Potluck Ideas for Work: Easy, Fun and Crowd-Pleasing Office Lunch Ideas and Themes

Is there anyone who doesn’t love a potluck? A group of people descend on a location and everyone brings food…come on. Has anyone ever really gone to a potluck and said, “Wow, I could have skipped that”?

The answer is no. Potlucks are great when they involve friends and family, and they can also be great in an office environment. Again, what’s not to love? As far as office get-togethers go, the company potluck is often low-pressure and fantastic for culture and camaraderie. 

If you’ve been thinking about setting up a potluck for your next company event, we’ve got you covered. The following guide includes some potluck ideas for work and even some planning tips that will make the whole event easier!

WHY HOST A POTLUCK, ANYWAY?

There’s just something low-key about a potluck. Maybe it’s the fact that people have selected and have cooked (or at least purchased) these dishes; they are, in some small way, sharing part of themselves by selecting a meal they like and sharing it with the rest of the team. Often, folks bond over setup, finding places to arrange this slow cooker or that platter. And if you’re bringing together people from different teams — well, there’s really no better way to get to know someone than over their ancient family recipe for crepes.

They can also be quite cost-effective, especially if you’re keeping an eye on food budgets. You might provide a stipend for ingredients, but that will still be far less than buying multiple meals or ordering catering. 

With that said, there may be some times when a potluck isn’t a fantastic or easy-to-pull-off idea. If you are working with very large teams, you’re essentially asking people to bring in what could amount to outrageous amounts of food, which quickly becomes stressful rather than fun. And keep in mind, teams that have many dietary restrictions may also be difficult to cook for (hey, why not let us help out?). 

Lastly, if you’ve got a department- or company-wide deadline, do not schedule a potluck just before or after it’s due. Trust us on this one. 

HOW TO PLAN AN OFFICE POTLUCK: A STEP-BY-STEP CHECKLIST

1. Pick a theme.

Having a theme serves two purposes: it gives your team some parameters, and it’s just downright fun. You can come up with themes based on the season, or related to the industry your business is in, or even movies or television shows. Here are a few office potluck themes to get the brainstorm started:

• Comfort classics. If it’s something you’d eat in PJs on a rainy day, then bring it! Think grilled cheese, chicken noodle soup, macaroni and cheese, and cookies. 
• Breakfast club. Stick to foods that are generally considered morning fare. This can include eggs of any kind, bacon and hash browns, pancakes, waffles, and more. It can also include things like doughnuts, fruit, and cereal.
• Holiday cheer. There’s no question the winter holidays are full of delicious food. Turkey, mashed potatoes, and stuffing are all good starters, along with sweet potatoes, cranberry sauce, and pie. Bonus if someone can bring eggnog. Double bonus if someone can make gingerbread. 

2. Choose a date, time, and location.

A conference room or the kitchen area are easy and accessible choices, but you might also look into outdoor spaces (like the parking lot) or even proper parks, if you have one nearby. Once you have a location selected, start figuring out how you can arrange serving tables and seating. You’ll also want to have access to trash and electrical outlets, especially if meals need to be kept warm.

3. Create a sign-up sheet.

You don’t need to get fancy with this! A regular old Google Sheet or Microsoft Excel spreadsheet will do. Include the following columns:

• Attendee name
• Dish name
• Allergens
• Reheating needs
• Serving utensils needed

The allergens column is particularly important, as it will let people know what they can and can’t eat.

4. Don’t forget beverages.

You’d be surprised by how many operations go all-in on food and then just forget they’ll need to wash all that grub down. Bottled or filtered water is a great start, but look into coffee, tea, juices, and perhaps mocktails or sodas. Whether you decide to bring in alcohol is up to your operation, but if you do, wine and beer are good places to start. 

