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What foods should I bring with me on vacation?

People who bring foods to a party that must be prepared.?

  • I love to entertain and often we have parties where people bring a dish to share. There are two people, one is my sister, the other is a friend, who bring food that needs to be prepared. For instance, my sister will bring crackers in the box and cheese in the plastic container, which I then have to find a dish for, open the crackers, put them on the plate, slice the cheese put them on the plate, and then put them out. The friend often brings frozen shrimp and cocktail sauce, which I then have to find a plate for, pour it out... You get the picture. In the meantime, other guests are arriving whom I wish to greet, and I'd also like to socialize and have a good time. Of course, most people bring something that you just put out on the table after giving them a warm thank you. Any ideas on how to nicely ask these people, especially my sister, to bring it prepped and ready to put out? Anyone had this experience?

  • Answer:

    You're doing too much. In pot-luck situations, the best thing to do is to just point these people to the kitchen and let them set it up themselves. It doesn't have to be a big announcement, just greet them and say something like, "Great! Thank you! There are some serving plates in the kitchen." Then, make sure you're busy with something else. This is really common. It allows people to present food the way they want to or gives them the time to assemble a dish that needs to be served fresh. Before the party, stack a few serving platters and bowls on the counter and lay out a cutting board. If you find that they've just dropped their items in the kitchen, find your guests and try a question like, "Hey, did you want to put those crackers out? Were there no clean plates?" Just keep it friendly and matter of fact, like OF COURSE they planned on assembling that stuff themselves, something must have gotten in the way.

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Other answers

no there's no nice way. if you don't have time to prepare it just leave it on the counter. if she notices it's missing she can find it.

bush_4_evah

If you really enjoy entertaining, you should be prepared for these people who seem to be regulars at your parties. Have paper plates and bowls for their items so it is not that big of an inconvenience for you and hand the serving ware to them so they can prep their own food. If one of them is your sister, family should be close enough to kindly say, please bring your own servingware as I don't know what you are bringing and I may not have readily available for you. Paper is the way to go with these people.

incognito_sue

If that happens at my house, I show them where the kitchen is so they can finish it up, or it stays in the box or can

Velociraptor

Whenever they bring something like that thank them, tell them, "Hey, I'd really like to catch up with who ever, or I need to take care of something." Then as you are walking away, QUICKLY give them specific instructions on getting the food to the table, like "Oh it would be a big help to me if you could get that out on the table. Will you please go to the cupboard, place the crackers on the plate. I think there's a knife for the cheese in the drawer. Thanks a lot." Then walk away and don't worry if it's not perfect or if it doesn't even make it to the table. After, if any of it made it out, instruct her on how to clean it up and thank her again.

I_sup_w_him

Yeah, just tell her to prep it before she gets there so you can greet guests. It's just that simple.

cyanne2ak

no, tell them... Listen I appreciate you coming over and all but dont come back to my house with some food that has to be cooked... or you will no longer be invited! Keep it real! concise and assertive. Tell your sister that no one wants any cheese crackers... tell her to bring some potato salad or something lol

comingofage03

gggrrrr....... yes! this happens to me all the time & drives me bonkers! i'm too much of a weenie to say anything directly.

erikajune6

Tell them to arriver earlier to prepare them. I bring precooked bacon for the burgers that have to be microwaved, but that is easy.

K_BIZ

Well you can tell your sister that it's not that hard for her to cut up the cheese and put them on a plate before she comes over. And as for the frozen food, ask them to cook it before they come over and put it in a heat wrap container.

Chriztina

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