Notes from the first real-world run
I was very pleased to be invited to bring my Potluck Dish Info Cards to the Northern Shenandoah Valley All-Day Singing (NSVAD) this past weekend. I wanted to post a quick follow-up, especially since a few people were asking about the cards and how they were displayed.
First, thank you to everyone who’s given feedback on this project as it’s developed, and of course to everyone who brings food to label! I never eat as well as I do at an All-Day sing.
Second, you can find out about this project here on our website:
https://www.singloud.org/projects/potluck-dish-info-cards/
This is one of the different projects that I’ve highlighted on the Projects page.
Displaying the Cards
One question that came up was how best to display the cards on a crowded table. I found some small plastic clips on Amazon that worked surprisingly well—they clipped onto the sides of serving trays and casserole dishes and made it unmistakably clear which card belonged to which dish. These weren’t left out for general use, though. Instead, I repeatedly walked the tables as they filled and clipped cards to dishes where I thought it was most helpful. A plate of cheese slices didn’t need a special label, for example, but a pan of greens with bacon absolutely did.
Here is my own jar of kraut. I chose a generic “blank slate” card.
Four Kinds of Cards
As detailed on the project page, the cards come in four main categories:
- MEAT / SEAFOOD
- NON-MEAT / OTHER
- VEGAN
- BLANK SLATE (for people to write their own details)
To help folks quickly find the right kind of card, I brought five brightly colored 5×7″ trays—one for pens and tape, and one for each card type. I printed and laminated tray labels that I hinge-taped to the underside of each tray. Pro tip: make the signs slightly smaller than the base so you can still stack the trays for transport.
It worked! People used both the type-specific and the blank cards. The goal, especially with the category cards, is to make sure dietary or allergen-related details are easy to spot and understand.
What’s Next?
This was the first real-world implementation of the project (we’re calling it Revision 3), and while I didn’t get much in the way of formal feedback, a few folks offered kind words, which I really appreciated. That said, I’m definitely interested in constructive suggestions!
If you have ideas, observations, or critiques, please email me: baltimoreshapenote@gmail.com
Kevin Isaac
Items on Amazon.:
I am NOT using affiliate links.
I do NOT make money from the sales of these items:
“20 Pack Table Number Holders, Plastic Mini Place Card Holders”
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B09KTH1B36
“AMAZING CHILD Set of 5 Small Coloured Trays”
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00HERXQOO
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