31 Potluck Themes to do in January

January is here, and what better way to kick off the year than with some fantastic potluck themes? Whether you’re recovering from New Year’s Eve festivities, craving comfort foods to beat the winter chill, or simply looking for some culinary inspiration, we’ve got you covered.

From celebrating quirky holidays like National Rubber Ducky Day to paying homage to influential figures like Martin Luther King Jr., January offers a delightful array of special days to inspire your potluck gatherings.

So, dust off those recipe books, gather your friends and family, and let’s dive into a month of delicious and creative potluck themes that will leave everyone coming back for seconds!

What Potluck Themes to do in January?

Having a potluck theme is super fun because it adds excitement, sparks creativity, and brings people together over a variety of delicious dishes, creating memorable experiences and fostering a sense of culinary adventure.

January 1st – National Hangover Day – Recovery Brunch

Gather your friends and cure those New Year’s Eve hangovers with a comforting and revitalizing brunch, featuring breakfast burritos, fluffy pancakes, fresh fruit smoothies, egg casseroles, and plenty of coffee.

January 2nd – Swiss Cheese Day – Alpine Delights

Celebrate the delightful Swiss cheese with an “Alpine Delights” potluck, featuring fondue, raclette, Swiss cheese sandwiches, savory cheese tarts, and traditional Swiss chocolate for dessert.

January 3rd – National Chocolate Covered Cherry Day – Chocolate Cherry Delights

Delight your taste buds with a potluck theme that celebrates the combination of chocolate and cherries. Guests can bring an array of sweet and savory dishes, such as chocolate cherry cheesecake, cherry-studded brownies, cherry BBQ chicken wings, chocolate-covered cherry bacon bites, and cherry-infused cocktails, allowing everyone to explore the rich and luscious flavors of this beloved duo.

January 4th – National Spaghetti Day – Pasta Paradise

Twirl some pasta with a potluck dedicated to all things spaghetti, featuring classic spaghetti with meatballs, creamy fettuccine Alfredo, colorful veggie pasta salads, and garlic bread on the side.

January 5th – National Keto Day – Keto Creations:

For those following a ketogenic lifestyle, share delicious and low-carb dishes like bacon-wrapped jalapeño poppers, cauliflower crust pizzas, zucchini noodle salads, and cheesy broccoli casseroles.

January 6th – National Bean Day – Bean Bonanza

Celebrate the versatility of beans with a potluck featuring dishes like chili con carne, black bean burgers, chickpea salads, and refried beans with tortilla chips, along with a variety of bean dips and spreads for snacking.

January 7th – National Bobblehead Day – Head-Nodding Nibbles

Enjoy finger foods and appetizers perfect for munching while nodding along, including sliders, chicken wings, stuffed mushrooms, mini quiches, and bite-sized desserts.

January 8th – Elvis Presley’s Birthday- Rock ‘n’ Roll Revival

Pay tribute to the King of Rock ‘n’ Roll with a potluck featuring his favorite dishes, such as fried peanut butter and banana sandwiches, southern-style fried chicken, collard greens, and sweet potato pie.

January 9th – National Cassoulet Day – Stew Extravaganza

Embrace the warmth and comfort of stews with a potluck dedicated to this hearty dish. Guests can showcase a variety of flavorful stews, such as beef stew, chicken cacciatore, vegetable curry, and gumbo. To complement the stews, other dishes like a fresh green salad, crusty bread, and delectable desserts can be brought to create a well-rounded and satisfying meal.

January 10th – Peculiar People Day – Eccentric Eats

Embrace individuality with an “Eccentric Eats” potluck, where guests can bring their most unusual and creative dishes that showcase their unique culinary style.

January 11th – National Milk Day – Dairy Delights

Celebrate the goodness of milk with a potluck featuring dairy-based dishes like creamy mac and cheese, homemade ice cream, milkshakes, and cheesy casseroles.

