Surviving Potlucks and Buffets

Potlucks and buffets represent the most challenging eating situation for celiacs. Multiple cooks, unknown ingredients, shared serving utensils, and cross-contamination happening in real-time.

Here’s how to survive them.

Why Potlucks Are Dangerous

Unknown Ingredients

Each dish is made by someone different:

• They may not know what gluten is
• They may not read labels
• They may use cross-contaminated ingredients

Cross-Contamination at the Table

Even if a dish starts safe:

• Someone uses the bread knife to cut cheese
• The serving spoon from the pasta ends up in the rice
• Crumbs travel from plate to table to serving dishes

Good Intentions Gone Wrong

“I made this especially for you!”

• But they didn’t clean the cutting board
• But they used regular soy sauce
• But they used the same pan that cooked regular pasta

Your Options

Option 1: Bring Your Own Complete Meal

The safest approach:

What to bring:

• A main dish you can eat as your whole meal
• Enough to satisfy you (not just a snack)
• Something that looks like a normal portion

Eat your food:

• You’re not limited to the potluck offerings
• You can participate socially
• You’re safe

Bring a dish to share (optional):

• Something you can also eat
• Shows participation
• Label it “GF” so others know

Option 2: Bring and Contribute

If you want to eat some potluck food:

Bring a GF dish:

• Enough for you plus sharing
• You know it’s safe
• Eat primarily from your dish

Assess other dishes carefully:

• Ask the cook: “What’s in this? How was it prepared?”
• Stick to naturally GF items you can verify
• Skip anything questionable

Eat early:

• Before cross-contamination has occurred
• Use clean serving utensils (or bring your own)
• Get your portions first

Option 3: Eat Before, Participate Socially

Before the potluck:

• Eat a full meal at home
• Arrive satisfied

At the potluck:

• Participate in conversation
• Perhaps have a safe drink
• Pick at any items you can verify (fruit, vegetables)
• Don’t eat the communal food as your meal

Focus on people, not food.

Specific Situations

Church Potlucks

Church potlucks are especially common and challenging:

Talk to the organizer:

• Can there be a designated GF section?
• Can dishes be labeled with ingredients?
• Can you bring something specific?

Common church potluck safe bets:

• Fresh fruit (if no cross-contamination)
• Plain vegetable trays
• Cheese (if pre-sliced)
• Things with clear, simple ingredients

Common church potluck dangers:

• Casseroles (usually contain cream of mushroom soup with gluten)
• Pasta salads
• Anything with “secret ingredients”
• Desserts

Family Reunions

Family should understand, but often doesn’t.

Prepare relatives:

• Send information in advance
• Ask someone to champion your needs
• Be specific about what helps

Bring backup:

• Your own complete meal
• Enough to be satisfied
• Something to share

Navigate food questions:

• “What’s in this, Aunt Carol?”
• “Did you use any wheat in this?”
• “I brought my own just to be safe, I love your cooking but my disease is so strict.”

Work Potlucks

Professional setting, similar challenges:

Your choices:

• Bring your own lunch that day
• Contribute a GF dish you can eat
• Eat beforehand and participate socially

Keep it professional:

• Brief explanation if needed
• Don’t make it a big deal
• Focus on the work community, not the food

The Buffet Question

Restaurant or catered buffets differ from potlucks:

Catered Buffets (Weddings, Events)

Contact caterer in advance:

• Can they prepare a GF plate?
• Can they identify safe items?
• What’s their cross-contamination protocol?

At the event:

• Get your prepared plate from the kitchen
• Or identify safe items with staff help
• Eat early before contamination

Restaurant Buffets

Generally avoid:

• Too many contamination risks
• Shared utensils
• Food sitting near gluten items

If unavoidable:

• Plain items only
• Go at opening (less contamination)
• Ask staff about dedicated GF items
• Prepare to eat elsewhere if needed

The Social Challenge

Being the person who can’t eat the potluck food is socially awkward:

“Why aren’t you eating anything?”

“I have celiac disease, it’s an autoimmune condition. Potlucks are really hard for me because I can’t verify all the ingredients. I brought my own food so I can participate!"

"I made this gluten-free for you!”

If you trust them and they understand celiac:

“Thank you so much! Let me ask a few questions about how you made it…”

If you’re not sure:

“That’s so thoughtful of you! I have to be really careful about how things are prepared, though. Let me check with you about the process…”

Be prepared to politely decline even “GF” dishes if you’re not confident.

Feeling Like an Outsider

Eating different food while everyone shares is isolating. Remember:

• You’re there for the people, not the food
• Your health matters
• This is temporary, the event ends

Practical Tips

What to Bring (That Works)

Main dishes:

• GF pasta salad (make plenty)
• Taco filling + corn chips
• Rice and bean dish
• Grilled chicken or meat
• Soup in a crock pot

Sides:

• Fruit salad (naturally safe)
• Vegetable platter
• Deviled eggs
• Hummus with vegetables

Desserts:

• Flourless chocolate cake
• Fresh fruit
• GF brownies

Gear to Bring

• Your own serving utensils (protects your dish)
• A plate if you’re unsure about shared plates near gluten food
• A card explaining your dish is GF

Timing Matters

• Arrive early when possible
• Serve yourself first
• Eat before heavy traffic at the buffet

When to Just Skip It

Sometimes the safest choice is not eating at the potluck:

• Very high-risk situation
• Your health has been fragile
• You’ve been glutened recently
• Your mental health needs a break

Attend socially or skip entirely. Both are okay.

Making Peace with It

Potlucks will never be easy. Accept that:

• You’ll always need a strategy
• You’ll sometimes feel left out
• The food focus will be harder for you

But also:

• You can participate
• You can protect yourself
• Connection matters more than shared casseroles

Bring your food. Join the table. That’s enough.