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Have you ever wondered why every restaurant has to post a sign in the bathroom stating that “Employees must wash hands”? It seems like common knowledge. And it’s pretty disgusting to imagine that anyone would refrain from washing their hands, especially those working with food. But as it turns out, a concerning amount of people don’t understand basic hygiene.

We took a trip to the “This Is Why I Don’t Do Potlucks” Facebook group and gathered some of their most traumatizing photos below. I’ll warn you right now, pandas, that you probably don’t want to eat lunch while viewing this list. And you might never be able to enjoy food from another person’s kitchen again after viewing these images. But if you have a strong stomach, scroll away! And keep reading to find a conversation with the group's creator, Sarah Slabodnik.

#1

Cat humorously sitting on potluck vegetable tray with broccoli and dip in a kitchen.

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Blue Cicada
Community Member
1 year ago

When you’re ready for the guests to leave, but you don’t speak hooman.

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    #2

    Jar with questionable bread dough, purple spots visible, shared online with humorous comment regarding potluck dish concerns.

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    Snazzy Smurf
    Community Member
    1 year ago

    Enough said.

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    #3

    Cat sitting on floured kitchen surface, humorously disrupting baking process for potluck dish preparation.

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    Wild Cream
    Community Member
    1 year ago

    Having your cat press their b******e directly into your work surface and ingredients might be part of the problem

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    #4

    A questionable potluck dish with text sharing a celiac-related incident, questioning trust in "gluten-free" claims.

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    Nikole
    Community Member
    1 year ago

    Psycho

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    #5

    Unconventional salad dressing container at a hospital potluck, highlighting potluck challenges.

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    Subaru645
    Community Member
    1 year ago

    More like pissluck

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    #6

    Dirty utensil tray highlighting worst potluck dish presentation.

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    Lilian
    Community Member
    1 year ago (edited)

    how does this happen?! (before they get the chance to clean it).

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    #7

    Potluck dish spread in a restroom setting, featuring assorted meats, cheeses, fruits, and snacks on a table.

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    Skogsrået
    Community Member
    Premium
    1 year ago

    Oh this is in a bathroom? Will be convenient when food poisoning strikes.

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    #8

    Plate of mismatched food served at a potluck, featuring beans, undercooked meat, and Yorkshire puddings.

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    Subaru645
    Community Member
    1 year ago

    Is the salmonella free?

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    #9

    Post about potluck dishes, highlighting concerns over food hygiene and leftovers, shared in an online community.

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    Kylie
    Community Member
    1 year ago

    NO

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    #10

    Cheez-It burgers with beef and crackers, showcasing an unconventional dish served at a potluck.

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    Lilian
    Community Member
    1 year ago

    what is this s**t pile?

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    #11

    Cat lounging on the kitchen counter next to chopped potatoes, highlighting a humorous potluck cooking mishap.

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    Snazzy Smurf
    Community Member
    1 year ago

    Nope!.Just nope. I love animals.but not near food prep.

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    #12

    Person loading sneakers in a dishwasher among dishes, highlighting worst potluck practices.

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    Just Another Karen
    Community Member
    1 year ago

    oh nooooooo

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    #13

    Plate of unappealing baked chicken, rice, and vegetables for potluck meal, served with minimal seasoning.

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    Subaru645
    Community Member
    1 year ago

    The right temp…and the Emergency Department

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    #14

    Pugs eating food off a kitchen stove, highlighting a potluck fail.

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    Nikole
    Community Member
    1 year ago

    And apparently they write on their dogs with marker too. Double classy.

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    #15

    Five baby bottles with nipples on a dirty stovetop, highlighting potluck dish disasters.

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    Subaru645
    Community Member
    1 year ago

    Don’t stop there, continue on with the stove and the rest of the kitchen

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    Never miss a story that brings joy to the world. Add us on Google

    #16

    Sour milk in a jug on a kitchen counter, questioned for potluck cooking ideas.

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    Nikole
    Community Member
    1 year ago

    You can send it straight to hell!

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    #17

    Beef broth with mold poured into chili pot, showcasing a potluck mishap.

