethical breeches there are certainly circumstances where it may make more sense – but I think those situation are limited to concrete deadlines. Like if you’re hearing back from one job in the next month and don’t want to sign up for a year long course paid by work until you have that news. However general job hunts rarely have those types of deadlines despite what we might wish.

    2. PollyQ*

      Yep, even if she didn’t deliberately say that as a way to give her blessing, if she has any sense at all, then she’s already aware that a reasonable person would be job-hunting in this situation. And as everyone has already noted, there’s no advantage to LW, and a decent amount of risk, in explicitly telling boss before a new job has been lined up.

    3. Purple Cat*

      Yeah, boss has effectively TOLD LW2 to start looking around without explicitly saying that. That script feels very much like things Alison has suggested when other managers have written in about their employees not having growth opportunities within the company.
      LW you can’t TELL your boss you’re looking. It puts her in the awkward position that protecting your secret makes her keep a secret from her boss.

    4. Ope!*

      Came here to say this. I had a similar boss when I left my last job. When I said at our check “I do have one big thing” she just hung her head and nodded. It was not a surprise.

      That being said, she immediately popped her head up and asked me enthusiastic questions and congratulated me. Good bosses are good right to the end, and they know why you didn’t tell them earlier!

    5. Ope!*

      Came here to say this. I had a similar boss when I left my last job. When I said at our check in “I do have one big thing” she just hung her head and nodded. It was not a surprise.

      That being said, she immediately popped her head up and asked me enthusiastic questions and congratulated me. Good bosses are good right to the end, and they know why you didn’t tell them earlier!

    6. ferrina*

      Yuup. When your staff are underpaid and overworked and the company refuses to do anything, as a good person you almost want your staff to leave. I’ve been in the position of hoping that my staff are looking but also hoping that they won’t tell me, because I would be obligated to tell my boss (who definitely would punish the person looking to leave). Plus I always had continuity plans in case any of my staff won the lottery and walked out the next day.

      Don’t say anything. If your boss is as good as you say, she already knows and won’t be surprised.

  4. Fikly*

    LW2: You’re not blindsiding her. Losing employees to jobs elsewhere is an utterly normal part of managing employees. And even then, it’s not anything you’re doing to her, you’re simply ending a business relationship with your employer, to pursue one elsewhere. Remember how employers say it’s business, not personal, while doing what’s in their best interests? That’s what you’re doing, and it’s just business.

  5. Ess in Tee*

    Alison’s response for LW 1 to use is equal parts kind and devastating, holy cow. I aspire to this level of “I’m being nice to you, but I also need you to understand in not uncertain terms that you’re making yourself look really bad.”

    1. Working Hypothesis*

      Or at least, “You and I now both know that you’ve put your foot in it badly, but I’m going to give you the tools with which to save face if you have the sense to follow my lead and use them.”

      Let’s just hope she does. Doubling down on this would .. not be pretty.

      2. DANGER: Gumption Ahead*

        Yep. “I’m discretely handing you a towel and we will all pretend nothing happened”

    3. NotRealAnonForThis*

      I understood from the letter that this person reached out to them, on their own, to try to school them….and for no other reason.

      Based on my understanding, the suggested response is by far appropriate. I’ve reached the point in my career where I politely just shut ish down quickly with an air of politeness. (Granted, I’m in a male dominated field which means I get called the b-word at least once a week simply because I refuse to sit still, be quiet, and look pretty. As such, I’m not really concerned whether someone tells someone else that I’m a b-word, because, well, the day ends in y. The truth typically comes out.)

      1. Sparkles McFadden*

        When I’d get called the B-word, I’d say “Why thank you!” If the person would ask why I was saying thank you or otherwise point out that I was supposed to be insulted, I’d reply “That word is an acronym for ‘Brilliant, Insightful, Technically Capable Human.’” (Or “Brainy, Intuitive, Talented, Corporate Hotshot ” I had a whole slew of them.)

      2. I'm LW 1!*

        Yeah, the resources were unsolicited, and I’m assured by others who saw the presentation that there was no inkling that I lacked knowledge on the topic.

  6. Observer*

    #1 – One option: “Thanks for following up with me. I teach Advanced Llama Grooming at X University so I’ll add this to my pool of resources for students new to the subject.”

    This is phenomenal. I think you should use this.

    1. Vaca*

      I am going to suggest another tack. This person needs to be set to rights. “Yes, this is a decent place for a non expert such as yourself to begin. I would suggest you review this and [extensive list of resources including your own work] before the next panel. It may make sense for you to skip a few sessions while you learn the basics.”

      1. JustKnope*

        As satisfying as a comeback like this would feel in the moment, OP may have to work with this woman again and being adversarial wouldn’t be a smart move in the long run. It’s better to make OP’s point directly without insulting the other woman.

        1. NoviceManagerGuy*

          I serve on a similar community panel where professionals present their plans to us and we make suggestions, then vote to recommend approval or denial (elected officials have the final choice).. I think the person who sent her this is just being a jerk, and no response will help. The letter writer should just ignore it. Likely the more professional members of the panel would be embarrassed to know this happened – after all, they voted to approve the LW’s project.

          1. Sasha*

            I would be ignoring too (and saying “oh I don’t think I received that” if she asks), or simply replying “thanks for thinking of me Jessica!” with no further comment.

            She knows she is being breathtakingly rude. She isn’t mistaken about your qualifications, she just thinks you are shit and is giving you entry level resources to suggest you don’t even understand the fundamentals of your field.

            There is no response that is going to shame her, she is sending “Llamas 101” to an expert to make a specific snide point that she doesn’t think you know your stuff. You either continue this by engaging, or stop it by refusing to engage.

      2. Fluffy Fish*

        While satisfying, it’s not a good idea.

        OP has made it clear they may need to interact again and as such needs to not burn the bridge. Saying something like this is absolutely the nuclear option.

        Whereas Alison’s suggestion makes it clear just what the OPs level of expertise is while also being gracious.

        We all deal with jerks in the working world – telling them off is usually not the best professional move.

      3. Rain's Small Hands*

        You also never want to bring up expertise. As someone who used to know a lot about a specific topic (in tech, so now I know nothing because I haven’t kept up) what I learned all the time is that I don’t know a lot about the topic. Anytime someone tells me they are an “expert” on teapots, I start to wonder if they have ANY idea of the scale of teapot studies – its so large no one can possibly be an expert (you will notice this with academics who often say “my field of study is the experiences of lesbians in 14th century Japan” – yea, you probably ARE the expert on that, its so narrow).

        You do want to bring up credentials – “My paper on the experiences of lesbians in 14th century Japan was published in the Journal of Asian studies.” “I received my first CCIE certification in 1998 and continued to maintain it while working in the field” “I have run a successful yarn store for ten years where I teach classes on knitting.” “I have been playing DnD since ADD in the late 80s and am currently DMing a campaign in 5e where after 4 years my players are level 14.”

      6. Future Christmases*

        And the LW will, thus, confirm, they’re not professional. Sassy one liners work in sitcoms, in real life there won’t be clapping from an invisible audience.

        Honestly, all those suggestions sound like middle-schoolers daydreaming about putting a bully in their place, not like adults who, allegedly, work.

        Because everybody seems to ignore one possibility: that LW maybe isn’t a good speaker and did not give a presentation that an expert would give.

        1. Leenie*

          Since the other panelists were respectful and went with LW’s proposal, I think it’s likely that LW is not the problem.

        2. lizesq*

          Your speculation that LW just isn’t a good professional speaker or competent at her job is neither kind nor helpful. No one else on the panel seemed to doubt her professionalism or knowledge; they trusted it enough to approve her client’s plans. One person casting doubt and acting like a jackass says nothing about the merits of the LW’s presentation.

          1. Coconutty*

            I don’t see how it’s remotely unkind to ask whether there’s a possibility that the LW’s presentation wasn’t their best work. It doesn’t mean it’s necessarily what happened. Especially if so many people are going to suggest being passive-aggressive and rude in response, you really want to leave no stone unturned.

            1. lizesq*

              OP1 has confirmed no one else viewed her similarly and I think it is incredibly unproductive and unkind for comments on a workplace blog to boil down issues to simply asking LWs if they’re actually just incompetent, unprofessional and did a bad job.

              1. I'm LW 1!*

                Thank you. I have presented to this panel many times before and never had an issue. And this person was the only one to have an issue with my presentation.

              2. Vinessa*

                I think it’s also pretty unkind to encourage the LW to do something that would make them look very unprofessional and could seriously hamper their career by framing it as “set to rights.”

              3. Coconutty*

                It’s great that that’s the case, and it seemed pretty likely from the get-go! Still doesn’t make it unkind to ask, and I don’t think the original comment you were replying to called the LW incompetent or unprofessional. Hyperbole is also not helpful to OPs.

