From Potlucks to Parties: Easy Catering & Reheat Tips for Holiday Gatherings

Holiday Gatherings Made Simple

You know that moment when you realize Friendsgiving is in three days and you volunteered to bring mashed potatoes for 20 people? Or when your boss casually mentions you're "handling the food" for the office holiday party?

Between work, family obligations, and actually having a social life, spending your entire weekend cooking for a potluck isn't exactly appealing. But showing up empty-handed or with something that looks like a Pinterest fail isn't the vibe either.

Holiday party catering solves this without the guilt. You contribute something people actually want to eat, skip the 2 a.m. grocery run, and maybe even enjoy the party yourself. Whether it's Friendsgiving, your neighborhood holiday gathering, or the office celebration, Lunch Wired handles the food part so you can handle everything else.

Why Catered Side Dishes Make Sense

Potlucks are great until you're the one making three dishes from scratch while everyone else brings chips.

Catered side dishes give you the best of both worlds. You show up with professional-quality mashed potatoes, winter roasted hash, stuffing, or dinner rolls — the dishes people expect at holiday gatherings — without spending your whole Sunday in the kitchen. Nobody needs to know you didn't hand-mash those potatoes yourself.

This works whether you're bringing food to someone else's party or hosting your own Friendsgiving. Order what you need, pick it up on your way to the party, and you're done. Professional chefs handle the prep. You handle the guest list.

For corporate holiday parties, catered holiday meals mean consistent portions, dietary accommodations handled upfront, and one less thing on your planning checklist. Your team gets quality food. You get to actually attend the party instead of playing host in the kitchen.

How to Reheat Holiday Dishes the Right Way

Some dishes need a quick warm-up before serving. Here's what actually works:

Quick tip: All our pans are oven-safe, so you can reheat right in the container without dirtying extra dishes

Mashed Potatoes:  Add a splash of cream or milk and a tablespoon of butter. Cover with foil. Heat at 350°F for 20-30 minutes, stirring once halfway through. This keeps them from drying out and maintains that creamy texture.

Winter Roasted Hash:  Spread the hash in an even layer and reheat uncovered at 375°F for 15-20 minutes, stirring halfway through. This restores the crispy, caramelized edges without turning everything mushy. You want those roasted vegetables to have texture, not steam.

Stuffing: Add 2-3 tablespoons of chicken or vegetable broth to keep it from drying out. Cover and heat at 350°F for 20 minutes. Take off the foil for the last 5 minutes if you want a crispy top layer.

Most dishes do better at moderate temperatures (300-350°F) than blasted at high heat. Covering them while they reheat prevents that dried-out, crusty edge problem. When you pick up from Lunch Wired, dishes come properly chilled and include a QR code with simple reheating instructions. We've done all the prep work—you just need to warm them up.

What Professional Catering Actually Gets You

Catering isn't just about convenience. It's about food safety, consistency, and not having to guess if you made enough.

Here's something worth knowing: one in six Americans gets sick from foodborne illness each year, and outbreaks actually increase during the holiday season. Home kitchens aren't set up to hold large quantities of food at safe temperatures, especially when you're making multiple dishes. Professional caterers have commercial equipment designed for this. Food stays at proper temperatures from prep through delivery. Your guests eat safely, and you don't spend the party worried about food poisoning. 

There's also the predictability factor. When you order catered side dishes from Lunch Wired, you know what you're getting. No recipe experiments gone wrong. No running back to the store because you forgot an ingredient. No crossing your fingers that it turned out good.

Your Catering Concierge Is Here to Help

Not sure how much food to order for 15 people? Need to accommodate someone who's gluten-free and someone else who's vegetarian? That's exactly why we have a Catering Concierge team.

They'll walk you through menu options, help with quantities, handle dietary restrictions, and coordinate delivery timing. You don't have to figure this out alone or spend an hour Googling "how much food per person for Friendsgiving."

Planning something specific or need a custom menu? We can do that too. Corporate holiday party with 50 people? Intimate family Friendsgiving? We've handled both.

See our Thanksgiving catering options or talk to our Catering Concierge team about building something custom.

Skip the Kitchen Marathon This Year

The holidays are supposed to be about people, not spending your entire weekend cooking and cleaning.

Lunch Wired makes holiday gathering catering straightforward. Professional-quality food. Reliable delivery. Dietary needs handled. And you actually get to attend your own party.

We're based in the Denver area and we're already booking for the busy holiday season. If you've got Friendsgiving plans, an office party, or a neighborhood gathering coming up, get in touch sooner rather than later to lock in your preferred date.

Call: (720) 633-9058

Email: catering@lunchwired.com

Order online or browse the full menu

Give yourself permission to skip the cooking this year. We've got the food covered.