Three Positive Elements Of Having A Potluck Meal After A Funeral Service

Many families plan to have a meal after a funeral service to honor the life of a departed loved one. There are many options that you can explore, from hiring a catering service to bring food to the funeral home to booking a private room in a nearby restaurant that can accommodate a large group. Another choice that you may wish to consider is to have a potluck meal and invite people to contribute some type of food item so that everyone leaves the funeral home feeling well fed. Here are three advantages of organizing this type of meal.

It's A Cost Saver

At a time that you're already paying for the funeral service and the costs related to your family member passing away, you don't want to stress yourself financially. Hiring a catering service can be a nice touch for a funeral service, but it will also be costly. This is especially true if you anticipate a large turnout. When you decide to have a potluck meal after the service, you're essentially negating any cost that you'd otherwise have to incur. Instead, a select group of attendees will contribute enough food to feed everyone.

It Saves You Having To Make Difficult Choices

Thinking about serving perhaps a few hundred people can be daunting at a time that you're already planning the funeral and trying to grieve. If you go the potluck route, you save yourself having to think about how much food to have, where to rent plates and cutlery, and a long list of other topics. Instead, if you have a family member or close friend who enjoys organizing things, you might wish to turn the organization of the potluck meal over to him or her. This person can confirm details with you at some point, but you don't have to hear about every small thing in the interim.

People Can Feel Good About Contributing

Many people want to contribute to help a family in grief. There are lots of ways of doing so, but helping to prepare food for a potluck meal is one option. Someone who may not have another way of contributing can lovingly prepare some food in honor of the person who has passed away, and likely find comfort in making this contribution. Given these benefits, it's worthwhile to discuss the idea of having a potluck meal with your family and let the director of the funeral home know how you wish to proceed.