                1. lizesq*

                  “Isn’t a good speaker”
                  “Didn’t give a presentation an expert would give”

                  Lol ok.

                2. Coconutty*

                  @ lizesq Yeah, and neither of those inherently means incompetent or unprofessional. They can also mean that it’s not the person’s strength or that they were having an off day. Again, a moot point since that wasn’t the case here, but I stand by my opinion that there was nothing unkind said. That word gets thrown around so much in these comments that it’s really being watered down.

                3. I’m LW1!*

                  @Coconutty. You are failing to see that you and Future Christmases ignored that my proposal was approved and that many people said I did well. Frankly, they seemed to be looking for a reason to imply I am not competent. Which is not a kind assumption and one unsupported by any evidence.

            2. I'm LW 1!*

              Literally everyone else who I have spoken to on the panel said I did well. Two confirmed this person is often an issue. The head of the panel apologized to me for this person’s behavior.

              So no, I don’t think I’m the problem.

              1. Anat*

                You know, if everyone else knew she was out of line, and the head of the panel went so far as to apologize to your, I wonder if it’s worth engaging with her at all. You’re not going to change her mind, it sounds like; and no one else takes her seriously, which is the main thing I’d be worried about.

                1. I’m LW1!*

                  Yeah, I wonder that. But it also feels weird to just not respond, if that makes sense, since she had to make some effort to email me.

                2. Observer*

                  @I’m LW1, I get that it feels weird to not respond. But if she’s such a well known quantity, I think that not responding will be just fine.

                  Sometimes the best way to win is to just not play.

        3. I'm LW 1!*

          Wow, that is an assumption. Did you see in my letter my proposal was accepted?

          And, BTW, the head of the panel apologized to me for how I was treated.

        4. Sasha*

          The thing is, even if the presentation was absolute rubbish (which it clearly wasn’t as it was approved), sending an expert a list of 101 resources to imply they don’t even understand the fundamentals of their field and need to go right back to the beginning with their training is just. so. rude.

          I literally cannot imagine any situation where that would be anything other than highly unprofessional. I am involved in the recruitment of medical residents and fellows, and a minority are terrible, but I don’t send them a copy of “Peep Inside: How Your Body Works”

      7. LilPinkSock*

        A person can be “set to rights” without this kind of condescending and unprofessional comment.

        I’m curious if anyone recommending this technique has ever actually tried it, and if they’ve been successfully.

      8. The Other Dawn*

        Saying something like this will make the OP sound like a bigger asshole than the person who sent her very basic material.

        I agree with Alison and Observer. It sets the record straight without making it into a production.

      10. Nancy*

        Absolutely not, do not do this.

        OP: say thank you and move on. Revise your presentation for an audience that does not know who you are. If that means people who already know you will need to hear a few sentences about your background and the project’s background, so be it.

        Part of giving presentations is dealing with criticism in a professional manner, and yes sometimes those people may be rude.

      11. yordle*

        This kind of idiocy is why Allison has been saying more and more that the comments section on this site is actively detrimental to people who are new to the workplace and looking to learn about norms and expectations.

    2. Eldritch Office Worker*

      LW1 I’d also love an update on how this works if you use this and get a response!

  7. Che Boludo!*

    LW1 – the thing about true expertise is that it’s often very difficult to recognize by people who don’t have it. This is especially true the more complex the subject matter. Also, expert-level knowledge and complex subject matter can often seem very counterintuitive. Ironically, learning materials too simple for an expert can often harm their learning in what is called the expert reversal effect in cognitive load theory.

    The only real judges of experts are the other experts in the domain and I think the Dunning-Kruger Effect is well known enough at this point that people know what it means. Those without knowledge generally think they know best.

    This person also might be a jerk. You mention being young appearing. I’ve known these people. She probably thinks she knows more from using plain ‘ol “common sense” as well as being older and therefore wiser.

    I would just avoid her and blow her off with a brusque but professional thank you as suggested by Alison.

    1. AcademiaNut*

      There’s a very common progression where when you know a little bit about a subject, but think you really understand it. Then, as you learn more, you get very confused and realize how little you really know. You keep working, and you can get the the point where you are an expert, and you can look at a problem and see layers and possibilities, and hidden traps that less the less knowledgeable would never think of. When the first stage meets someone more knowledgeable they can think that they are less competent because they have a more complex view of the situation.

      I’ve worked with people who are world renowned experts in my field, and they can look at what seems like a simple to solve problem and point out high level considerations that no-one else has realized, and then propose solutions (which usually involve having to go off and study to understand).

      1. MK*

        Eh, in my own experience, world renowned experts who provide convoluted solutions to what seems an easy-to-solve problemare have usually missed the point of what the desired outcome is. There is such a thing as being too close to a subject, where you see layers that don’t exist, explore possibilities so remote that it’s unrealistic to take them into account and focus on considerations that aren’t actually relevant right now.

        1. JB (not in Houston)*

          Your situation doesn’t seem at all what AcademiaNut is talking about. Your experience can be true but that doesn’t mean theirs isn’t. I’ve seen that kind of thing in the legal field plenty of times over the years, where baby lawyers entirely miss something important because they don’t know enough to see the red flags. Often times those issues can be dodged/worked around, but only if you know they are there to start with.

        2. Artemesia*

          In my experience people who give very complicated solutions are usually not expert — a hallmark of expertise is cutting to the chase and understanding how to come up with an elegant solution.

      4. Observer*

        nd they can look at what seems like a simple to solve problem and point out high level considerations that no-one else has realized, and then propose solutions (which usually involve having to go off and study to understand).

        The first part? Yes. The second part? Not so much. I’m not saying that implementation is always easy or even simple. But if the solution needs a ton of of study just to UNDERSTAND on a high level, odds are it’s actually not the best solution.

      5. Che Boludo!*

        Also, experts often have trouble teaching those new to the subject matter. This is another skill experts should master, if not teaching, but communicating their knowledge.

    2. MK*

      The person is a jerk. If I sit on a panel and am doubious about someone’s expertise, I ask them what their qualifications are politely and subtly, (if I want to be even more disceet, I ask a fellow panel member). If I find out they are indeed qualified, I examine my own knowledge, possibly go to another source, and start a conversation with them: possibly I am missing something, possibly they are. What I don’t do is immediately assume they are ignorant and send them beginner-level resources.

      1. EPLawyer*

        Yes. If you doubt someone’s credentials, ASK. Don’t AssUMe that they don’t know what they are talking about. And definitely don’t send “resources” under the guise of being “helpful.” Unless specifically asked to do so.

      2. Ray Gillette*

        Even an actual expert can have major blind spots due to personal biases, but I’m not going to try and flex on them like they’re some sort of beginner.

        (example: I had a psychology professor in undergrad, who was legitimately respected in his field, who held up the statistic that couples who live together before marriage are more likely to divorce than couples who do not live together before marriage. He stated this was proof that living together before marriage “weakens” the marriage without considering literally any other possible explanation. He also flat out had “why do children need both a mommy and a daddy?” as a question on one of his midterms. I quietly made a complaint to the department, which I’m sure went nowhere, and never took another one of his classes.)

    3. Irish Teacher*

      It’s also possible that if the person isn’t knowledgable at all about the field that they might just think, “hey, this person is interested in llama grooming; I’ll send them all my super-awesome, really insightful info on llamas,” not considering that what seemed really educational to somebody without any knowledge of the subject would not seem so to somebody who is an expert. Given the fact that they were the one person to vote against, this probably ISN’T the explanation here, but…I am reminded of when a friendly acquaintance of mine gave me a touristy “short history of Ireland” book. The book was an introduction to the history of Ireland for tourists who know nothing at all, giving basics that all Irish people learn in primary school. Her explanation was “I know you like history.” She didn’t mean to be rude or insult my expertise; she just grabbed the first thing on history she saw, not considering that a history teacher might not find the basics of Irish history that interesting.

    4. anonymous73*

      Those are excuses and this person is a jerk. If she were asking legitimate questions out of curiosity and seeking further knowledge on the subject that would be one thing. But OP said she was aggressive and dissented when the panel approved her request. This woman was unnecessarily rude, and then doubled down on her rudeness by sending a condescending email to OP. Alison’s response is great. I would not have been so nice in my reply.

      1. Artemesia*

        Also it is important to remember that this person was aggressively critical of the OP DURING the meeting and voted against her proposal. Thus the resource suggestion was in fact an aggressive put down.

