Real Simple reader, Uzanne Williamson, 45; Beaufort, South Carolina
"If I've learned anything in my experience, it's that when you're invited to a potluck, you must make sure that what you bring looks delicious. Otherwise it will sit on the table untouched and you'll go home disappointed. When there's a lot of food to choose from, people will only go for what looks visually appealing. They won't go for some messy little casserole, no matter how good it is inside. If you're in charge of desserts, I find you can never go wrong with a beautiful Bundt cake.

"If I'm organizing a potluck and a friend isn't sure what to bring, I'll say, 'Check out page 12 of this or that food magazine. That's what I want you to bring.' That way I know exactly what they're going to show up with. No surprise ingredients. No surprises."