Back in the old days, potluck referred to meals provided to unexpected guests who would simply get the luck of the pot. While today it’s a friendly event where people can taste a mixture of meals, sometimes they end up sharing more than food. That’s why it’s critical to know some helpful tips to make sure you’re organizing or participating in a safe potluck.
According to an article on MSU Extension, one of the key points to have in mind when planning these gatherings is to consider the travel time and the temperature you need to transport your food in. "Those traveling long distances should bring nonperishable foods such as breads, cakes, fruit pies and cookies," they wrote. Once you arrive at the potluck, store cold foods in the refrigerator and hot food in an oven at its lowest setting to prevent bacteria from spreading. "Hot food must be kept at 140 °F or above if you aren’t going to serve it right away."
Once the guests arrive, check if the serving and eating areas are clean and sanitized. Needless to say, washing your hands before and after handling food is crucial if you want to have a safe party. Moreover, be prepared with a large supply of spoons and forks. "In this way, you’ll make sure that guests do not handle foods with bare hands and that utensils will not need to be shared between dishes."
But even if the preparers try their best to be sanitary enough when creating elaborate dishes, there’s no way to tell if they are as scrupulous as we wish them to be in the kitchen. If you have doubts about attending your next potluck, Sarah was kind enough to share several tips to help you get through these communal gatherings.
"If anyone's afraid of participating in potlucks, we actually have a running list on a post in our group of excuses if you need them. Sometimes it's a work event or a family gathering, and you're kind of stuck having to eat there. My best advice is to bring something of your own to contribute and eat that, or only eat from people whose clean kitchens you've seen, or stick to prepackaged foods people have brought," Sarah concluded.