  8. Seattle Person*

    LW1… just want to be careful on the wording. I once started a job where I came with 7 years of database experience and then had a senior developer try to explain the basics of databases to me. When I mentioned that I already knew the things that he was telling me he proceeded to badmouth me and ignore me for the rest of my tenure there because I was “too arrogant” for explaining that I knew the basics of how databases worked. So it can backfire if not delivered just right which apparently I did not do.

    2. Tau*

      I don’t know what went down in your situation specifically, but in general I think this can be really tricky to handle. If you explicitly go “um, you appear to think I am a beginner at this and I’m really not??” you… well, make the person look really bad. And a lot of people, when they’re made to look really bad – especially in front of others – will go into full-on self-protective defensive mode where they rework the situation in their minds so that they’re not actually to blame and they didn’t do anything wrong. Which… generally means casting the person who called them out as the villain instead. So even though it is annoying as hell and these people deserve to be called out, it’s still generally better for your peace and relationships going forward to leave them some out that lets them save face. Pretending that of course they only wanted to have these beginner’s resources vetted by another expert or are attempting to pool knowledge, obviously they didn’t actually think you needed them, leaves them that out. Which is why Alison’s script is great!

      Of course, some people are so sensitive they’re going to take even this sort of very subtle, face-saving correction badly. At that point… well, there really wasn’t anything more you could do.

      1. Tau*

        To be clear, I’m in no way saying that it’s right that this is often necessary; people should be capable of taking correction when they put their foot in their mouth like this and it shouldn’t be on the people they offended to be protective of their feelings. The person you dealt with sounds like a grade-A ass! My comment is just about what’s often, pragmatically, the best approach if you want to salvage a working relationship.

        1. Fikly*

          One of my favorite things about humanity is that if someone treats you badly, if you draw attention to it or in some way advocate for yourself, you become the problem and not them, when they are the one behaving badly in the first place.

          And so the practical thing to do to ensure the best outcome for yourself is to let yourself get treated badly and go along with it, smiling and nodding and agreeing. Unless you’re a white man, of course.

        2. After 33 years ...*

          LW 2: Even if you don’t want to salvage a working relationship, I would not use this wording. My experience is that it doesn’t work and will provoke one (or more) of the following:
          “That shows your university has low standards, if they consider you an expert”;
          “You must be a great con artist, to fool people that way”;
          “My views are much more valid than are academia/books/ivory tower theories”;
          “You are arrogant / elitist / overly idealistic /out-of-touch”.
          Having seen all of these directed at panelists, unless you want to initiate combat, I would not respond.

          1. Irish Teacher*

            Honestly, I think if the person is somebody who will react like that, then you can’t win. Those responses sound like they come from people who just cannot acknowledge anybody might know more than them and will go on the attack regardless. I still think it is probably slightly better to clarify because I think it would be better for the LW’s reputation to have this person going around saying, “can you BELIEVE LW is considered an expert on llama grooming; universities have such low standards these days?” which just sounds like sour grapes than to have them going around saying “LW knew nothing about llama grooming and was so grateful when I explained what a llama was; maybe she’ll become a llama groomer some day,” which makes it sound as if the LW really does lack basic skills.

            But it is possible this is just a misunderstanding and the panelist really didn’t realise the LW had the information.

            1. Sasha*

              I really don’t think so – it sounds to me like the panellist knows exactly what OP’s credentials are, and is sending them “Llamas for Dummies” to make the point that they think OP needs to go right back to basics and relearn the fundamentals of her field.

          2. Observer*

            Now, if the panelist responds that way, the OP can and should ignore it. But if she is that much of an idiot, she will have made her ignorance clear. And that works in the OP’s favor.

      2. bamcheeks*

        I am kind of fascinated by this perspective because I do not have this saving-face culture. Something that lets me openly apologise for the misunderstanding is a much better grounding for a positive relationship going forward than something which is superficially nice but with an undertone of, “you have really pissed me off and disrespected me”.

        1. socks*

          So, I’m with you in that I’d much rather be told directly I was mistaken, but a lot of people view matter-of-fact corrections as inherently confrontational and/or really hate apologizing. In that context, the subtext of the face-saving comment isn’t (necessarily), “Your mistake was so horrible I cannot bear to say it out loud.” It’s more along the lines of “I am providing you the information to prevent you from making this mistake in the future, without forcing you to acknowledge out loud that you were mistaken.”

          1. Observer*

            It’s more along the lines of “I am providing you the information to prevent you from making this mistake in the future, without forcing you to acknowledge out loud that you were mistaken.”

            This is EXACTLY what is intended most of the time.

        2. linger*

          Note that the obstructionist councillor’s “here’s some introductory material” email may well have been intended to disrespect the OP. If that is the case, calling the disrespect out overtly just suggests they succeeded in that intent. Alison’s suggested response works so well in part because it does not concede anything at all to that intended effect.

    3. Snoozy Snoopy*

      Sometimes, I think it’s worth just listening to what the other person has to say, even when you are 100% sure that you already know the information. Especially in a new job, it’s possible that there may be something slightly different to what you’re used to, or a process that’s been adapted to suit their context and has been modified from the textbook version.
      This probably wasn’t true in the situation described by Seattle Person, and the senior developer was just being rude, but I just thought it might be worth pointing out for others.

    4. Purple Cat*

      This feedback makes me sad. Assuming your comment was reasonable and professional, the senior developer was just a jerk. And years later you are still assuming YOU did something wrong. And cautioning others about the dangers of sticking up for themselves.

    5. anonymous73*

      You did nothing wrong. When I train people I assume nothing and ask questions. I also tell them to stop me if they already know something, and verify how detailed they need the training to be. The senior developer was the arrogant one in this situation.

    6. I'm LW 1!*

      In good news, I am likely to only encounter her in this one specific context given where we both work.

    1. Striped Sandwiches*

      When CPI was low, our employer was more than happy to just give us that as an increase. But now that it’s high they’ve changed the formula for how we get an increase. We still have to pay CPI when we go shopping or buy gas though

      1. Jim Bob*

        I wish gas and food would only go up as fast as CPI! *cries into grocery receipt*

        I still can’t figure out why “core” inflation strips out all the things that people need to actually, you know, survive. I get the volatility argument, but presumably knowing how much things you HAVE to buy actually cost should outweigh that.

      2. Brain the Brian*

        We used to get raises that paralleled CPI. Then we took a temporary pay cut in spring 2029, and our “raise” at the end of that year was the end of the temporary cut. Raises this past year paralleled the pre-pandemic average CPI of… 2.5%. And nothing since then. Which collectively means I have taken the equivalent of about a 10% pay cut over the past few years, all while competitors are raising salaries. Shrug.

    2. Bongofury*

      It is SO familiar! My small company of 500 employees or so got purchased in January by MegaCorp. MegaCorp announced in one of their pep rallys (called an all hands meeting but come on, they’re pep rallies) that they would be reviewing all our pay and making adjustments in May ’22. Our pay is criminally low, to the point where we had an opening in our group and had FOUR great candidates turn it down solely because the pay is $50k less than a MegaCorp would pay.

      So naturally all of us were excited that we might be getting raises. A lot of coworkers were interviewing at other jobs and turned down offers because we might be getting a raise! We can see the salary range posted for our positions on MegaCorp’s website due to Colorado’s transparency laws. My position would make $20k more if I worked directly for MegaCorp!

      But June 1st comes and at the pep rally they’ve decided “our pay is within normal range”. It was given one sentence in a 90 minute presentation about how awesome MegaCorp is and how thankful we should be to be working for them. In the past two weeks we’ve had over 50 resignations, myself included. Because F* that. Our group of 10 lost 3 people, and I know 3 more that are planning on leaving in December when they’re finally old enough for Medicare. It’s a bloodbath.

      To MegaCorp’s credit I don’t think it’s them, our pay bands are set by our VP of HR and she’s downright sadistic. Oh the stories I have. Dear small business owners: don’t let your neighbor make her way up from receptionist to VP of HR without any actual HR training.

    3. Eldritch Office Worker*

      Same I was even for a minute like “Oh I know exactly which of my coworkers wrote this”

  10. Felis alwayshungryis*

    If I was #1, I’d be so tempted to reply with ‘Thanks for this! Here’s another resource on llama undercoat maintenance and shampoo techniques that might be useful’ and attach one of my own research papers.

    1. Total*

      A friend was being interviewed as a sub teacher – she’s vastly experienced and is excellent at connecting with difficult kids. Principal of the school was mansplaining maths and how to teach it. Described their new maths programme. Pulled out the text they were using to explain it further. Friend was able to get him to shut up long enough to say “Oh, I know the programme and that text. I wrote it.” Name was in large letters as the principle writer of the text! She didn’t end up subbing at that school!