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    Dawn Woolley
    Community Member
    1 year ago

    This reminds me when I first tried yogurt years ago. Back then it came in a cardboard container like milk sometimes come in. You opened it by pushing a corner out like a spsout so didn't have to open it completely. As I'd never tasted it before I thought it was just how it was supposed to taste. Until I got to the bottom and opened it fully to get the last of it. This is what I saw, only with yogurt instead of chili. It took me quite a while to try it again.

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    #18

    A potluck dish with unappetizing appearance on a cluttered, dirty kitchen counter.

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    Nikole
    Community Member
    1 year ago

    Well at least they had a sanitary cooking area… *cough*…

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    #19

    Baking mishap text about cupcakes, questioning baking temperature to avoid a biohazard.

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    Robin Roper
    Community Member
    1 year ago

    500F for about 20 minutes then transfer to the trash.

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    #20

    Dirty plate with spoon and ants, highlighting worst potluck dish scenario.

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    Lilian
    Community Member
    1 year ago

    i'm genuinely not sure if this is satire. a lot of people are disgusting enough to do this.

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    #21

    Container of flour with glass shards, highlighting a worst dish dilemma at a potluck.

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    Snazzy Smurf
    Community Member
    1 year ago

    Toss out the dang einkorn. No one likes glass as a condiment.

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    #22

    Cat sitting on tortillas near a stove with cooked meat; a humorous potluck dish scenario.

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    Lilian
    Community Member
    1 year ago

    smile and wave guys... smile and wave...

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    #23

    Unappealing potluck table with crackers, berries, and plated meats under a caption about checking company reviews.

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    Robert Beveridge
    Community Member
    1 year ago

    I believe I have just discovered the sole justified bridezilla.

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    #24

    Swollen pastry packet on a kitchen counter, raising concerns about potluck dish preparation.

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    Subaru645
    Community Member
    1 year ago

    It clearly says keep refrigerated…

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    #25

    Cat sitting in a casserole dish at a kitchen counter, highlighting an unexpected potluck mishap.

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    Lilian
    Community Member
    1 year ago

    I'm done, I love cats, but this hurts my soul to see perfect food wasted.

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    #26

    A jar of spoiled goat milk resembling cottage cheese, highlighting reasons to avoid potlucks.

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    Val
    Community Member
    1 year ago

    WHAT IS WRONG WITH PEOPLE?

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    #27

    Unusual potluck dish: a cake made from layers of bologna and ramen noodles, topped with sprinkles.

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    Daniel Atkins
    Community Member
    1 year ago

    The title is not wrong.

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    #28

    Home-cooked potluck dish featuring chicken wings, vegetables, and beets gravy on a plate.

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    Snazzy Smurf
    Community Member
    1 year ago

    The number for emergency is 9 1 1. I would suggest a medical power of attorney or an advance directive before eating this

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    #29

    Messy kitchen floor with spilled liquids and cluttered countertops, illustrating worst potluck dishes preparation chaos.

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    Skogsrået
    Community Member
    Premium
    1 year ago

    It gets worse the more you look at it.

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    #30

    Jars of canned meats from 17 years ago on a kitchen counter, featuring ham, beef, pork, and sausage.

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    Lou
    Community Member
    1 year ago

    The third jar looks like a head with teeth.

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    #31

    Old coffee pot with well-worn appearance, part of the worst potluck dishes theme.

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    Heather Menard
    Community Member
    1 year ago

    Pot of what

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    #32

    Bird standing on a cheese pizza in a box at a potluck.

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    Emilu
    Community Member
    Premium
    1 year ago (edited)

    The first thing my first cockatiel (the one in my avatar) did when I got her home was walk through the taco mince, so I completely understand this pic. ("Oh! It's hot! *Keeps walking through the mince*") She's turning nine this year and will still walk through your food if you let her.

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    #33

    Wild mushrooms on a drying rack, with a caption questioning their edibility for a potential potluck dish.

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    WindySwede
    Community Member
    1 year ago

    on other note, how to you like russian roulette?

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    #34

    Dirty air fryer with food residue, highlighting worst dishes from potlucks.

