30 Potluck Theme to do in November
November is a month of warmth, gratitude, and delicious feasts shared with loved ones. It’s the perfect time to spice up your gatherings with creative and memorable potluck themes.
In this article, we present a diverse collection of potluck themes tailored specifically for the month of November. Whether you’re looking to celebrate iconic days or unleash your culinary creativity, these themes are sure to inspire delightful and mouthwatering experiences.
So, gather your friends, family, and co-workers as we embark on a journey through a variety of potluck themes that will make your November gatherings unforgettable.
What Potluck Themes to do in November?
Having a potluck theme adds an element of excitement and adventure to your gatherings, encouraging guests to explore new dishes and flavors. It fosters a sense of community and shared experiences, creating memorable moments and sparking conversations that go beyond just a regular meal.
November 1st – National Cinnamon Day – Cinnamon Spectacular
Invite everyone to prepare and bring a cinnamon-flavored dish. This could range from sweet treats like cinnamon rolls or apple cinnamon pie, to savory delights like cinnamon-spiced butternut squash soup. For decoration, use cinnamon sticks as table centerpieces and light cinnamon-scented candles for an aromatic experience.
November 2nd – National Deviled Egg Day – Devilishly Good Eggstravaganza
Potluck participants can bring their unique take on deviled eggs, from traditional recipes to creative spins like bacon-avocado or buffalo chicken deviled eggs. Use egg-shaped or egg-themed decorations to stick to the day’s theme.
November 3rd – National Sandwich Day – Sandwich Soiree
For a twist on the traditional potluck, organize a “make your own sandwich” bar. Guests can contribute different types of deli meats, prepared salads (like tuna, egg, or chicken salad), various breads, and an assortment of traditional sandwich toppings and condiments. Others can bring complementary side dishes like pasta salad, chips, or fresh fruit.
November 4th – National Chicken Lady Day – Cluck & Flock Feast
In honor of the Chicken Lady, invite everyone to bring a chicken-based dish to share, like buffalo chicken dip or white chicken chili. The dessert twist for this potluck could be egg-based dishes such as a lemon meringue pie or macaroons.
November 5th – National Doughnut Day – Doughnut Delight
Rather than bringing actual doughnuts, invite guests to bring dishes that are inspired by doughnuts or mimic their flavors. This could include a Boston cream pie as a nod to the Boston cream doughnut, cinnamon rolls as a twist on a classic cinnamon doughnut, or a savory maple bacon dish as a play on the popular maple bacon doughnut.
November 6th – National Nachos Day – Nacho Average Potluck
Guests can contribute different types of nachos or ingredients for a nacho bar. Consider options like classic nachos, dessert nachos, or various toppings like jalapeños, cheese, and guacamole. Guests can also bring dishes that compliment nachos like churros, Spanish rice, Refried Beans, Mexican Street Corn, and flan.
November 7th – National Hug A Bear Day – Teddy Bear Picnic
Turn this day into a fun and adorable event for kids. Encourage each child to bring their favorite teddy bear to the picnic. The potluck can feature bear-inspired dishes, such as honey sandwiches, “bear-y” good fruit salad, teddy grahams, or gummy bears.
November 8th – Cook Something Bold and Pungent Day – Bold & Beautiful Flavors
Guests can bring dishes with strong and aromatic flavors, such as dishes featuring garlic, onion, or fermented foods. The decor can feature vibrant colors and bold patterns to match the theme of boldness.
November 9th – Carl Sagan Day – Cosmos Cuisine
For an out-of-this-world twist, invite guests to bring foods inspired by a planet or outer space. For instance, something hot and spicy could represent Mars, a cold dish could represent Pluto, a cheese dish could stand for the Moon, and green foods could symbolize aliens. Decorate with space-themed items like stars, planets, and aliens to truly transport guests to another galaxy.
November 10th – Sesame Street Day – Sesame Street Feast
In a fun twist on the theme, guests can bring dishes that correspond with the color of a favorite Sesame Street character. Yellow dishes for Big Bird, blue dishes for Cookie Monster, red dishes for Elmo, and so on. For an extra challenge and variety, guests could draw a Muppet character out of a hat and create a dish in the respective color.
November 11th – Veterans Day – Freedom Feast
Celebrate Veterans Day by inviting guests to bring dishes that feature patriotic colors – red, white, and/or blue. This could include a red tomato salad, white mashed potatoes, or blueberry pie, just as examples.
November 12th – Anne Hathaway’s Birthday – Shakespearean Soirée
In honor of Anne Hathaway’s namesake, Shakespeare’s wife, guests can bring dishes inspired by Shakespeare’s works. This could include ham sandwiches as a nod to “Hamlet,” fairy-shaped cookies to celebrate “A Midsummer Night’s Dream,” or a hearty stew to represent the rustic life depicted in “As You Like It.”
November 13th – World Kindness Day – Blooming Banquet
In the spirit of World Kindness Day, guests are encouraged to bring dishes inspired by the vibrant and diverse colors of flowers, as these often symbolize love, friendship, and kindness. Think pink rose cupcakes, lavender-infused lemonade, or a rainbow of vegetable crudites to represent a garden in full bloom.
November 14th – National Pickle Day – Perfectly Pickled Party
For this potluck, invite guests to bring dishes that incorporate pickles, pickled vegetables, dill, garlic, or any other flavors traditionally found with pickles. This could include egg salad with pickle relish, dill roasted potatoes, or pickled okra and ham roll-ups. For dessert, we can bring any green sweet that we like!
November 15th – National Philanthropy Day – Generous Gastronomy
Inspired by the “Giving Tree,” invite guests to bring a dish that includes an ingredient derived from a tree. This could be anything from apple pie, cinnamon-spiced cookies, olive tapenade, almond-crusted fish, or maple glazed carrots.