      1. Snoozy Snoopy*

        That’s a real shame for the school that they missed out on a teacher whose experience could only have benefited their students.
        The principal was clearly an idiot for not giving the teacher space to get a word in (which happens all too often in education), as they could have had a valuable dialogue. It’s possible that your friend would also have learnt something about how the programme had been implemented and received: maybe the school had made adaptations that could influence successive versions of the programme.

        1. Observer*

          t’s possible that your friend would also have learnt something about how the programme had been implemented and received:

          Highly unlikely. People like this principal don’t provide actual usable information as much as a LOT of hot air cloaked in beginner level “explanations”.

      2. TeamPottyMouth*

        Sadly, there’s a ubiquitous commonality in these examples. It appears that the one thing that the people being mis-identified as students/newbies are all female.

      3. Artemesia*

        This is the archetypal event that lead to the term mansplaining and here after all these years men are still doing it. Principals are the worst though. The role seems to attract mediocre pompous know it alls.

        1. Working Hypothesis*

          That was my first thought when I saw the above about the principal. The original article “Men Explain Things to Me” was a description of precisely that situation; a man tried to tell her about a book she’d written herself.

          It’s a little depressing to get such hard evidence that after so many years it hasn’t gotten any better.

    2. DANGER: Gumption Ahead*

      IRL, I once responded to something like this with, “So interesting to see! in 20XX I wrote a paper suggesting [SOMETHING FROM MATERIALS] was important to use in plain language outreach (see attached if interested). So glad to see my research is being not only read but used!”

      Readers, it was very, very satisfying and now that person introduces me as, “This is Gumption, she wrote the paper on…”

  11. Medusa*

    LW 1: No advice (Alison’s is spot on), but if it is any consolation, I am damn near 40 and constantly being asked if I am intern.

    1. Assume the best*

      I feel your pain. I’ve always looked young and work in a field where experience and gravitas matters, especially since I’m now bumping up against the glass ceiling (for me at almost 50) that is the floor for senior men. I’ve made progress, however, so all is not in vain.

    2. Mockingjay*

      We’ve all encountered people who question our credentials for some unknown reason of their own. Some are simply oblivious, others deliberately do so. I’ve had mine questioned by individuals who attacked the reputation of team members to hide their own incompetence or lack of progress (and sometimes just because they’re a jerk). My role is to document and validate their data, so I am a fairly frequent target when failure is clearly evident in black and white.

      I tried explaining my qualifications, which only led to them picking at each bit. I finally realized that I don’t need to explain my background at all. I was vetted when I was hired, and again when I was assigned to Current Project. I ignore these people now.

    3. Artemesia*

      Every year at graduation at giant top ranked Research 1 university where I worked, when we were parading around in our gowns and hoods, there would be several alums who would walk up and congratulate me on my graduation. I was wearing the hood of my doctoral granting institution whose colors were not at all similar to the university. I don’t think men were getting this same congratulatory message. Middle aged men were of course professors.

    4. I'm LW 1!*

      I am afraid that is going to be my fate too. I’m 36! But I do look young and people often assume I’m the intern, when I’m a professor and head of a department.

    5. fhqwhgads*

      Yeah, the moment I am most bitter about in my career is when a dude told me he wanted to talk to “a grown up” as he had questions about a piece of software for which I was the lead developer. Dude not only must’ve thought I was 18 (I was 28), but was trying to ask to be escalated when he’d already been escalated. Yeah my nice 30something male coworker passed you on to me for a reason, dude: coworker knew I could explain it and knew he couldn’t.

  12. bamcheeks*

    LW3, I am in a similar “distrust between senior management and frontline” position, although in my case I do think senior management are trying (though still making mistakes) and I try to be clear with my team about what the processes and discussions I see taking place are. So: “I raised concerns about salary with Head of Breakfast Cereals on Tuesday, and he said the company was planning to look at salaries this summer. I asked whether there was a more specific timeline for that process, and whether it’s on the agenda at the All-Morning-Food Group Heads meeting next week. Apparently it’s not. So that’s where we are right now, and I will follow that up with the Head Of next week.”

    I think you’re doing some of this already with, “I’ve been told there will be…” rather than “there’s a review in August”. I think the more information you can give people about specific conversations and timelines and processes for decision-making, the better basis they’ve got for deciding likely it is and what they should plan on.

  13. Healthcare Manager*

    LW 1: assume ignorance over malice. Assume they aren’t trying to undermine you, they’re just ignorant. Proceed accordingly (not defensively).

    1. Purple Cat*

      That’s why I think Alison’s script is brilliant. It assumes a kindness on the panel member (Thank you for this information!). While matter-of-factly stating where/how the information would be useful. (Hint not for LW who is an expert).

    2. Gray Lady*

      Yes, I don’t really have a problem with Alison’s suggestion as an option, but if you want to keep it on a more professional, but less oblique level, with less of a burn, I think something like this might work:

      Thanks for your interest in my work. Since we hadn’t met before last Thursday, you might not be aware that I am a senior team lead in the llama grooming department at Vicuna Specialties. Currently, I’m also teaching a course in Llama Coat Care and Trim Design at Alpaca University. I look forward to future interactions with you on local community matters.

    3. anonymous73*

      Sorry but anyone who is aggressively and rudely trying to prove that you are underqualified based on assumptions they’ve made with minimal fact is not operating based on ignorance.

  14. Yellow*

    LW1 I would recommend a different approach that’s less satisfying to write – but probably more likely to keep the door open for positive engagement in the future. I’d go with a reply along the lines of

    Thank you for following up with these resources. I didn’t have much opportunity to introduce myself last night as we focused on the proposal, however as we’ll likely/hopefully cross paths again I thought it might be helpful if I introduce myself properly.

    I’m a Senior Llama Groomer at Blah University and teach undergraduate and postgraduate courses across grooming, hygiene and nutrition. My specialty is … in paddock grooming of long haired llamas.

    I’m always happy to talk llamas so pleased reach out if you’ve any questions, or you can find more about my work at link.

    I was asked once if we could include in a protest – with the reason that they were new and it’d be good for them to be involved. I understood that as good for the individual to get this experience because they were new. After a couple meetings I realised it was Person is a new employee. It would be good for the project if they were involved because they are really good at this stuff.

    If you embarrass them when they thought they were helping you out, they may avoid reaching out again when they can help you!

    1. Miss Pantalones En Fuego*

      Totally agree! It’s more satisfying in the moment to respond by brandishing your credentials but I think that approaching it with the assumption that this person just misunderstood you is likely to get better results.

    2. ecnaseener*

      It’s interesting to see the different perspectives on this – in my mind this option is more likely to come off as brandishing your credentials, because, well, you’re explicitly saying “let me tell you all about my credentials.” A script like Alison’s, where you blithely pretend they sent the resources for your students and just mention one relevant credential as context for that assumption, feels more like you’re letting the person save face and pretending not to notice their mistake.

      It just shows how there’s no completely safe option, LW just has to guess at which option this person is less likely to take offense at.

      1. Pocket Mouse*

        I think it’s appropriate and probably a good idea overall to acknowledge that OP’s self-introduction was abbreviated due to time constraints and the fact that most of the panel members already know them and their work, and offer a proper introduction. And then, as relevant, acknowledge the panel member sent the resource and how OP might put it to use. Nothing aggressive or flashy about that.

      2. I’m LW1!*

        I’m going with Alison’s, with some minor modifications. I think if I list my credentials, I will look arrogant or bitchy (it is fun being a woman).

        1. Doobeedoo*

          Sending you virtual support as you deal with that bully. I think you’ll handle it perfectly using Alison’s script with your modifications. It shocked me the first time I discovered that some women will do anything to put down another woman for no apparent reason other than to assert their dominance. (It reminds me of how my cat responds to meeting other cats.) One thing that helped me understand what was going on with those women was some excellent books about ways women try to put down other women in the workplace: “In the Company of Women: Indirect Aggression Among Women,” by and Pat Heim, “I Can’t Believe She Did That: Why Women Betray Other Women at Work,” by Nan Mooney. Sending you sisterly support!

    3. Madame X*

      If the letter writer were to respond as you suggested, it will come off more like they are desperately trying to brandish their credentials. The elegance in Alison‘s response, is that it sets the panel member straight about the expertise of LW1 and their credentials in a quick and polite manner. It also gracefully provides an out for the panel member to save face. Since they are likely to interact with this person again, there will be other opportunities to go into more detail about their credentials and experience in a less contentious manner than what you suggested above.

    4. Cat Lover*

      Eh, this comes off as a little… idk, but it doesn’t really allow for the other person to save face and throws credentials at them instead of sliding it into a quick response like Alison’s script does.

      If you don’t want to risk burning bridges I would save the website bio.

