5 reasons you need to host a potluck

What’s better than good food? Good food with good company. However, eating out is expensive, I can no longer justify spending $20 on a meal, and don’t even think about ordering a drink with my food because that’s easily at least another $7. As much as I love to cook, dishes and prep and cooking for so many people is an energy and time expense I can’t commit to every time I want to share a meal with friends. The solution to both these problems? Have a potluck! I present to you: 5 reasons you need to host a potluck!

• You get to hang out with your people.

I’ve said it once, I’ll say it again. In fact you’ll probably find it engraved on my tombstone but to my core I believe that food is a love language. There’s no better way to show someone how much you appreciate them than cooking food you hope they’ll love. Even if it’s something store bought, it speaks volumes that you go through the trouble of going to the store and putting in the thought and effort of finding something special for someone special. I love walking through the aisles in grocery stores, picking items up and trading them for others, hunting for the perfect snack that I think my friend will enjoy. To love someone is to know their favorite foods. 

• You get “stuck” with leftovers.

This one may depend on the circumstance, but after my potluck last week, I was left with quite the haul. Shoutout S for the tray of tater tots that have been my main sustenance since. Yes, I may have had to clean up, but I also had a pack of cookies and cupcakes to enjoy once I was done. I had enough food that I didn’t have to worry about cooking for the next few days. And besides, the cleanup took a maximum of 15 minutes — that’s a price I’d pay any day of the week. 

• A chance to improve your cooking skills.

Are you really even friends if you can’t be honest with each other, be (constructively) critical of each other, and try to help each other improve? This is why you need to cook for your friends. Let them tell you what needs more salt or what could have been cooked longer so you can become the next Gordon Ramsey. (Not me though, all of my recipes are perfect and never need to be adjusted, duh.) AND, you get to do the same. Go tell your friends that their food is overly salty or make fun of their lack of a spice tolerance.

• You’re going to eat SO good.

Potlucks are so wonderful because of how much variety they provide. Truly, the world is your oyster. There’s not a lot of other situations where you are able to graze on so many different kinds of foods (especially for so cheap). If you can get your friend group to lock in and each bring a dish, you will have a beautiful plate of food and a full stomach by the end of the night. My plate was heaping with tacos, tater tots, fruit, dumplings, samosas and sweet treats; what more could a girl ask for? 

• You can try a new recipe.

Have you ever seen a recipe and thought “nah, that’s too complicated to make just for me?” Fear not, have a potluck! Try that extravagant recipe I know you have saved on Tiktok or Instagram reels and see what your friends think. Worst case, if it turns out awful and flops, other people will be bringing plenty of food to cover it up. However, I know it’s hard to find a recipe that’s suitable for cooking in a large quantity. So, here’s my go-to potluck friendly taco recipe! 

Chicken tacos

Yield: 12-15 tacos

Duration: 30 minutes

Ingredients: 

• 1.5 pounds chicken breast (or potatoes for my vegetarians)
• 4 tablespoons taco seasoning
• Salt, to taste
• Chili powder, adjusted according to your spice tolerance (optional)
• Lime (optional)
• ¼ cup hot sauce
• 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
• Tortillas of choice (I prefer corn)

For the sauce:* 

• ½ cup mayonnaise
• 1 teaspoon paprika
• Pickled jalapeños (and about 2 tablespoons of the brine)
• Salt to taste
• Hot sauce

Instructions: 

1. Dice the chicken** into small, bite size pieces. 
2. Marinate the chicken with the taco seasoning, salt, chili powder, lime and hot sauce.*** 
3. Heat up the oil in a skillet over medium heat. Once the oil is thoroughly hot, add in the chicken and cook until tender. 
4. For the sauce, dice up some pickled jalapeños very tiny and combine all the ingredients. Taste as you go and see what needs to be added. 
5. Heat up some tortillas and serve. 
6. Top with onions, cilantro and tomatoes. Enjoy!

* This sauce is what I like to call my Taco Bell Creamy Jalapeño Sauce dupe. Dare I say, it may be better than the original …

** If you’re using potatoes, boil the potatoes until fork tender before cooking — this is the key to getting a super soft inside but keeping the outside crispy. 

*** Marinating the chicken in hot sauce is one of my all time favorite kitchen hacks; it works as a binder in the marinade, adds depth and an extra spicy kick. 

A version of this article appeared on p. 12 of the October 28th, 2026 print edition of the Daily Nexus.