January 12th – Kiss A Ginger Day – Gingerlicious Feast

Infuse the potluck with the zesty flavor of ginger or the vibrant color red. Guests can bring dishes that feature ginger as a key ingredient, such as ginger-glazed salmon, ginger-carrot soup, ginger stir-fried vegetables, and ginger snaps. Alternatively, they can prepare dishes that are naturally red in color, such as beet salad, red velvet cupcakes, roasted red pepper hummus, or cherry tomato bruschetta, adding a pop of color and a delicious twist to the potluck.

January 13th – National Rubber Ducky Day: Bathtub Bites

Take a whimsical plunge into a potluck theme inspired by things that float or indulgent treats we secretly wish to enjoy in the bathtub. Guests can bring dishes like floating fruit skewers, boat-shaped sushi rolls, “rubber ducky” cake pops, and mini “bathtub” Jell-o cups with floating candies. Let the imagination sail as you enjoy these playful and delightful treats that bring a touch of bathtub bliss to the potluck.

January 14th – National Pizza Week (starts Jan 14th): Pizzapalooza

Embark on a mouthwatering journey of all things pizza during this week-long potluck extravaganza. Each day, bring a different pizza style to the table, whether it’s classic pepperoni, BBQ chicken, veggie-loaded, or even dessert pizzas like Nutella and fruit. Don’t forget to showcase pizza-inspired creations like calzones, pizza rolls, pizza dip, and garlic knots. Let the aroma of fresh-baked dough and the cheesy goodness unite everyone in a pizza paradise.

January 15th – Martin Luther King Jr.’s Birthday: Flavors of Atlanta

Pay homage to Martin Luther King Jr.’s birthplace with a potluck featuring dishes inspired by the vibrant culinary scene of Atlanta. Guests can bring a variety of mouthwatering dishes showcasing the city’s flavors, such as Southern-style fried chicken, creamy Georgia peach cobbler, peanut butter and jelly sandwiches, collard greens, sweet tea, and pecan pie. Let the tastes of Atlanta come alive as you celebrate the remarkable legacy of Martin Luther King Jr. and the rich cultural heritage of the city.

January 16th – National Appreciate A Dragon Day: Dragon’s Delight

Embrace the mythical and whimsical with a potluck inspired by dragons, featuring dishes like dragon fruit salads, fiery buffalo wings, dragon-shaped cookies, and dragon-themed cocktails.

January 17th – Benjamin Franklin’s Birthday: Culinary Innovations

Channel the spirit of Benjamin Franklin’s inventive mind with a potluck focused on exploring new ways to cook and reimagine traditional dishes. Guests can showcase their culinary creativity by bringing innovative and experimental recipes, such as molecular gastronomy-inspired dishes, fusion cuisine creations, unique flavor combinations, and avant-garde culinary techniques. This potluck encourages everyone to push the boundaries of taste and presentation, celebrating the art of culinary innovation in honor of Benjamin Franklin’s pioneering spirit.

January 18th – National Winnie The Pooh Day: Hundred Acre Feast

Enter the enchanting world of Winnie the Pooh with a potluck filled with honey-inspired dishes, such as honey-glazed ham, honey mustard chicken, honey roasted carrots, and sweet honey desserts.

January 19th – National Popcorn Day: Poppin’ Party

Celebrate the ultimate snack with a potluck dedicated to popcorn, featuring creative flavors like caramel, cheese, sriracha, and chocolate, along with popcorn-based treats like popcorn balls and popcorn trail mix.

January 20th – National Cheese Lover’s Day: Cheese Carnival

Indulge in a cheese lover’s paradise with a potluck showcasing an array of cheeses from around the world, accompanied by artisanal bread, fruit preserves, charcuterie, and cheese-based appetizers and desserts.

Starts January 21st – National Fresh Squeezed Juice Week: Squeeze and Savor

Energize the potluck with a theme centered around dishes that feature a fresh squeeze of juice. Guests can bring a variety of vibrant and flavorful creations, such as citrus-glazed salmon, tangy lemon chicken, zesty lime-infused guacamole, grapefruit and avocado salad, and refreshing orange sorbet. Whether it’s a marinade, dressing, sauce, or a refreshing beverage, let the zing and zest of freshly squeezed juices add a burst of flavor to the potluck, creating a delightful and invigorating culinary experience.