    5. Heather*

      Completely agree! There’s no need to be passive-aggressive. Taking the high road and clearing up the misunderstanding is much better. If the person comes back with something else snarky, then you can decide whether to stoop to their level or just ignore them.

  15. Jam Today*

    “Thanks for following up with me. I teach Advanced Llama Grooming at X University so I’ll add this to my pool of resources for students new to the subject.”

    The pettiness of this response is so delicious I want to spread it on a cracker and eat it.

    1. London Calling*

      Indeed. There are times when you should be the bigger person and not rub someone’s nose in it, and times when you think ‘Sod it.’ OP worked hard for those credentials and frankly there are times when people really need to be told.

  16. Madame X*

    I love the response that Alison suggested for LW1. It clearly conveys the sentiment “I am a kind person, but I am not a fool.”

    1. Denaranja*

      It’s totally passive-aggressive. Why not just tell them you’re quite an expert (in a more humble way)? That’ll get the point across much more than Alison’s suggested response.

      1. fhqwhgads*

        Alison’s suggestion allows the recipient to pretend as though she knew all along OP was an expert. They both get to pretend no mistake was made, while still setting the record straight. If you directly set the record straight in this case, the Jerk Panelist knows she put her foot in her mouth and some people react verrrrrry poorly to being told that.

      3. Doobeedoo*

        I think Alison’s response is brilliant! What script would you suggest the OP use?

  17. Nym*

    LW4: I’m not American, in what contexts would one have a potluck at work? I’m a bit baffled by the entire concept, to be honest, is this related to a holiday or some kind of “On Fridays everyone brings food to share” thing?

    I’ve only ever seen “bring food” in private party contexts, and even then it’s rare.

    1. Shiba Dad*

      It varies from place to place. At an old job we would have cookouts periodically over the summer months. They usually happened monthly. Some coincided with holidays.

      Other times we had random potlucks. Someone would suggest “hey, why don’t we have a potluck next Friday?” and we would each bring in food.

    2. Alton Brown's Evil Twin*

      Could be a holiday, could be a Friday lunch thing, could be a picnic.

      It’s a common thing in our culture; probably more pronounced in the Midwest/Great Lakes region (Pennsylvania to Minnesota).

    3. Texan In Exile*

      Baby shower. Wedding shower. Birthday. Basically, any excuse to have a party, even one the company won’t pay for.

    4. Irish Teacher*

      I’m just a bit baffled at the fact some of the food seems to be hot. Like how do you keep it hot? We do have parties at work, but the food is usually provided and if we DO bring in food to share, it’s chocolates or sweets or cakes. I can’t imagine bringing in things like sausages.

      2. Lady_Lessa*

        Some of us like to crock pot things, so if you have a safe way to transport a full one, then as long as you have outlets, it will stay warm.

        1. Cthulhu's Librarian*

          I particularly like the newer crockpots, which realize you almost certainly do want to transport them, and come with rubber gaskets on the lid, and latches you can use to lock the lid on for transport. So much more convenient than then one we had growing up, which we were always trying to rig up bungie cords around to transport without spillage (spoiler: it never worked anyways; I don’t know why we kept trying the same thing every party).

      3. Wordnerd*

        We will have potlucks when a staff member is leaving, and then sometimes holidays, or if a big summer-long project is wrapping up. A lot of folks use crockpots to keep food hot.

      4. UKDancer*

        Also baffled in the UK. We have a summer picnic but the food is cold (salads, humus, dips etc and a range of cakes). I always opt to bring in the drinks. I’ve never known people prepare hot food.

        We had a tea party for Macmillan earlier in the year which had a range of different cake options (shop bought and home made) as well as fruit and cheese and biscuits. But again, it’s all cold and brought in.

          1. UKDancer*

            Nope, don’t know what that is.

            We have a summer picnic in my company which is nice and then assorted coffee mornings or tea parties.

            I guess we’re in London so most people are coming in on public transport or by bike so it’s rather more difficult to bring in large amounts of food. I tend to resort to Waitrose for my offerings.

          2. pandop*

            You have to be local to me! We are in fact in the process of arranging a fuddle at work now – but it will be all cold food.

          3. workswitholdstuff*

            Someone else calls them fuddles!

            Less here in museum job (mostly cos so few of us and all spread out) , but the old call centre job we often had them for various reasons – leaving, maternity leave, christmas or the big holidays.

            I was normally on ‘homemade muffins’ -which always looked impressive but were dead easy to make in bulk (important as it would be for a largest team) – measure dry ingredients together, measure wet ingredients – add wet to dry and stir and then put the mixture in the cases to cook :)

            Did it a little bit @ small museum, but only at christmas – then my contribution was invariably mulled apple juice in the slow cooker (cheap, clear apple juice, sachet of mulling spices. Switch on. Once it’s warmed through and you can smell the spices, it’s ready…)

      6. Mockingjay*

        Crockpot or warming dish. Every office I’ve worked in has had at least one microwave, usually two or more. Some break rooms are full kitchens with dishwasher and stove/oven range.

        I worked in one small office in which the General Manager would cook everyone (there were about 12 of us) a full, fancy breakfast once a month served properly in the main conference room, with company-logo placements and proper china and utensils. It was really delightful! (And he was a GOOD cook.)

      8. Kippy*

        Insulated casserole carriers with heat pack inserts also work well for something that needs to be kept warm but not piping hot.

      9. Jora Malli*

        I mostly bring in items that can be served cold, but a few times I’ve made a dish in advance and then rewarmed it at the office in the microwave or on a hot plate.

      10. Free Meerkats*

        Looking around my worksite for ~30 people, at least 4 microwaves, 2 gas barbeques, a full size range, 3 commercial style coffee makers, and an unknown number of Keurigs, wafflers, hot plates, electric fry pans, and electric griddles.

    5. Hlao-roo*

      I’ve only had potlucks at one workplace, and it was once a year in December as a “holiday” (really Christmas) celebration. Most people brought in desserts, a few people brought in hot dishes.

      @Irish Teacher: people with hot food bring it in crock pots/slow cookers that can be plugged in so the food stays warm until it’s time for the potluck.

    6. metadata minion*

      At my workplace they’re common for things like baby/wedding showers (which aren’t necessarily about presents so much as “yay you’re getting married; let’s eat cake”).

    7. Academic Fibro Warrior*

      Depends on the culture and industry, I think. All my professional career has been in the deep south and in higher ed. My mom has experienced it in healthcare, too.

      Especially during the 2008 crisis we did a lot of potlucks, but also for any kind of celebration–baby shower, people leaving, internal professional development, term end (it was a niche program and students studied with us for several years before moving on, we had 5 8 week terms, and several specialty programs with exchange students throughout the year.) And we were underfunded despite how many out of state and international students we served….so if we wanted to eat at work we had to potluck usually. Some of the older members of the team viewed it as a way to build community-and it did, and we included all the many part timers.

      Once funding stabilized and salary compression issues were resolved, we ate together less and tended to go to a nearby restaurant instead which was a bit sad.

      Even growing up, deep south, so many potlucks. My mom is a nurse and my dad an educator and there were always, always potlucks (with 19 versions of deviled eggs and 22 bowls of potato salad…). Now that I’ve moved to a large regional city, not so much. But we lived in what used to be a company town and the mills used to mandate that kind of fun to the people who rented housing from them, and jobs there still don’t pay well in comparison to the rest of the state despite its recent growth, so I think the tradition evolved out of churches’ helping their members in hard times as well.

      We’re from the Midwest originally and the sheer volume of potlucks was always astounding to my parents and family up north.

    8. Purple Cat*

      We used to have company-wide Christmas potlucks.
      But typically typically we do department potlucks for baby showers. At one point my department was doing monthly potlucks with a different “theme” each month. Bacon month was epic that we’d combine with an all-department meeting. So combination “social event” and meeting.

    9. Annika Hansen*

      I work for a state university. We are not allowed to use the university’s money for employee food except in limited situations. Pre-covid, we would sometimes do a potluck when someone was leaving. We also did one as baby shower. We didn’t do all the trapping of a traditional baby shower. We just all gave like $5 and signed a card. We like to eat so we had a potluck. It’s definitely not mandatory to bring a dish. If you wanted to participate, but not cook, you could bring utensils or soda. You could also opt out of participating.

    10. Employed Minion*

      When I first started in my current position, my dept had a massive potluck for EVERY SINGLE BIRTHDAY. Two birthdays may be in the same week and they would still have separate food days. All cold food stuffs and a cake of the birthday person’s choosing. The volume of food was overwhelming. The food would be laid out on a spare table in the dept and people would graze all day.

