Raw Food Saskatoon Potlucks

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS about our Saskatoon potlucks …

Who comes to these dinners?

A splendid mix of hard-core raw foodies, people transitioning to raw, the “raw curious”, people with health challenges who are using food to assist with their healing, “good food” lovers and potluck lovers, and “friends and family thereof” who get dragged along. 

Corey Neufeld of The Better Good (on Broadway Avenue, Saskatoon)  inspired me to include “good food” lovers and potluck lovers above.  As Corey says,

“Eating more raw, fresh and organic food is a no brainer.  I’m not going all the way, but the potlucks sure are good!”

What’s the age range of the people who attend?

It’s an all ages event.  We’ve had 6 month olds to 80+year olds.  The average age is difficult to say; I can only really narrow it down to 20 somethings to 40 somethings.  Little kids love the space and have a great time too.

How many attend a typical potluck?

It varies greatly with the seasons and the weather.  I’ve had as few as 4 in the beginning and as many as 34.  Lately we’ve had a steady attendance of 12 – 14 with little to no advertising.

I’d love to come but I have no idea what to bring.  What should I bring?

Relax, it doesn’t have to be gourmet!  This isn’t a contest and there’s no prize for the most complicated recipe.  A simple platter of clean and washed organic fruit is as appreciated as a huge colourful salad with simple dressing.  No pressure!

Is this just about carrot sticks, apples and salad?

No, don’t worry, the variety, textures, flavours, and combinations of plant-based foods usually blow people’s minds!  You won’t find a more interesting, delicious, healthful buffet in the entire city on one of our potluck nights.

You say these are vegetarian potlucks, not vegan.  Can I use eggs and dairy in my recipe?

No eggs, please!  The potlucks are not technically “vegan” because raw, unpasteurized honey is used in some dishes.

No one has brought or requested a dish with raw dairy in it before, but as long as you label it clearly then it would be alright.  It is illegal to sell raw milk here, so it’s a bit more challenging to find – though not impossible, I hear.

I wanted to use some ingredients like tamari, or cold-pressed virgin olive oil.  I heard these are not raw – can I still use them?

Yes!  There are some ingredients like these widely used in raw/living foods cuisine that are not technically raw.  We are not a bunch of raw food racists (sometimes called “rawcists”) who will ban you for the audacious use of Red Star nutritional yeast, or a few teaspoons of maple syrup.

All we ask is that you mark the non-raw/living ingredients clearly on your list so that people can make their own food choices clearly.

A few of the ingredients I want to use I can’t seem to find certified organic.  Is it okay to use some ingredients that are not certified organic?

We prefer that certified organic ingredients be used whenever possible.  We also recognize that this is not always possible, so it becomes a “do what you can” thing.  And don’t worry about the rest – food prepared lovingly without frustration, rush or guilt generally tastes the best.

Again, we just ask that you clearly mark on your list what isn’t organic so that people can make their own selections according to their needs.

How long does the evening last?

It varies.  Some nights everyone is gone by 8:30 or even 8 pm, sometimes a few of us have been known to gab their until almost 10 pm.  You are not obligated to stay any particular length of time – we’d rather see you out for a quick visit, then none at all.

There is no need to RSVP to these events.