1. Ambrosia Salad
If you’ve ever attended a church potluck in the South or Midwest, you’ve probably seen ambrosia salad perched proudly on the dessert table. Despite its heavenly name, it’s basically a mix of canned fruit cocktail, Cool Whip, and mini marshmallows. Sometimes coconut or nuts sneak in, as if that makes it healthier. The whole dish feels like a time capsule from the 1950s.
People still serve it, and it raises questions about whether it qualifies as salad, dessert, or just sugary chaos. Its popularity lingers because it’s easy to make and reminds people of childhood Sunday dinners. But nutritionally, it’s closer to candy than anything else. Maybe it’s time to investigate why we keep bringing it back.
2. Deviled Eggs
Deviled eggs are a potluck staple, and no buffet table feels complete without them. Hard-boiled eggs, halved and filled with mayo-mustard filling, are usually sprinkled with paprika for flair. They’re portable, bite-sized, and suspiciously irresistible. But have you ever wondered if the real “devil” is the fact they sit out at room temperature for hours?
Food safety aside, the obsession with deviled eggs has its roots in post-war entertaining when they were considered classy. Today, church potlucks keep them alive more out of tradition than necessity. They vanish quickly, proving their popularity hasn’t faded. Still, they might deserve a second look just to be sure they’re not a microbiological hazard.
3. Green Bean Casserole
This dish has been hanging around since Campbell’s Soup invented it in 1955. The recipe is simple: green beans, cream of mushroom soup, and fried onions. It’s a salty, crunchy, creamy concoction that somehow shows up at every church potluck and holiday meal. Its staying power seems to come from nostalgia rather than taste innovation.
Critics point out that it turns a perfectly healthy vegetable into a sodium bomb. The canned soup base alone could be the subject of an FDA inquiry. Yet no one dares question its place because it’s practically sacred in Midwestern kitchens. Maybe it’s time we did.
4. Jell-O Salad
Jell-O salad is perhaps the most confusing item on any church potluck spread. It’s gelatin filled with suspended fruit, marshmallows, or even shredded carrots. Depending on the cook, it might be neon green, ruby red, or terrifyingly opaque. Somehow, it’s classified as salad.
The dish became popular during the mid-20th century when gelatin molds were trendy. People keep making it because it’s cheap, colorful, and easy to assemble. But does anyone actually crave it? A committee of food historians might need to investigate why this relic endures.
5. Funeral Potatoes
Despite the grim name, funeral potatoes are comfort food at its finest. This casserole usually includes shredded potatoes, cream of chicken soup, sour cream, cheese, and a crunchy topping of cornflakes. It’s hearty, indulgent, and perfect for feeding a crowd. You’ll almost always find it at potlucks in Mormon and Midwestern communities.
The issue isn’t taste—it’s the nutritional density. A single serving is enough to fuel a marathon. It’s the kind of dish that makes you wonder how many people secretly nap after church. Maybe the “funeral” in the name isn’t entirely ironic.
6. Seven-Layer Dip
Seven-layer dip is the architectural marvel of church potlucks. With refried beans, sour cream, guacamole, salsa, cheese, olives, and green onions, it’s a balancing act in a casserole dish. Everyone digs in with tortilla chips, and somehow the layers never stay intact. By the end, it’s just a messy scoop of everything.
Its popularity is undeniable, but food safety questions linger. The guacamole and sour cream don’t exactly thrive sitting unrefrigerated for hours. Plus, once one chip breaks mid-dip, you’ve got double-dipping chaos on your hands. It might be time for an inquiry into proper dip protocol.
7. Meatballs in Grape Jelly Sauce
Yes, this is real, and yes, people still love it. The recipe involves frozen meatballs simmered in a sauce made of grape jelly and chili sauce. The result is surprisingly sweet, tangy, and savory all at once. It’s a dish that makes newcomers raise an eyebrow until they taste it.
The mystery is why this odd combo has survived decades of changing food trends. It’s convenient, sure—throw it in a slow cooker and forget about it. But who first decided jelly belonged with meat? That question alone is worth investigating.
8. Pasta Salad with Italian Dressing
Pasta salad always makes an appearance, and it’s usually the bowtie or rotini kind. The noodles are tossed with bottled Italian dressing, chopped bell peppers, black olives, and maybe some cubes of cheese. It’s tangy, colorful, and endlessly adaptable. The downside? It often tastes like cold pasta drenched in oil.
People keep making it because it’s quick, cheap, and stretches to feed a lot of people. But considering how soggy the noodles get after a few hours, it’s not exactly a crowd-pleaser. The reliance on store-bought dressing makes it feel like an afterthought dish. Maybe it’s time to ask if we can do better.
9. Sloppy Joes
Sloppy Joes might be the messiest potluck dish out there. Ground beef mixed with ketchup and seasonings gets piled onto hamburger buns. The name doesn’t lie—it’s guaranteed to drip down your hands and onto your church clothes. Still, there’s always a slow cooker full of it ready to go.
This dish took off in the 20th century as a budget-friendly way to feed families. At potlucks, it’s still embraced for its simplicity and nostalgia factor. But the reliance on processed sauces and the guaranteed stains make it questionable. A potluck investigator might need to determine if the hassle is worth the taste.
10. Macaroni and Cheese from a Box
You’d think homemade mac and cheese would dominate, but boxed versions still show up at potlucks. Bright orange pasta, often baked with extra cheese on top, sits proudly among more traditional casseroles. It’s cheap, fast, and oddly comforting. But it’s not exactly church-lady cooking at its finest.
The powdered cheese sauce is the real mystery here. How does it stay so neon orange? Why does it taste better than it should? These are questions science still hasn’t fully answered, and maybe the potluck table is the place to start.
11. Cabbage Rolls
Cabbage rolls are one of those dishes you don’t see much outside of potlucks or Eastern European homes. Ground beef and rice are wrapped in boiled cabbage leaves and simmered in tomato sauce. They look a little intimidating on the plate, but they’re surprisingly filling. Still, they feel out of step with modern tastes.
The dish became popular in immigrant communities and carried over into church kitchens. They’re labor-intensive, which makes it odd they still appear so often. Potlucks usually celebrate ease, so why do we keep rolling cabbage leaves by hand? That contradiction alone deserves investigation.
12. Baked Beans with Hot Dogs
Baked beans on their own are already a sweet-and-savory staple. But at many church potlucks, you’ll see them bulked up with sliced hot dogs mixed right in. The dish is usually baked until bubbling and sticky. It’s a comfort food classic, though maybe a questionable one.
The odd pairing comes from Depression-era cooking, when stretching ingredients was a necessity. Today, it shows up as a nostalgic, budget-friendly option. But hot dogs aren’t exactly a gourmet choice, and combining them with sugar-loaded beans feels like overkill. Maybe it’s time for a panel to weigh in on whether this dish deserves to keep its spot.
This post 12 Things Still Served at Church Potlucks That Should Be Investigated was first published on American Charm.