      When the dept started to expand this was just too much and we switched over to a once month schedule. This is much more manageable. Some people now bring in hot dishes. They use crockpots as others have mentioned.

      1. Employed Minion*

        there were about 2o people in my dept and it grew to about 30. It was a lot of birthdays.

    11. Prefer my pets*

      I’m a fed and since spending taxpayer money for food/beverages for employees is a Sin Against Humanity in the US, if we want to have a gathering with food it has to be a potluck. (Yes, I have feelings about that policy) Precovid most offices I was in had them every month or two.

    12. Artemesia*

      Every place I have worked and every place my husband has worked has had potlucks from time to time. It is pretty common. Where I worked it was an unwritten rule that those in the higher status/higher paid roles provided the expensive main dishes and the less well paid staff brought desserts and salads. I usually bought a large bucket of fried chicken which was easy and popular. We had people who brought in spiral hams, or actually baked up a tray of chicken thighs or lasagna. I learned early that I could easily buy something that people would like and not have to cook it.

      1. pandop*

        Yes, when we had a fuddle at work, our senior team leader traditionally provided the wine :)

    13. Clisby*

      From reading AAM, they seem to be far more common than during my working years in the US South and Midwest. (I’m 68, now retired.) I’m more familiar with potlucks as private parties, like, “Come on over – I’ll grill chicken and hot dogs, and everybody else can bring a side dish and something to drink.” Once, when I worked for a newspaper, I hosted a Thanksgiving potluck for people who had to work on Thanksgiving. I cooked a turkey, and they provided everything else.

  18. Left Turn at Albuquerque*

    LW 1: I used to work for a municipal government that was blessed/cursed with a city council member (running for mayor this year, God help us) who considers herself a subject matter expert on pretty much every sticky issue that comes before it – audits, street paving, litigation, personnel policies, you name it, she knew more and better than the accountants, contractors, attorneys, HR advisors, etc. actually doing the ground work. Even when she was demonstrably wrong, she persisted in her conviction. Allison’s advice is spot on, because you just can’t hit people like this with a cluebat to save your life.

    1. Lemonlime*

      Agreed! It’s the right tone of professional while also (hopefully) shutting down the other person’s rudeness.

      People are so afraid of being seen as ‘rude’ when the other person is so obviously the one being rude! Like don’t sink to their level, but also don’t let them get away with it because you’re afraid of being rude to a rude person. Alison’s response. Perfect.

  20. Nonny Mouse*

    #1: Ooh, I’ve had that happen. The questions were both from one member of a job interview panel and she asked
    1. Have you ever met a llama?
    me, confused: Yes.
    2. Have you taken the Red Cross’s course in emergency llama rescue?
    me: No, but I do have an advanced degree in llama rehabilitation.

    Did not get the job. (They only interviewed one other applicant, and they hired him, telling him (and he later told me, becaus llama rehabilitators all know each other) that it would be good to have another man about the place. I am not a man.)

    I’ve known a couple people who have addressed looking younger than their expertise by dressing very, very formally, but that doesn’t work in all contexts or with all people.

    1. I'm LW 1!*

      Yeah, I actually have a “work uniform” that is VERY different than when I started. I dress fairly formally for my profession, where it is OK to wear jeans and a nice shirt for most people. But because of an incident where I was asked for my hall pass when visiting a high school for my job, I have changed how I dress. Over zoom it helps less though.

    2. Observer*

      They only interviewed one other applicant, and they hired him, telling him (and he later told me, becaus llama rehabilitators all know each other) that it would be good to have another man about the place.

      They actually said that out loud?! Are you 101 years old? Because I can’t believe that anyone would actually explicitly admit that in the last couple decades.

      1. MHA*

        The manager at one of my office’s affiliated work sites straight-up told a colleague to her face that “I only like to hire men because I can control them better.” Said manager is a woman, and this happened 2 years ago. Some people!

  22. Not A Manager*

    Alison’s response to LW1 is satisfying, but I don’t know that it really needs the burn at the end. Why not directly address the situation? “Thank you for reaching out with these resources. I sensed at the meeting that there was a misunderstanding about my credentials. I’ve attached my CV for your information.” Or, “here’s a short recap of my educational and professional background: …”

    The panel member started off with the wrong idea, she misinterpreted the discussion in light of that idea, we don’t want that to happen again. Why does anyone have to come away from this interaction feeling a certain way about it?

    1. Denaranja*

      I like this idea, why beat around the bush and say something passive-aggressive? You don’t even get to the main point by using Alison’s suggested response.

    2. River Otter*

      “Why does anyone have to come away from this interaction feeling a certain way about it?”

      Thank you for saying this. I do like your wording much better.

    3. Colette*

      Those are far more aggresive approaches, as opposed to Alison’s, which lets the panel member save face while still correcting her.

      1. Heather*

        It’s assertive maybe, but it’s way less passive-aggressive. Alison’s suggestion just reads as really snarky to me. If I were on the receiving end of that or even heard about it, I’d be pretty put off by the lack of professionalism.

        1. Aka*

          Personally I’d be a lot more put off by someone serving on a panel denigrating another panelist’s experience without even bothering to enquire, but that’s just me.

        2. STG*

          It’s a perfectly cordial professional response though. I don’t find it passive aggressive at all. It thanks her for the unrequested resource and explains how she will use that resource.

        1. I’m LW1!*

          One of the problems is she hinted more than said out right I didn’t know what I was doing. So it looks like overkill to assert all my credentials. If she’d said outright I wasn’t an expert, it would be easier to address this. But she never did that, just hinted. And implied.

          1. Colette*

            Exactly. Responding to that email with a list of your credentials would come across as defensive. Alison’s approach will be more effective.

            1. MCMonkeyBean*

              It’s like the professional equivalent of when a guy is flirting way too much and generally behaving like a creep and if you try to cut him off by saying you are in a relationship then he’s like “ew, why would you assume I want you, you must be so conceited.”

  23. NewJobNewGal*

    #1 I used to take the OP’s approach and not give a personal introduction before talks/presentations, but this outcome happens all the time! I guess I tend to be more trusting when people present information, but other people are always on the lookout to be superior jerks.
    I have a few standard slides for talks, one for quick references and experience, another with long-winded dramatic accomplishments, and some in between. I plop a slide at the beginning of every presentation and it’s cut down on a lot of the ego clashes.

  24. Hiring Mgr*

    On #1 that panelist sounds like a jerk but I wouldn’t go the witty comeback route (mainly because it’s obvious you’re digging at her and imo more likely to keep drama going).

    The next time you have to work with or present something, you could either give an introduction with. your background or even send a similar email to all the panelists a day or two before the meeting.

    Also as you mention you know all the other panelists, maybe you can get some intel from them what her deal is.

    1. Eldritch Office Worker*

      I don’t think it’s a witty comeback, you’re reading the annoyed tone but without that background it can indeed be read as a face save for both sides.

    2. Colette*

      It’s not a witty combeback, it’s interpreting her behaviour in the most generous possible way, while still communicating the OP’s credentials.

      1. atx*

        it’s passive aggressive af and will come off as rude. if i were on the receiving end of that, i’d be put off. if i got a response that was correcting me and the person told me their credentials, i’d be like dang okay that’s my bad! and i would apologize.

        if they get butthurt from being corrected, it’s their own issue. american egos are so frumping delicate, can never just be direct and honest anymore without someone getting offended.

        1. Colette*

          It sounds like you’re the one offended.

          Alison’s approach is not passive aggressive, and it’ll probably get the job done without making anyone look bad.

        2. Observer*

          You would never be at the receiving end of this, though, because you would not deliberately send an actual expert materials intended for beginners after making it clear that you are convinced that they are a beginner, despite everyone else knowing that the expert IS an expert.

    3. I'm LW 1!*

      As far as I can tell, her deal is that she doesn’t want to spend any resources, ever, on anything. She basically spends every presentation looking for reasons to say no.

      1. Hiring Mgr*

        Ok so she’s generally just a crank with everyone then rather than it being a personal thing with you and challenging your credentials.

        In that case it probably doesn’t matter how or whether you respond if she’s just going to do the same thing next time anyway

  25. jellitate*

    DESSERT: grape salad
    Grapes/Pecans/cream cheese/sharp cheddar/sugar/mayo/mix together/ brown sugar on top… sounds awful? It is not. I have people BEGGING for this stuff. Got the recipe from a fav cousin in law!

  26. Venomous Voice*

    OP2:
    I wouldn’t let you boss know you’re looking, for all the reasons previously mentioned. I can backfire painfully. However, if you are offered a position elsewhere, the company will be quick about offering more money when you put in your notice if they can and if they value you as much as they should. DO NOT tell them where your going, and if they ask about the new salary just politely decline to divulge that info. You don’t want to give them a price point to beat by 3%, you want to know how much they REALLY value you. Also, if you happen to be hoping for a promotion, this can help; if you apply for another position or promotion in the company, the fact that your pay may already be higher than another candidate is a consideration. The company saves money this way.