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    WindySwede
    Community Member
    1 year ago

    Nice, some teflon in the gut..

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    #35

    A chicken eats from a dish on a potluck table with a partially eaten turkey and purple plates, highlighting potluck fails.

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    Lilian
    Community Member
    1 year ago

    there is a lot to unpack here.

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    #36

    Scratched frying pan with humorous text about black pepper, highlighting potluck dish mishaps.

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    Colleen Glim
    Community Member
    1 year ago

    That poor, defenseless pan

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    #37

    Baking mishap with Pine-Sol sprayed bread dough; unsure if it’s safe to bake or a potluck disaster.

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    Subaru645
    Community Member
    1 year ago

    Nah, you’re good…

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    #38

    Jar of flour with moving brown specks, highlighting worst potluck dish experience.

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    Robert Beveridge
    Community Member
    1 year ago

    At least you noticed before making the roux, yeah? Flour is easily replaceable. Unless it's the stuff the other guy got glass in, anyway.

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    #39

    Unappetizing hamburgers cooking, representing worst potluck dishes.

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    Subaru645
    Community Member
    1 year ago

    Trash bag…for their puke.

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    #40

    Funny comment about potlucks, discussing pan cleaning with dog assistance, including emoji reactions.

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    Snazzy Smurf
    Community Member
    1 year ago

    Not everything needs to be shared.

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    #41

    Mold forming on forgotten starter in a jar, highlighting worst potluck dishes scenario.

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    Lilian
    Community Member
    1 year ago

    nah, it's a kitty-cat.

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    #42

    Crockpot dish with unexpected substance on meat and spoon, highlighting worst potluck dishes.

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    WindySwede
    Community Member
    1 year ago

    a smol nope rope?

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    #43

    Moldy leftovers in a container highlighting worst potluck dish with various colors indicating spoilage.

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    Subaru645
    Community Member
    1 year ago

    …in a casket?

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    #44

    Refrigerator full of unappealing potluck dishes, messy and poorly organized with mismatched containers.

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    Snazzy Smurf
    Community Member
    1 year ago

    I wouldn't put air in this fridge.

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    #45

    Burnt carrots in an air fryer; a potluck dish gone wrong.

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    Skogsrået
    Community Member
    Premium
    1 year ago

    You might aswell eat ash...... 🤨

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    #46

    Worst potluck dishes: a story about saving wing bones for homemade broth and reusing containers for soups.

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    Kylie
    Community Member
    1 year ago

    Bones for stock/broth aren't supposed to be the left over bones people have chewed on FGS

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    #47

    Wooden spoons with holes filled with food bits, highlighting cleaning difficulties for potluck dishes.

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    Colleen Glim
    Community Member
    1 year ago

    Toothpicks. They’re not just for teeth

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    #48

    Unusual dish: bologna slices shaped as peanut butter cups, filled with chocolate in muffin wrappers. Worst potluck dish example.

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    persephone134
    Community Member
    1 year ago (edited)

    At least it's not mouldy, pet-licked, vermin-infested, years past its shelf life etc. So sausage to taste, it is.

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    #49

    A hand holding a can of cat food next to a dish of cheesy casserole, highlighting unusual potluck dishes.

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    coffee_meowniac
    Community Member
    1 year ago

    If I was starving and had nothing else to eat, I would

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    #50

    Person using a grater on a foot in a potluck setting, surrounded by towels and self-care items on a porch.

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    Jooles Panda
    Community Member
    1 year ago

    Don’t panic! It’s a foot file designed for this purpose. Just resembles a cheese grater.

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    #51

    Unappetizing potluck dish of hot dogs, onions, and tomatoes in a white bowl with tongs, labeled "W*f is this."

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    Wild Cream
    Community Member
    1 year ago

    Hot dogs, canned tomatoes and overcooked cabbage?

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    #52

    Cupboard with homemade bread and assorted pantry items, questioning if it serves as a bread box alternative.

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    Skogsrået
    Community Member
    Premium
    1 year ago

    No!

