Sometimes you want to throw an elaborate dinner party, giving attention to every detail as the hostess with the mostest. But a potluck is the way to go when you want to keep it a bit more casual. It brings the whole crew together to collaborate on a meal that would have taken you days to prepare alone. Don’t let the idea of a potluck seem like a boring picnic. Instead, make it a pot-themed potluck and let the good times roll.
With plenty of holidays coming up (Hello, Labor Day weekend), now is the perfect time to start planning. With a few essential tips from your pals at Old Pal, you’ll be the host with the most…impressive weed party of the year.
Planning the Menu
Enjoying good food while stoned is one of cannabis’ most extraordinary gifts. Everything just tastes better, and the experience is so much more tactile. Plan for a few finger foods so you can really dig in, and be sure to include some classic crowd-pleasers. When you invite your friends, ask them what they’d like to bring, and let them know what categories you are looking to fill. Unless you want everyone to bring potato salad, a few guidelines are helpful.
Main Dishes
Opt for at least two to three main dishes. This can include chicken or steak for the grill, slow cooker pulled pork for sandwiches, or a decadent lasagna. To make them weed-infused, ramp up the sauce with a bit of THC. Check out our video on making cannabis-infused butter and oil. You can use these infusions to infuse steak sauce, barbeque sauce, marinara, hot sauce for buffalo chicken, and the list goes on. Get creative!
Side Dishes
Now that you know how to infuse butter and oil, think of a few tasty side dishes calling for these ingredients. A green salad with THC vinaigrette is a healthy way to get your daily greens (pun intended). Grilled corn on the cob never tasted better than with herbal butter. A crockpot full of mashed potatoes is made much better with a spoonful of THC butter and a dollop of sour cream. Other side dish inspiration includes roasted beets with a drizzle of balsamic and infused olive oil or cannabis-infused green bean casserole.
Appetizers
Puffing on a pre-roll and snacking before the main meal is a classic pre-meal event, and the goal is to get a little bit stoned before the main meal. So, plan for several appetizers, but keep them simple and snackable. For example, brush some weed butter across the tops of pigs in a blanket for an extra crunchy, infused crust. Or, have a couple of friends build a charcuterie board and infuse dips and spreads with weed oil. A Caprese salad is a great way to add as much or as little THC olive oil as you’d like to a bite of mozzarella, tomato, and basil.
Desserts
The ultimate dessert is Old Pal’s pot brownie recipe. This classic, chewy, chocolatey sweet is the best way to share a bit of THC-infused goodness with your pals. Because baked goods are an easy way to use THC butter, consider having a few options. Cannabis carrot cake, marijuana muddy buddies, and THC-infused tiramisu are a few ideas to try out.
Beverages
As we all know, weed can leave you feeling particularly parched sometimes. Have an array of beverages sans THC to quench your thirst instead of egging it on. Think sun-brewed iced tea, fresh-squeezed juice, and cold brew coffee. Still, a THC-infused sparkling seltzer is a great way to offer a microdose option to your pals, and you can use them as a base for mocktails and mixed drinks. Check out our guide on how to make weed tea if you want another excellent THC drink.
Conscious Considerations
A pot-themed potluck clearly insinuates that plenty of weed-infused options are on the table. However, it’s a good idea to include some not-so-stoney foods as well, and the best thing to do in this scenario is to label each dish. Cut out a few pot leaves from construction paper and glue them onto a popsicle stick for an easy way to identify what contains THC. Then, write down the dosage per serving so everyone is super clear on what they can expect.
A Note on Dosage: Offer your guests some guidelines for infusion. For example, keep it to a minimum dosage per serving, or make the THC optional (like in a salad dressing or sauce) so people can choose how much THC they want in each dish. If everything on the table is highly infused, you might be taking a group nap instead of having a grand old time.
Other considerations include asking your pals if they have food allergies or restrictions so the crew can accommodate them. Nut allergy? Gluten free requests? Perhaps you want to include vegetarian and vegan options.
Lastly, make it truly pot-themed by adding some cannabis decor. If you happen to grow your own weed, pluck some fan leaves and make a banner to string across the doorway. Get a pot leaf ice cube tray or invest in some other marijuana-themed decorations to spice up the potluck. Weed is fun, and so is a themed event. Consider offering pre-rolls as party favors.
Pass the Pot
The greatest thing about cannabis reform is that it’s no longer hush-hush. You no longer have to hide out in the garage taking sneaky hits. Come on out of the woodworks and push cannabis to the front of your celebrations because, hey, it deserves to be celebrated. So, grab some Ready to Roll flower from Old Pal and roll up a joint or blunt to get the party started. Enjoy the good times with your pals.
