Whether it’s a friendly get-together or a church lunch, you’ll find that potlucks are very common in the Midwest, especially Kansas. The table is loaded with glass dishes covered in aluminum foil and crockpots galore. At the end of the table, there are desserts, and at the beginning, there’s plastic silverware and friends all around. You’re at a Kansas potluck, but what’s usually on the table? Did someone go the easy way out and just bring a vegetable tray? Did Mary bring the deviled eggs she promised? Let’s take a look at 13 iconic dishes you’ll find at many a Kansas potluck.
- Mashed potatoes
Jinx McCombs/Flickr Odds are, someone volunteered to bring mashed potatoes. If they are homemade, good. If they just poured flakes from a box… shame on you. We take our carbs seriously!
- Pulled pork/BBQ chicken
Michael Salazar/Flickr Pulled pork or BBQ chicken is a great meal for potlucks because you can just bring it in a crockpot and keep it hooked up during the whole meal. Of course, don’t forget to bring buns!
- Something, something, corn.
Jessica and Lon Binder/Flickr Whether it’s creamed corn or just a bunch of corn heated up in a crockpot, you’ll find it at almost every potluck. Bonus points if it’s in some type of corn-based salad you’re too scared to try.
- Potato salad
Andy Melton/Flickr I personally am not a big fan of potato salad, but it’s a common dish at any potluck in Kansas. Of course, some people just buy it from the store and bring a spoon.
- Chili
stu_spivack/Flickr Maybe your potluck doesn’t have any pulled pork, but it’s a chili feed instead. Then, you can expect a crockpot or two full of meaty, beany goodness.
- Orange Jell-O with… carrots?
rochelle hartman/Flickr Look, I don’t know who came up with this idea in the first place, but I think it’s terrible. I’ve tried it, it keeps appearing everywhere, and for some reason, people love it. I hear there’s also a Green Jell-O variant, which makes it even worse.
- Tater tot casserole
Ferrous Buller/Flickr The classic Midwestern meal, explained in a glass dish. Casseroles just feel like home to us, I don’t know why.
- Chips with or without dip
Kate Ter Haar/Flickr If you were asked to bring chips, thank you. However, sometimes people don’t communicate, and half of your potluck turns into 10 different types of chips instead of filling meal items.
- Dinner rolls
Antonio Delgado/Flickr Inevitably, someone is in charge of bringing dinner rolls. Whether they bought King’s Hawaiian or made their own, you’re glad they didn’t forget them, because what would we do without bread?
- Another casserole or three…
Sarah R/Flickr Macaroni? Goulash? Bring any casserole you can dream up, and you’ll fit right in here.
- Cold pasta salad
aprilzosia/Flickr Equally liked and hated, but this dish makes an appearance at any potluck where you find people trying to put vegetables into our diet. Was the corn not enough?
- “Ambrosia” salad
scazza_/Flickr Whipped cream, grapes, mandarin oranges, cherries, and any other little bits of fruit find their way into this constantly-changing dish. I’ve heard horror stories of people using mayonnaise, but I don’t want to think about that too hard.
- Pies, everywhere.
Tim Patterson/Flickr Sure enough, three different people though they were in charge of dessert, and brought pies. At least they’re homemade, right?
Speaking of pie, you’ll be the hit of the gathering if you brought pie from the best pie place in Kansas.
Jinx McCombs/Flickr
Odds are, someone volunteered to bring mashed potatoes. If they are homemade, good. If they just poured flakes from a box… shame on you. We take our carbs seriously!
Michael Salazar/Flickr
Pulled pork or BBQ chicken is a great meal for potlucks because you can just bring it in a crockpot and keep it hooked up during the whole meal. Of course, don’t forget to bring buns!
Jessica and Lon Binder/Flickr
Whether it’s creamed corn or just a bunch of corn heated up in a crockpot, you’ll find it at almost every potluck. Bonus points if it’s in some type of corn-based salad you’re too scared to try.
Andy Melton/Flickr
I personally am not a big fan of potato salad, but it’s a common dish at any potluck in Kansas. Of course, some people just buy it from the store and bring a spoon.
stu_spivack/Flickr
Maybe your potluck doesn’t have any pulled pork, but it’s a chili feed instead. Then, you can expect a crockpot or two full of meaty, beany goodness.
rochelle hartman/Flickr
Look, I don’t know who came up with this idea in the first place, but I think it’s terrible. I’ve tried it, it keeps appearing everywhere, and for some reason, people love it. I hear there’s also a Green Jell-O variant, which makes it even worse.
Ferrous Buller/Flickr
The classic Midwestern meal, explained in a glass dish. Casseroles just feel like home to us, I don’t know why.
Kate Ter Haar/Flickr
If you were asked to bring chips, thank you. However, sometimes people don’t communicate, and half of your potluck turns into 10 different types of chips instead of filling meal items.
Antonio Delgado/Flickr
Inevitably, someone is in charge of bringing dinner rolls. Whether they bought King’s Hawaiian or made their own, you’re glad they didn’t forget them, because what would we do without bread?
Sarah R/Flickr
Macaroni? Goulash? Bring any casserole you can dream up, and you’ll fit right in here.
aprilzosia/Flickr
Equally liked and hated, but this dish makes an appearance at any potluck where you find people trying to put vegetables into our diet. Was the corn not enough?
scazza_/Flickr
Whipped cream, grapes, mandarin oranges, cherries, and any other little bits of fruit find their way into this constantly-changing dish. I’ve heard horror stories of people using mayonnaise, but I don’t want to think about that too hard.
Tim Patterson/Flickr
Sure enough, three different people though they were in charge of dessert, and brought pies. At least they’re homemade, right?
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