Whether you’re planning for a holiday, a special event, or an office celebration — or even if you want to create a new tradition in your office, hosting an office potluck can be a great way to get the party started. Sharing food with those around you is a great way to connect and build social interactions between co-workers, no matter the purpose.

But if you’ve never hosted a potluck before — especially an office potluck — you might be feeling a bit overwhelmed with the responsibility of coordinating and hosting everything.

But there’s no need to worry. Everyone hosts parties differently, and potlucks at the office are no exception. You can put your own spin on things, all while following a few specific guidelines to ensure everything is organized and seamless.

Once you learn the ropes, everything will become a little easier, and you’ll be serving up the party like never before. If you’re ready to get into planning the perfect office pot luck, stick around for these handy tips that can help you out in a pinch.

1. Coordinate Early

While pot lucks are often meant to feel spontaneous — with everyone contributing their own dishes and coming together to share them — potlucks are also about planning.

Make sure you know what you need before you start planning by making lists, but still leave some wiggle room for creative ideas. Ideally, getting started on the planning a few weeks ahead of time can save you a lot of stress.

2. Make a Sign-Up Sheet

Speaking of planning, the sign-up sheet might just be your key to a well-organized bash. Laying out categories such as mains, snacks, fruits, drinks, and desserts can allow everyone to sign up for specific things, all while you keep an eye on the areas that are lacking.

While you should leave room for creativity, you can also get specific if you need certain items — such as soda or juice.

3. Bring Enough for Everyone

If you’re stumped on how much food you’ll actually need, it can be helpful to have at least an idea of what the food breakdown per-person will likely be.

Remember — if you don’t make enough, you might run out. But if you make more than enough, you can leave leftovers in the office fridge for the week ahead. So it’s better to be safe than sorry.

In general, foods like burgers or hotdogs for a cookout go two per person, one bag of chips can be split between four or five people, and small dessert items can go around two per person. However, every party is different.

4. Remember Physical Goods

Sure, most people will remember the basics of plates, forks, and cups when planning for a potluck or party. But there are a lot of other physical goods that can fall by the wayside.

From sturdier serving utensils for heavier dishes like lasagna or casseroles to paper towels, condiments, and tablecloths, physical goods are some of the most important things to bring to a potluck.

Make sure the need for those items is detailed clearly on any sign-up sheet you put out. That way, people can contribute those, too.

5. Ask for Feedback

If you plan to make your office potluck a reccurring event, it can be helpful to ask people for feedback when all is said and done. Some people might request more vegan or gluten-free options, some people might even have food allergies, or you may find requests for logistical changes like the time of the event or the seating arrangements.

You never know until you ask. And when you ask, you can improve your event each time.

Hosting an Office Potluck

Potlucks can be the perfect merging of planning and spontaneity. By planning one in your office, you can give your employees the opportunity to connect over food and participate themselves, while not placing too much responsibility on any one person.

While there might seem to be a lot of moving parts, it gets easier the more organized you are. What’s your favorite dish to bring to a potluck party?