January 22nd – National Polka Dot Day: Dotty Delights

Embrace the whimsy of polka dots with a potluck featuring fun and playful dishes, such as polka dot cookies, polka dot pancakes, polka dot pasta salad, and polka dot cake pops.

January 23rd – National Pie Day: Pie Frenzy

Celebrate the art of pie-making with a potluck dedicated to both sweet and savory pies, including apple pie, chicken pot pie, quiche, pumpkin pie, pecan pie, and a variety of mini hand pies.

January 24th – National Peanut Butter Day: Nuttylicious

Go nuts with a potluck centered around peanut butter, featuring dishes like peanut butter and jelly sandwiches, Thai peanut noodles, peanut butter cookies, and peanut butter-based desserts.

January 25th – National IV Nurse Day: Salty Sensations

Celebrate the hard work of IV nurses with a potluck dedicated to savory and salty delights. Guests can bring an array of dishes that showcase the salty flavor profile, such as bacon-wrapped appetizers, salt-crusted roasted meats, cheesy nachos with savory toppings, tangy pickles, olives, and salted caramel desserts. Let the bold and briny flavors reign supreme, offering a delicious tribute to the essential role of IV nurses in healthcare.

January 26th – National Fun At Work Day: Office Fiesta

Transform the workplace into a festive potluck celebration with a variety of colorful and fun dishes, including tacos, nachos, salsa, guacamole, and a DIY taco bar.

January 27th – National Seed Swap Day: Garden Gathering

Host a potluck where guests bring dishes made with homegrown ingredients, such as garden-fresh salads, vegetable stir-fries, herb-infused dishes, and homemade preserves.

Starts January 28th – Meat Week: Meat Mania

Dive into a carnivorous potluck celebration with a variety of meat dishes, including barbecue ribs, smoked brisket, grilled sausages, marinated steaks, and meat-based sandwiches.

January 29th – Oprah Winfrey’s Birthday: Purple Passion

Embrace the color purple in a potluck theme inspired by Oprah Winfrey’s famous movie, “The Color Purple.” Challenge guests to bring dishes where the predominant color is purple, showcasing the diversity of this hue in creative and delicious ways. From purple mashed potatoes, eggplant parmesan, and lavender-infused desserts to purple cauliflower bites, grape and goat cheese crostini, and blueberry lavender lemonade, let the purple palette shine throughout the potluck, celebrating the rich symbolism and beauty of this captivating color.

January 30th – National Croissant Day: Flaky Delights

Celebrate the buttery and flaky delight of croissants with a potluck featuring an assortment of croissant sandwiches (egg salad, chicken salad, tuna salad, ham salad, etc), almond croissants, chocolate-filled croissants, and savory croissant-based dishes like croissant breakfast casseroles.

January 31st – National Hot Chocolate Day: Cozy Sips

Warm up the potluck with an indulgent hot chocolate bar, complete with different flavors, toppings, and mix-ins. Guests can also bring chocolate-inspired desserts like molten lava cakes, chocolate truffles, and double chocolate brownies to satisfy every chocoholic’s cravings.

Fun Potluck Theme Ideas to do in January 2024

January offers a delightful array of potluck themes to spice up your gatherings and tantalize your taste buds. From recovery brunches and Alpine delights to dragon-inspired dishes and meat mania, there’s something to suit every palate and occasion.

Whether you’re seeking comfort, creativity, or a touch of whimsy, these potluck themes provide the perfect opportunity to connect with friends, explore new flavors, and celebrate the unique joys of communal dining.

So, gather your loved ones, put on your chef hats, and embark on a month-long culinary adventure that will leave you with memories to savor. Cheers to a fantastic start to the year filled with delicious potluck experiences!