Pick and test a crowd-pleasing plant-based dish

Bringing a great plant-based dish to a social event can make gatherings easier and more enjoyable – but deciding what to make in the moment can sometimes feel overwhelming. That’s why this activity is all about preparing in advance!

This weekend (or one weekend soon), you’ll test out a dish at home, so you already know what works when your next social event comes up.

Step 1: Pick a few potential recipes

Try one of the recipes linked under our ‘Thriving in social situations’ lesson, or check out this list of plant-based potluck dishes for inspiration.

Hint: Even if you’re in Australia, New Zealand, or anywhere outside the US where the Super Bowl isn’t widely celebrated, many recipe creators put together fantastic collections of party-friendly dishes for events like this – just like these examples:

• Center for Nutrition Studies 15 Incredible Plant-Based Super Bowl Appetizers
• EatPlant-Based 30+ Healthy Plant-Based Super Bowl Snacks
• ElaVegan 40+ Vegan Super Bowl Recipes
• Simply Plant Based Kitchen Plant-Based Super Bowl Recipes

Exercise

• List 2-3 dishes that look promising for social events.

Step 2: Test one dish on a weekend soon

Now, choose one of the recipes to make at home as a trial run. Even if you don’t have an event to attend, this will give you a stress-free chance to see how it turns out, tweak anything needed, and feel confident bringing it next time.

Exercise

• Jot down the dish that you will test first
• Write down exactly when you plan to test making it. (Hint: If you work in an office or another shared space, you might want to prepare it on a Sunday so you can bring leftovers to share if it turns out well. Or consider offering some to neighbours, friends, or extended family!)

Step 3: Reflect on the experience

Once you’ve made and tasted your dish, take a moment to review:

• Did you enjoy it?
• Would it work well for a social event?
• Would you tweak anything (flavour, texture, prep time, etc.)?
• Any further notes for next time?

Final thought

Having a go-to plant-based dish for social events makes life easier, takes the stress out of last-minute decisions, and ensures you have something delicious to share.