5. Prep logistics.

If you can plan out the following ahead of time, you’ll be in good shape:

• Setup crew
• Serving areas (do you need more tables?) 
• Places to sit
• Location of flatware and serving ware
• Space in office fridge, counters, etc.
• Approximate eating time + hard stop 
• Cleanup crew + equipment (trash bags, sponges, etc.)  

POTLUCK IDEAS FOR WORK: DISHES THAT TRAVEL WELL

Of course, we’ve saved the biggest and most important question for this portion of the article: what on earth is everyone going to bring? We’ve put together a list of foods that are generally crowd-pleasers that can be cooked in large batches to serve many people. They also — this part is critical — travel well, provided they’re properly packaged up (pies in pie tins, for example). The soups may prove somewhat challenging as they are entirely liquid, but we’ve found that thermoses can get the job done there. 

Anyway, if your colleagues aren’t sure where to start, just show them this list.

MAIN EVENTS

Lasagna: Everyone loves noodles, and you can do all sorts of things with a good lasagna — adding veggies, for example, or going with the classic beef. 

Chicken parmesan: Breaded chicken with cheese? Yes, please. 

Mac and cheese: A creamy, cheesy classic that tastes good and goes with just about everything.

Chicken salad: Greens and protein (plus any extras you can think of) join forces in this delicious, filling entree. 

Sliders: You aren’t limited to just the regular beef and cheese here, by the way; we’ve seen amazing ham and cheese sliders and even turkey pesto sliders. 

Meatballs: Meatballs don’t have to be made of meat, by the way (although chicken, beef, and pork are all popular) — there are several vegan types on the market now. 

Pizza: Hey, no potluck is complete without some pizza (or its fancier sibling, flatbread pizza). 

SIDES

Pasta salad: A cold dish loaded with veggies and dressing. It’s best served cold, but it can survive without the fridge for a couple hours.

Potato salad: Super filling and often very good (especially if served with a slightly tangy dressing). 

Couscous: Light and fluffy couscous mixed with herbs and veggies make for a quick, tasty side that’s good hot or cold. Bonus: It goes with just about any kind of protein. 

Roasted vegetable tray: Healthy and pretty? Sign us up. Drizzle them with a sauce or dressing, or provide a dip, and you’ll be in business. 

Sweet potato fries: Soft, slightly crispy fries are somehow both sweet and savory. Ever dipped one in ranch? Mmm. 

Baked beans: Beans are often considered a basic diet staple, but the right sauce (we suggest a smoky, slightly sweet variety) can make them downright delicious. 

Garlic bread: They travel well when wrapped in foil and they’re a crowd-pleaser. 

Chips and dip: If your employees are really hesitant on cooking, chips and dip are an excellent fallback. Dip can ranch from ranch to salsa, guac, and queso, and you can get chips in almost every flavor.

Chili: Beans, meat, and spices, oh my! It’s hearty, it’s good, and yes, you can get vegetarian chili. 

SNACKS & APPETIZERS

Deviled eggs: This creamy classic gives you protein and deliciousness in a small, portable package.

Stuffed mushrooms: Bite-sized mushrooms filled with savory cheese, sausage, or other goodies are fairly easy to make and transport.

Pita chips: Ideal for scooping up dips without getting ultra-soggy.

Hummus: Hey, if you have pita, you need to have hummus (bonus: you can dip veggies into it, too!). 

Pigs-in-a-blanket: Mini sausages wrapped in golden dough make for a tasty treat. 

Skewers: You can put just about anything on a skewer. Meat, cheese, veggies, or all three; then wrap them in foil or plop them into a Tupperware container to bring them in. 

Cheese and cracker platter: Honestly, this might be the ultimate snack.

Fruit bowl: A refreshing and colorful mix of cut fruit. Opt for whatever’s in season! 

SOUPS

Chicken noodle soup: We don’t know anyone who actually dislikes chicken noodle soup, where noodles, chicken, and veggies combine to make the ultimate comfort food. 

Lentil soup: Lentils are packed with protein, and this soup goes well with warming spices and (potentially) other veggies.