November 16th – National Fast Food Day – Fast Food Frenzy
For this day, invite attendees to bring their favorite fast food item like pizza or a homemade version of a fast-food classic, such as Big Mac-style burgers, copycat KFC fried chicken, or homemade crinkle-cut fries.
November 17th – National Homemade Bread Day – Bountiful Breads
For this potluck, encourage guests to bring their favorite homemade bread or a dish that features bread prominently. This could range from a crusty homemade sourdough, savory garlic bread, a comforting cornbread stuffing, to a sweet and sticky bread pudding for dessert.
November 18th – Mickey Mouse Birthday – Magical Mickey Feast
In celebration of Mickey Mouse’s birthday, invite everyone to prepare a dish inspired by Mickey Mouse and his friends. Some ideas could include hot diggity dogs, Minnie Mouse bowtie pasta salad, Donald’s cheese and quackers (cheese and crackers), and Mickey’s Clubhouse sandwiches. Guests can get creative with their interpretations of Disney-themed dishes.
November 19th – National Play Monopoly Day – Nostalgic Childhood Classics
For this potluck, invite guests to bring their favorite childhood classic snacks and dinner dishes, such as bologna and cheese sandwiches, goldfish crackers, macaroni and cheese, chicken nuggets, or PB&J sandwiches. To add an element of fun, host a Monopoly game championship and crown the reigning champion of the board.
November 20th – National Absurdity Day – Curiously Delicious Creations
In the spirit of absurdity, invite participants to bring dishes that feature unusual flavor combinations that are surprisingly tasty. Examples could include maple bacon cupcakes, chocolate mole sauce with grilled chicken, or salted caramel popcorn. Encourage guests to get creative and experiment with unexpected pairings.
November 21st – National Stuffing Day – Stuffed & Satisfied
In addition to the traditional stuffing, invite guests to bring their favorite types of stuffed dishes. This could include stuffed ravioli, stuffed bell peppers, stuffed mushrooms, or even a playful twist like double-stuffed Oreos.
November 22nd – Remembrance of John F. Kennedy – New England Eats
Celebrate JFK’s New England roots by asking guests to bring classic dishes from the region, such as New England clam chowder, Boston Cream Pie, fish & chips, Johnny cakes, lobster rolls, and baked beans.
November 23rd – Thanksgiving Day – Friends-giving Feast
In the spirit of gratitude and togetherness, host a Friends-giving celebration where you invite people who may not have family in town or might be alone on Thanksgiving. Encourage guests to bring dishes they are thankful for or traditional Thanksgiving favorites.
November 24th – Black Friday – No Spend Leftover Extravaganza
Challenge guests to create dishes using only items they already have at home, like repurposing their Thanksgiving leftovers into new and inventive creations. Examples could include turkey salad sandwiches, cranberry smoothies, sweet potato fritters, or a creative stuffing casserole.
November 25th – National Parfait Day – Layered Delights and Parfait Bar
Celebrate National Parfait Day by inviting guests to bring dishes with layers, akin to a parfait. Encourage them to get creative with their layered creations, such as a seven-layer dip with guacamole, sour cream, salsa, and more, or a flavorful lasagna with alternating layers of pasta, sauce, cheese, and filling. For a breakfast, set up a “Parfait Bar” where guests can create their own fruit and yogurt parfaits with all the fruits, different types of yogurts, and toppings like nuts or granola!
November 26th – National Cake Day – Sweet & Savory Cake Carnival
Transform the celebration into a Cake Carnival by inviting guests to bring cake-like dishes that can be sweet or savory. Encourage them to showcase their culinary creativity with dishes like cornbread, pancakes, quiches, savory muffins, and different flavors of cupcakes.
November 27th – Turtle Adoption Day – Green Gastronomic Delights
Celebrate Turtle Adoption Day by inviting guests to bring green-themed dishes, emphasizing sustainability and eco-friendly options. Encourage them to get creative with dishes like avocado wraps, spinach salads, pesto pasta, or matcha-infused green desserts.
November 28th – Red Planet Day – Spicy Celestial Delights
On Red Planet Day, invite guests to bring dishes that are red, hot, or spicy. This could include fiery dishes like spicy buffalo wings, red chili, salsa, or hot pepper-infused dishes. Encourage them to explore the world of spicy flavors and heat.
November 29th – National Square Dancing Day – Square Delights Soiree
Get ready for a Square Meal Hoedown by inviting guests to bring dishes that are square-shaped or served in square serving dishes. Encourage them to be creative with square sandwiches, bite-sized appetizers using square crackers, cookie bars cut into squares, or even square-shaped cakes.
November 30th – National Mason Jar Day – Canned Creations Celebration
On this day dedicated to mason jars, invite participants to bring dishes that incorporate foods traditionally preserved in jars, such as pickled okra, fruit jellies, canned carrots, corn relish, or even jarred meats. Encourage them to get creative with recipes that showcase these canned ingredients in unique and delicious ways. Embrace the mason jar theme by using them as part of the decor, for serving drinks, or as candle holders.
Fun Potluck Themes to do in November
Potluck themes bring a sense of novelty and creativity to your gatherings, transforming them into unique and unforgettable experiences. Whether it’s through culinary adventures inspired by specific celebrations, exploring different cuisines, or encouraging guests to showcase their family traditions, potluck themes add a delightful twist to traditional get-togethers.
They promote camaraderie, spark conversations, and allow everyone to contribute their personal touch to the event. So, as you plan your upcoming gatherings, consider embracing the magic of potluck themes and create moments that will be cherished for years to come.
Happy Potlucking!
