We are having an office potluck for Christmas, and I am getting desperate for some ideas. Here's my problems - I will be away for a few days and wont get home until at least 11pm the previous night, so no time to cook anything. I dont have any way to cook anything there, and don't own a crock pot to keep stuff warm. I also don't have a refrigerator at work, although I suppose I could use a cooler if I can find one this time of year. Desserts are unfortunately out, as are plates and napkins and such and drinks - already taken. And no dips, either, apparently. I was thinking some kind of rolls, but outside of just stoping by the market and picking up a bag of them, I cant think of what to do with them.

So, give me some ideas!

A party isn't a party without hummus.

Maybe you could do some kind of snack mix using peanuts, pretzels, cereal, etc. You can make it day of, or do it before your trip and seal the mix up in an airtight container. If you have an oven, you could do a Chex mix to add some zing to it.

Find a fried chicken joint and buy some rolls or biscuits whatever their specialty is
KFC has em

It is a potluck, which is luck of the draw. Someone wants you to bring food they get a potobadluck with some cold KFC biscuits

Some local joints here do some very good rolls, that would be much better, but KFC is nationwide. Along the same lines maybe you could go to a store or bakery and get some nice cranberry walnut bread, kalamata olive bread, or one of my holiday favs a Pistaccio and dried cherry bread, these hold up well enough to not be served hot, and are good with most foods served.

A nice fruit basket that can double as a centerpiece.

A marinated veggie platter put together at work. Newman's Own Vinaigrette is a quick solution or pre-order at grocery and pick up on way to work.

Caprese salad or sliced tomatoes and black olives, balsamic vinaigrette, also last minute assembly.

Cheese Platter.

French bread and butter.

Smoked almonds, candied walnuts, mac nuts.

Basket of assorted muffins.

Variety of cheeses and crackers and/or nice bread. Cheeses can go in a mini cooler / lunch cooler pretty well, and the crackers / bread don't need much care.

Cut fruit is easy and keeps well enough for a few hours.

Corn bread is always yummy hot or cold.

Grab a bagged salad and some dressing on the way to work toss in a bowl before the potluck starts, there's almost never enough vegetables at potlucks. I suppose getting a pre-cut veggie platter would also work, you can throw the dip into a small lunch cooler with an ice pack until the potluck.

Shrimp ring? Not a fan myself but they get devoured at pot lucks!

If you can pop out shortly before lunch, how about some grocery store roasted chickens?

Or an order of something good from a local take out (platter of spring rolls, or plate of mini subs, or spanakopita depending on what you have locally)

You've got some good suggestions here, but if you have these often or have to tote food items to relative's houses for Thanksgiving or Christmas or <insert applicable holiday here>, I would suggest investing in one of these:

http://www.digitalgiftworld.com/1077450.html

You did say no desserts, but at my last office potluck, I made a banana pudding and refrigerated it overnight and placed the hot/cold pak in the freezer. Next morning, the hot/cold pak went into the tote with the banana pudding and it sat and remained cold for about 4 hours without refrigeration.

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Arrange to have a few pizzas delivered.

Potlucks often run out of drinks and ice. I used to work at a place with a monthly Potluck and I became a friend to many by always bringing ice. I was told by a lot of people no one ever remembered it and it was much appreciated. Stop at a gas station day of and pick up two bags of ice and a bunch of sodas and maybe some fun drinks (Snapples etc.). Even if drinks are always taken, it can't hurt to bring more.

Or, alternatively, go to a grocery store and get a couple pies from the bakery and some ice cream. Who doesn't love a good dessert?

A salad using a vinegar based salad dressing can stand up to being unrefrigerated for several hours (remember no dairy or eggs as a topping but other than that the sky is the limit). I make a broccoli slaw using a homemade vinegar, oil, and brown sugar dressing that is popular at potlucks because it doesn't need to take up the limited fridge space. A veggie tray with hummus as the dip also works well.

I also like the suggestion of bread or rolls (particularly a specialty bread) from a good bakery. I frequently make homemade cornbread for potlucks but since you won't get home until late the night before you might not be up to baking then (or first thing in the morning).

Note, even without crockpots you can keep items warm for at least a couple hours if you wrap them in several layers of newspaper (over a layer of foil/plastic wrap) directly after taking them out of the microwave/oven.

^

Anytime there is a potluck in my office, there are a half dozen people running to the grocery store deli right before it starts.

Fried chicken
Macaroni and Cheese
Cole Slaw
Pasta Salad
Hummus


Plus we offer a cash buy in option and one of the organizers will run to the deli for you.

OR ... There has got to be at least one person in your office who loves to cook. Go to that person, explain your situation and ask if there is any way they would be willing to make an extra dish if you paid for the ingredients. Fork over $10-$15 and be done with it.

I actually own multiple crock pots and do this for officemates fairly regularly.

Some resources for ideas

http://www.chow.com/recipes/category/quick-and-easy

Chowhound Boards: Office Potluck

http://101cookbooks.com/

http://smittenkitchen.com/

http://www.davidlebovitz.com/

Maybe some sort of topping (spinach cream cheese, soft cheese, roasted vegetables, sliced meats, hummus as per SirJman) over slices of good quality, crusty bread? The toppings may need to be bought last minute or held in a cooler.

A bag of frozen cooked shrimp. Buy it now, keep it in your freezer, take it out when you get home to defrost in the fridge a bit, and the next morning bring it and leave it out to defrost the rest of the way. That and a jar of cocktail sauce makes a party.

Cheese and crackers and salami or sopprasetta won't need refrigeration from the time you leave the house in the morning till the party.

If you want to spend a few bucks, smoked salmon on a cedar plank.