Butternut squash soup: Is it a soup? Or is it a puree? No one really knows. All that matters is it’s delicious and holds its flavor well even during transport. 

Minestrone: Throw in veggies, beans, and pasta and you’ve got yourself a tasty classic.

DESSERTS

Cookies: They’re portable and durable — seriously, a broken cookie is as good as a whole one — and they’ll stay delicious for days. 

Brownies: These dense chunks of chocolate travel well, and like cookies, they’re often good for a while after the main event. Brownies and coffee post-potluck? Hmm…

Lemon bars: A lighter, more citrusy option for dessert; these can be more complicated to make, but they’re equally delicious. 

Pie: Sturdy crust? Check. Sweet filling? Check. Whipped cream? If you want! Pies tend to be easy to cut through and serve, and leftovers usually go fast.

Banana bread: If you’ve got bananas that are going brown, mash ‘em up and throw them into banana bread! You can also substitute pumpkin depending on the time of year.

CHALLENGES OF A POTLUCK

We think it’s pretty clear that we love potlucks, and if your office is moved to host one, you should! But they do present some challenges:

• Dietary restrictions: We’ll give your colleagues the benefit of the doubt and say that most of them don’t want to cause each other harm. But homemade dishes may lack ingredient lists on the packaging; in addition, a dish that is supposedly nut-free might have been made in an environment where nuts were recently prepared. In extreme cases, that’s all it takes. 
• Limited kitchen equipment: Odds are you’re going to need to store and then reheat at least some of the food brought in. Many office kitchens have one microwave, half a fridge, and assorted cutlery left behind by employees. There may not be enough counter space to prep.
• Cleanup: Your coworkers are probably the ones who will be helping you set up, but who’s going to handle cleaning? What happens if there’s leftovers? If you have one sink and multiple platters/slow cookers/pots/etc., how will you manage dishwashing? And what about cleaning up any dribbles and taking out the trash? 
• Duplicate dishes: If six of your teammates are absolute geniuses at making pasta salads, odds are you’re going to have six fantastic pasta salads and maybe not much else. This is a small problem in the scheme of things and easily avoided if you use the sign-up sheet we described above.
• Accessibility: Let’s not forget that potlucks are great fun when everyone can participate. Not everyone is going to be able to buy massive amounts of ingredients, cook a huge batch of food, and then lug it to the office for their coworkers. They may face cost restrictions, or be limited to what they can carry on public transportation, or simply have other obligations to attend to. 

We can’t fix everything on this list, but we can step in and assist in certain areas. You can turn to Waiter to fill in the gaps that a potluck can leave: a vegan entree, for example, or a gluten-free appetizer to ensure no one is left out due to allergies or other restrictions. 

You could also look to Waiter to help you create a blended potluck, where we deliver the main courses and your colleagues bring in sides and desserts. The perks of this arrangement include:

• Less angst around prep. If the main dishes are being delivered, there’s more kitchen space for everyone else.
• Meals will arrive hot and ready to eat. Waiter transports food in individually labeled and expertly packed and sealed containers.  
• Cleanup is easier. Just toss the biodegradable packaging into the recycling bin when you’re done. 

You’ll still have to deal with the prep around whatever your employees bring in, but taking the main courses out of things can take a lot off everyone’s shoulders. And hey, you might realize that letting someone else handle all the catering is, in fact, the way to go for the next one. 

LET WAITER GIVE YOU A HAND (OR A MEAL)

Potlucks can be an absolute delight and a delicious way to bring coworkers together. With proper planning (and maybe a little support from Waiter, if you need it), you can turn your office potluck into a memorable meal that brings the whole crew together without adding heaps of stress.

And if it turns out the potluck is just a lot of work for very little reward, hey, we aren’t judging. We’d be happy to bring tasty, customized meals right to your office. All the perks of food and none of the angst? Yeah, that sounds good to us. Don’t worry — you can still call it a potluck.