    1. Venomous Voice*

      OP2:
      I wouldn’t let you boss know you’re looking, for all the reasons previously mentioned. I can backfire painfully. However, if you are offered a position elsewhere, the company will be quick about offering more money when you put in your notice if they can and if they value you as much as they should. DO NOT tell them where your going, and if they ask about the new salary just politely decline to divulge that info. You don’t want to give them a price point to beat by 3%, you want to know how much they REALLY value you. Also, if you happen to be hoping for a promotion, this can help; if you apply for another position or promotion in the company, the fact that your pay may already be higher than another candidate is a consideration. The company saves money this way.

  27. GlazedDonut*

    LW2: I understand where you’re coming from! I have had similar conversations with my boss (initiated *by* her because she knows I’m “no where close to reaching my bandwidth in this role”). We have talked about open positions in other departments, what I want in my next role, etc. However, when I told her that this once-a-year project would likely be someone else’s next year, she called me on the carpet for it.
    Did she push me out? No. Did she pass up a project she could have given me? No. But still–to Alison’s point–it was a very unpleasant conversation, despite what I said was 100% based in facts that she’s well aware of. Now our relationship is slightly soured. I wish I hadn’t engaged in such open conversations with her and had instead side-stepped them more gracefully. I’ve never had a boss like this before (she’s great!!)–but sometimes even the best don’t realize what they’re doing in these instances.

  28. Percysowner*

    Deviled eggs, especially if you have an egg cooker. In my experience they go pretty fast and being able to pick them up and pop them in your mouth without finding a plate is a big draw.

  29. Nonymous*

    “Thanks for following up with me. I teach Advanced Llama Grooming at X University so I’ll add this to my pool of resources for students new to the subject.”

    I’ve had the same experience as a young looking women in engineering, but I have over a decade of experience in highly regulates industries.

    I recently changed from one industry to another. After a meeting with a manager from another site, he sent me a link to take a class in the ISO standard of the new industry. I wrote back that I had already taken the class, and added that it looked like a napkin drawing compared to the ISO standard that I came from.

  30. Troutwaxer*

    Hey Allison, usually we speak to the OP, but I have to say that “Thanks for following up with me. I teach Advanced Llama Grooming at X University so I’ll add this to my pool of resources for students new to the subject.” is a brilliant bit of phrasing. Just superb.

  31. Nunya_Bniz*

    A bag of frozen meatballs. A jar of chili sauce. A jar of grape or apricot jelly. Assemble in the crockpot when you arrive in the office, let warm until lunchtime. Always a big hit at these things.

  32. anonymous73*

    #2 I tried to submit this earlier but the site crashed so apologies if this shows up twice.

    It’s never a good idea to give your manager a heads up that you’re job searching, regardless of the type of relationship you have with them. A good manager (emphasis on good) will have their team cross train, make sure the team is not understaffed*, and encourage their team to learn and grow. Good managers are not blindsided when someone leaves, especially if they know you’re unhappy in your role. If your team is majorly affected by you leaving, that’s not a YOU problem. You need to remove emotions out of your decisions. It’s okay to care (we are human after all), but don’t let that prohibit you from making the right choice that’s best for YOU.

    * Yes I realize that some managers are limited based on the company and upper management, but that still isn’t a problem for OP (or any employee who wants to move on) to solve.

  33. Accidental Manager*

    Oh boy, I’m hungry now! Makes me wish we were having a potluck at work today – and we’re fully remote!

  34. Paper Librarian*

    Allison’s response to Letter 1 is excellent. I’ve got some expertise and credentials in a very difficult subject in my job, and I’ve never had anyone treat me so passive aggressively. I’ve been wondering how I would respond to such an email, and feel like I might’ve said something like, “Yes, these are great resources for learning more about Llama Grooming! Let me know if you have any questions while reviewing them or if you want more resources to peruse.”

    Which sounds awful in the full context of the letter writer’s experience, but I’m honestly not sure how to deal with pettiness unless I’m completely ignoring it.

  35. Purple Cat*

    I’m fascinated reading the polarizing responses to Alison’s script for LW1.
    To me, it comes back to the “rocking the boat” theory. IMO, Panel Member absolutely rocked the boat. They dismissed LW during the presentation and then had the gall to follow-up with “learning resources” for her.
    It seems to me that the people that dislike Alison’s script expect LW to steady the boat, and make peace, and smooth things over with the Panel member. When really – F that. LW just needs to set the record straight, but is under no obligation to unruffle feathers. Panel member was out of line.

    1. I'm LW 1!*

      Thank you. I was shaking with rage at some of the things she said (was over zoom, so I hide it well and confirmed I didn’t break professionalism with panel members I know later). She did rock the boat and per other panel members, this was not the first time. I’m OK with a few ruffled feathers from her after all that.

      1. Kit*

        I’m with you on that – return that awkward directly to sender! Offering the face-saving “oh obviously you meant this as a resource for my students” reply is as polite as I’d be able to be in your shoes.

        I’m just glad the rest of the panel recognized how incredibly out-of-line she was.

    2. Happy*

      Yep! Some people really seem to think that LW needs to go out of her way to protect the panelist’s feelings. I mean, the panelist was already rude and then went out of her way to send that condescending email!

      I do not get the people who are identifying with the panelist and then being put off by LW’s hypothetical response.

    3. MeepMeep02*

      I’m not on Team Panel Member, but I do think that the commentariat shows that there are plenty of people who view any feather-ruffling in a negative light, regardless of who is in the right or wrong. LW does need to set the record straight, but if she does so in an overly aggressive way (even if she is right, as she is here), there will be plenty of people who will look at her negatively (even though it’s unjustified). I think Alison’s response was absolutely pitch-perfect for this reason.

      1. Eyes Kiwami*

        I agree, I think it’s very weird that so many people want to smooth things over here, but when we get letters about bigotry, so many people advocate flipping the table regardless of consequences. Judging when to make waves, and when you’re willing to take that risk, is really tricky.

  36. Not One of the Bronte Sisters*

    I make a very simple dish of watermelon, cucumber and cilantro. Add a tiny bit of salt and toss. Very good.

  37. Jess*

    For #1, is this a field where opinion plays a strong role, as opposed to just technical expertise? For example, urban planning or something? You may have an advanced degree in this topic, but a local resident will have strong feelings about what should or shouldn’t be done to her neighborhood. She may read an introductory reference on the topic and pick out a few points in it that resonate with her strongly held opinion, and then cite that reference to tell the experts that they’re doing their jobs wrong. If that’s the case, and your work requires community panel approval, you may know more about the topic but you still have to try to understand where the community members are coming from and why they object to your proposal, even if it is “correct” according to your years of study and expertise.

    1. I'm LW 1!*

      Opinion plays a role, but not that much of one. And to be honest, she’s well-known (as I found out after the fact) for never wanting to spend any resources ever.

    2. Doobeedoo*

      I’m trying to figure out why your comment seems so unkind to me… It appears to be doubling down on questioning the LW. As the site’s commenting rules state,

      Letter-writers are experts on their own situations. When a letter-writer reports a situation is giving them bad vibes, particularly in regard to safety, harassment, or discrimination, believe that person. Don’t search for ways to explain away the behavior or pressure them to ignore their instincts because you personally haven’t had the same experiences.

  38. Jess*

    I think a lot of people are replying to #1 as if this incident happened with a coworker, so it’s a fight between equals, and I think it’s important that it was a community panel member. So she’s probably a volunteer who feels passionately about this particular issue, maybe with a history of many experts coming in and out and doing projects that affect the community and expecting the community to just defer to their expertise. I have seen this dynamic quite a bit working in the environmental field, where my education and experience in the field are one thing, but someone who lives at the project site might rightly feel their perspective trumps the experts.

    1. I’m LW1!*

      She’s on a panel, but not a volenteer community member. Her being on the panel is part of her work. She works for the more ‘industry’ side where I am an expert on the ‘projects and outcomes’ side. She also is very unlikely to be affected by the outcomes on this project, personally or professionally. She just doesn’t like having to use resources, per other people I know.

      1. Darny*

        In that case Alison’s script is perfect because it communicates, passive-aggressively, “my expertise is not up for discussion”.
        A straightforward response with your CV is an implicit invitation for her to judge your expertise herself, which it seems like she won’t do in good faith.

