20 Funeral Potluck Recipes People Will Actually Want to Eat
There are three things you can count on at a funeral: somebody will cry, somebody will say something wildly inappropriate, and somebody will show up with a casserole.
Thank God for that last person.
When someone dies, eating becomes surprisingly complicated. You're hungry, but don't feel like cooking.
Funeral potlucks are a low-lift way to let people contribute. Because trust me, f you don't give them a job, they'll make one up. Potluck-style wakes make controlling the "I wanna help" chaos a tiny bit easier.
If you've been asked to bring food to a funeral reception, memorial service, celebration of life, or grieving family's home, here are 20 recipes worth making:
Funeral Casseroles & Comfort Food
1. Classic Cheesy Funeral Potatoes
Recipe courtesy of Spend With Pennies
It's literally in the name: funeral potatoes. Cheesy hash browns, sour cream, and a buttery cornflake topping. This one was always going to make the list.
Why bring it: Make it ahead and bring it in the baking dish.
2. Broccoli Rice Casserole
Recipe courtesy of Spend With Pennies
Mom always said, "Eat your vegetables." With this recipe, you get to make her happy in the afterlife. Sure, these vegetables are smothered in rice and cheese sauce, but they're definitely there.
Why bring it: A meatless side that travels well.
3. Classic Baked Ziti
Recipe courtesy of Budget Bytes
Lasagna's less demanding cousin (if only yours were so easy). Pasta, sauce, sausage, and melted cheese without the engineering degree.
Why bring it: Easy to double and portion for a crowd.
Slow Cooker Funeral Recipes
4. Crockpot Pulled Pork
Recipe courtesy of Well Plated
Put dinner in the slow cooker and come back to find at least one thing in life went according to plan.
Why bring it: Serve with buns for a self-service meal.
5. Grape Jelly Meatballs
Recipe courtesy of The Recipe Critic
We're not sure what the person who invented this recipe was on when they put these two things together. But we're sure glad they did (also save us some... of both).
Why bring it: Easy to keep warm and serve with toothpicks.
6. Chicken and Wild Rice Soup
Recipe courtesy of Spend With Pennies
Chicken, wild rice, vegetables, and cream make this a meal in a bowl. Hearty, comforting, and simple - exactly what professional grievers need.
Why bring it: Especially good for winter gatherings and meal drop-offs.
Easy Funeral Finger Foods & Sandwiches
7. Ham and Cheese Sliders
Recipe courtesy of The Pioneer Woman
Buttery baked sandwiches, sometimes called funeral sandwiches, are a reception classic.
Why bring it: Portable and easy to eat while mingling.
8. Classic Deviled Eggs
Recipe courtesy of The Pioneer Woman
A personal favorite of both Death Queens. I mean, deviled eggs at a funeral? The irony isn't lost on anyone.
Why bring it: Prepare ahead and transport in a chilled covered carrier.
9. Chicken Salad Sandwiches
Recipe courtesy of Spend With Pennies
Simple chicken salad works beautifully on croissants, mini rolls, or sandwich bread.
Why bring it: Keep filling chilled and assemble near serving time.
Make-Ahead Funeral Side Dishes & Salads
10. Seven-Layer Salad
Recipe courtesy of Spend With Pennies
The seven-layer salad has been attending church functions longer than some of the guests.
Why bring it: You can literally put anything you like in it (cheese, chicken, Xanax) and still call it a salad.
11. Italian Pasta Salad
Recipe courtesy of Love and Lemons
A welcome break from the casseroles and condensed soup. Make it your own by tossing your favorite pasta, vegetables, cheese, and tangy dressing.
Why bring it: Great for warm-weather memorial gatherings.
12. Classic Potato Salad
Recipe courtesy of Spend With Pennies
Make excellent potato salad once, and you may be assigned the job at every family gathering forever.
Why bring it: Prepare ahead and keep cold.
13. Creamy Coleslaw
Recipe courtesy of Love and Lemons
Crunchy, inexpensive, and especially good with pulled pork.
Why bring it: A fresh side for sandwich-heavy menus.
14. Green Beans with Bacon
Recipe courtesy of Spend With Pennies
A vegetable side that doesn't involve a can of condensed soup. We love a little variety.
Why bring it: You heard me say "bacon," right? Plus it pairs well with almost any main dish.
15. Homemade Baked Beans
Recipe courtesy of Budget Bytes
Nobody gets particularly excited about baked beans until they taste really good baked beans.
Why bring it: Affordable and filling for a crowd.
16. Deviled Egg Macaroni Salad
Recipe courtesy of The Pioneer Woman
What happens when deviled eggs and macaroni salad have a baby? Apparently, something delicious.
Why bring it: A generous-yield make-ahead side.
Funeral Desserts To Die For (Too Soon?)
17. Old-Fashioned Banana Pudding
Recipe courtesy of The Pioneer Woman
Vanilla wafers, bananas, custard, and meringue. Does it get any better?
Why bring it: A nostalgic Southern-style dessert.
18. Classic Lemon Bars
Recipe courtesy of Sally's Baking
Something a little bright for all those dark days.
Why bring it: Cut into small squares for easy serving.
19. Chocolate Sheet Cake
Recipe courtesy of The Pioneer Woman
Bringing a giant chocolate cake is rarely the wrong decision.
Why bring it: Feeds a crowd and serves straight from the pan.
20. Seriously Fudgy Brownies
Recipe courtesy of Sally's Baking
Brownies don't require plates, forks, or much conversation. Sometimes that's exactly what you're looking for.
Why bring it: Portable, portionable, and easy to transport.
What should you bring to a funeral potluck?
Feeding a large crowd? Try baked ziti, pulled pork, chocolate sheet cake, or deviled egg macaroni salad. On a budget? Consider baked beans, pasta salad, or funeral potatoes. For a make-ahead dish, try seven-layer salad, potato salad, or lemon bars.
For a smaller gathering, chicken salad sandwiches, deviled eggs, or chicken and wild rice soup are good options. Bringing food directly to a grieving family? Choose something that can be refrigerated or frozen in meal-sized portions.
Can't cook? Bring bakery cookies, fruit, bottled water, paper plates, napkins, or ice. Seriously. Ice is important.
Funeral potluck etiquette nobody tells you about
1. Ask what they actually need
Before you make a fourth lasagna, check whether someone is coordinating the food. The family may need drinks or disposable plates more than another casserole.
2. Bring your own serving utensils
Your famous meatballs aren't doing anyone much good if nobody can get them out of the slow cooker.
3. Label your dish
Include its name and important ingredients, especially common allergens. You've already suffered one death; don't let laziness cause another.
4. Use disposable containers when possible
Nobody wants to spend the week after a funeral trying to remember who owns the blue Pyrex dish.
5. Keep food at safe temperatures
Keep hot foods at 140°F or above and cold foods at 40°F or below. Don't leave perishables sitting out for hours.
6. Think about what happens after the funeral
The first few days, everybody shows up. Then the funeral ends, and everyone goes home. Consider bringing a meal two or three weeks later, when support has faded, but grief hasn't.
Sometimes the best funeral food is the food someone else made
Nobody expects gourmet cooking. Nobody cares if your brownies came from a box or your cookies came from Costco. They care that you showed up. That you remembered. That you did something useful when there wasn't much else you could do.
And if your mac and cheese happens to be spectacular, well, at least somebody had a good day.
Because when life serves up death, somebody better bring dessert.
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