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    #53

    Defrosting ground beef on a car hood in the sun, illustrating a potluck dish preparation gone wrong.

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    Robert Beveridge
    Community Member
    1 year ago (edited)

    Note to self: when they invite you over for BBQ, you're washing your hair, even when you have my hair style

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    #54

    Messy chocolate-drizzled cake on a stove, highlighting a potluck disaster.

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    Jeff Hunt
    Community Member
    1 year ago

    Did you remember to wipe?

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    #55

    Discounted ground beef in food saver bags, labeled "reduced," with visible expiration dates.

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    Heather Menard
    Community Member
    1 year ago

    Uhh no

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    #56

    Unusual potluck dish with pie topped with hot dogs, pickles, and whipped cream, surrounded by holiday lights.

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    Lee451 Henderson
    Community Member
    1 year ago

    Jello based meals wete quite popular in the 1960s

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    #57

    Unappetizing potluck dish with sausages and unseasoned vegetables in a frying pan.

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    Nikole
    Community Member
    1 year ago

    People are idiots

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    #58

    Plate of corned beef and fries with gravy, showcasing a dish served at a potluck.

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    Nikole
    Community Member
    1 year ago

    Yeah have fun with that

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    #59

    Cockroach with a yellow dot on a dishwasher, highlighting potluck woes.

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    Lilian
    Community Member
    1 year ago

    MOOOOOM!?

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    #60

    Decorated holiday cookies with Santa and wreath designs, served at a potluck.

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    WindySwede
    Community Member
    1 year ago

    Looks so nice, but then there is the ashtray at the side..

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    #61

    Text message about vacuum-sealed venison stew dated 2000, highlighting a potluck food experience.

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    Auntriarch
    Community Member
    1 year ago (edited)

    Hmm, if it's properly sealed for the freezer, and it's not out of date when you freeze it, should be okay. Freezing stops the clock (up to a point)

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    #62

    Selection of potluck desserts with a sign saying "Eat at Your Own Risk," featuring cookies and rice treats on a gold tablecloth.

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    Kylie
    Community Member
    1 year ago

    Well at least they're honest. Although it cvould be an allergen thing.

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    #63

    Packaged ribs on carpet next to bare feet; potential potluck dish choice.

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    Subaru645
    Community Member
    1 year ago

    Shoes

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    #64

    Bacon grease in a plastic container labeled for sale, highlighting why some avoid potluck dishes.

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    Austzn
    Community Member
    1 year ago

    My unpopular opinion is that left over bacon grease is a very poor cooking fat that tastes like salty old fry oil.

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    #65

    A plate with 15 pieces of handmade organic butter, priced at £20.

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    Wild Cream
    Community Member
    1 year ago

    Lmao once my friend dated a guy who preferred to use butter for his….erm…..late night self care sessions. But he didn’t scoop up the butter with his fingers. He slapped his whole ding dong onto the butter tray. You could see the outline of it. Between him and this image I have major trust issues with using other people’s butter 😂

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    #66

    Expired pork belly with seasonings on a table, intended for crispy pork bites.

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    Don Adams
    Community Member
    1 year ago

    Pork bites that will bite back!

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    #67

    Potluck dish in a pot on a stove, featuring a messy tomato and bean stew.

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    BrownEyedGrrl
    Community Member
    1 year ago

    WHY ARE SOME PEOPLE SO NASTY??

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    #68

    Heavily scratched red cutting board on a kitchen counter, highlighting potluck dish preparation challenges.

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    Dolevaal
    Community Member
    1 year ago

    So? Thats a normal cutting bord for me. Its just old.

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    #69

    Two dogs sniff gluten-free cookies shaped like trees and stars on a cooling rack.

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    dbildbo
    Community Member
    1 year ago

    The dogs approve of poop, so...

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    #70

    Bathtub with deer meat thawing; text overlay humorously highlights why people avoid potlucks.

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    coffee_meowniac
    Community Member
    1 year ago

    🤮 Just no

    #71

    Worst potluck dish with a pot of meat and a plate of raw vegetables, potatoes, and carrots.

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    Nikole
    Community Member
    1 year ago

    Oh god

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