  39. SnootyGirl*

    LW #4 I usually try to bring something that doesn’t involve any (or little) cooking. Things that have been popular are fruit salad (raspberries, blackberries, blueberries, cut-up strawberries, mixed into a bowl; along with whipped cream nearby); pasta salad (tri-color rotini, artichoke hearts, chopped red onion, hearts of palm, kalamata olives, cherry tomatoes, cucumbers, feta cheese, tossed in a lemon vinaigrette and chilled for several hours); a selection of cold cuts, cheeses and up-scale crackers (meaning not saltines) with the meats and cheeses pre-cut to fit easily on the crackers. As several people have suggested, if you really want something hot, a crock pot is a great idea and there are lots and lots of recipes for crock pots. Now I’m hungry.

  40. Book Phoenix*

    Simple: roasted Brussel Sprouts– and then mix of nuts, goat cheese, cranberries mixed in just before serving. Crowd pleaser, was asked to bring them every year

  41. TrixieD*

    Depending on how many people are in your office, a baked potato bar is a nice idea. Bake a handful of potatoes, cut them into fourths, and bring along some sour cream, chopped green onions, shredded cheese and good butter. It’s always a hit!

  42. Al*

    I agree with the bean salad. I brought in one made the evening before with 3 cans of beans, frozen corn (thawed), jarred salsa, balsamic vinegar, and feta cheese, and it went over very well.

  43. El l*

    OP1: Honestly, this person doesn’t sound like someone who will be more circumspect when you point out your expertise. They may even have done this on purpose to provoke you.

    So if the other members of the panel are familiar with your expertise, use that. She may not care about your opinions, but she may care about theirs, if only because she has to deal with them on a daily basis. “Got your note. Ask [Panel Member] Jane what she thinks about the work I did on Projects X and Y.”

  44. VeggieBubba*

    My favorite potluck was when my colleagues at an old job threw me a really nice party at the end of my notice. They had BBQ, lil’ smokies in a crock, pepperoni pizza, rando meat casseroles… the works. I still feel sort of bad about it all these years later, but none of them knew I was a vegetarian until my last day.

  45. El l*

    OP2:
    If your boss is less than you think she is – frequent occurrence on these pages – you can’t take the risk. And if she’s as good as you say she is, she’ll understand not to take it personally if you search or leave.

    Because it’s a job. When all is said and done, you work hard on relationships but you have to do what’s right for you. I have no doubt she’s operated on that principle before, and will do so again. And it won’t take much for her to realize that staying here is not right for you.

    Focus instead on being gracious and unapologetic when you leave.

  46. Caryn Z.*

    sorry if these were mentioned – easy and popular. Little smokies in crockpot with bbq sauce. Italian style pasta salad with Italian dressing.

  47. TrixieBelle*

    I have no potluck recipes and I don’t at all want to crap on anyone’s cornflakes about their favorite things to make. BUT I hate workplace potlucks, they make me feel so much anxiety. It’s like there’s one group of coworkers here who love potlucks and think they’re the most fun thing to do and then there’s those of us for whom it’s an unwelcome hassle of the “mandatory fun” variety. It feels like disappointing my older generation of female relatives all over again, for not being domestic enough and not having that impulse to nurture and feed people; and whatever I do contribute, whether it’s home made or something storebought we need, just feels like, oh, well you know you can’t really expect TrixieBelle to contribute *really* she just doesn’t have it in her. And I like my coworkers, I just don’t like doing this activity with them. I’m not the fussiest eater in the world nor the most health-conscious, and thank god I have no serious allergies, but there’s something chaotic and social-pressure-y about potlucks to me that I find utterly unenjoyable.

    1. Mamabear*

      I avoid them if at all possible. Because I’ve seen these people wash their hands, or not wash their hands in the bathroom.
      I’m not saying I’m perfect, but eating food other people cook squicks me out.

      1. Anon for This*

        Thank you, Mamabear. I don’t trust food prepared in someone else’s kitchen unless it is inspected by the health department, such as in a restaurant. The only way I’d even consider eating food at a potluck is if I knew it was restaurant prepared and brought in “as is” and not transferred into the other person’s serving dish.

    2. River Otter*

      TrixieBelle, i’m sorry to hear that your family is so unkind. Your trauma from your family is impacting how you interact with your office mates, and it’s causing you suffering that you don’t need to bear. It might help you suffer less at office potlucks if you actively remind yourself that your office mates are not your family.

    3. MCMonkeyBean*

      Every potluck I’ve been to is usually a pretty even split between things people made and store-bought items. Chips and dip, Oreos, dinner rolls, soda–even cups/plates/napkins/utensils are of course necessary items that get provided by the people that don’t like to or have time to actually make any food.

      If a potluck came with judgement I’m sure I wouldn’t enjoy it either, but I’ve never attended one that wasn’t super chill. I usually don’t even know who brought what unless I specifically ask because I want to find out a recipe or something.

  49. baconator*

    An easy dessert (and perfect when it’s hot out) is a “jello” cheese cake (not THAT box stuff)
    2 small or 1 lg box jello (strawberry, lemon, & raspberry are our favorites)
    1 envelope Knox or other brand unflavored geliton ( you can skip this but will take longer for first part )
    16 oz heavy whipping cream
    1 8oz pkg cream cheese (room temp/softened)

    1)Make jello according to pkg. use the Knox here, if using.
    fridge til starting to set but still very jiggly
    2) mix softened cream cheese for a minute or so, just til mixed & smooth. Slowly, in steps add the jello. Mix thoroughly and fridge. (it’s ok if the jello is just tad too stiff and you end up with “specks” of it). Fridge til it starts to stiffen. If you used the Knox, might be ready in about 30 minutes or so.
    3: Whip the whipping cream. Fold into the jello-cream cheese mixture. Pour into a 9×13, bundt pan or variety of bowls/pans.

    You can add cut up berries if you wish. You can just kind of push them down into the jello mix. Fridge for 4 hours or over night.

    lemon jello with strawberries or blueberries is great.
    You can use any jello flavor

  50. Work Related Acquaintance*

    This is the easiest dip ever and a real crowd pleaser, too. It’s only three ingredients – a block of cream cheese, a can of Hormel chili without beans (that part’s important – no beans!) and a bag of shredded cheese. Grab a small casserole dish, spread the cream cheese at the bottom, top with the can of no-bean chili, then cover with as much cheddar as you want. Bake or microwave until hot and bubbly on the sides of the dish. Serve with tricuits or another hearty cracker. Pro tip – find gluten free crackers to serve it with, and the gluten free crowd will be singing your praises all day long.

  51. SofiaDeo*

    LW1: not knowing the exact wording of the email, I wonder if something along the lines of “I see you have been doing some reading on this subject; your attachment is a (good, bad, indifferent, basic, confusing, whatever) resource. What parts of this attachment material can I clarify for you/do you have any questions about this material? Is there a part of the presentation you would (like a review of, more explanation about, etc.). The downside to doing this, is if this person is truly just wanting to stir the pot any way they can, continuing to engage with crazy is not a great idea.

    I vote with the people who say ignore it and don’t send a response. The panel leader who apologized knows this person is a bit wackadoo, and would probably not enjoy it if wackadoo took *whatever* response you made, to panel leader with yet another imaginary complaint. Don’t poke the hissing snake.

  52. Maltypass*

    Lw1 loads of people debating in the comments whether Alison’s response is passive aggressive or too aggressive but im reminded of captain awkward; its the panel member who made it weird, not op, and responding/corrected someone who made things awkward is not a bad thing to do, it’s as CA says returning awkwardness to sender!

  53. Cageygee*

    I know I’m very late to the potluck party, but I have made the following two sandwiches for work potlucks and they always go amazingly fast. They are vegetarian, but not vegan, and the second one only requires light cooking:
    Caprese Sandwich
    Get a long loaf of french or italian bread and put it on a long piece of plastic wrap. Slice it longways through the middle. Spread some pesto on one side. Layer on sliced fresh mozzarella (I have also made this with deli mozzarella and people still loved it) and sliced fresh tomatoes. Sprinkle with a little Italian seasoning. Slice it up and then wrap the whole thing up tightly in the plastic wrap. When it comes time to serve it, just unwrap it. You can stick toothpicks into the top of each slice if you want to be fancy.
    Broccoli Rabe Sandwich
    Get a long loaf of french or italian bread, put it on a long piece of plastic wrap. Slice it longways through the middle. Get some broccoli rabe and saute it in a little olive oil, minced garlic, and hot pepper flakes until it wilts down. Let this cool. Then spread some italian salad dressing or balsamic vinegar salad dressing on the bread, layer on some sharp provolone cheese, and then the cooled broccoli rabe. Slice it up and wrap it up well. Unwrap it to serve. Again, you can stick some toothpicks in each slice if you want.

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