We've spent some time on this blog talking about how much fun you can have via the meetup.com web site. If you search that site, you can probably find raw food meetups near you!? But, a few readers have asked us some follow-ups, such as What should I bring and What should I do if I'd like to host a raw foods meetup

*Attending* Raw Foods Meetups

Okay, so you signed up for a raw foods meetup group, waited patiently for the next event to come round, and now it's time!? But, wait... this is your first such outing. What should you bring

Well, one of the really great aspects of raw food meetups is that they're really not very rules-oriented. There's no right or wrong kind of raw food to bring. I mean, sure, it would be an awkward faux pas to bring a few bags of Dorito's. But, as long as whatever you're bringing is in fact raw, you should be okay. Here are a few suggested guidelines (again, these are only suggestions, not rules per se):

• You don't have to make anything elaborate. Sure, many people do -- and that's great! But, let's not lose sight of the fact that a big bag of apples or something comparably similar is generally looked upon as absolutely wonderful by raw foodies.Fruit salads and regular lettuce/veggie salads are two more very simple, very welcome dishes! Also remember that your contribution doesn't necessarily have to be a main dish. You might also bring a side dish (e.g., raw chips and a dip), a smoothie, a raw dessert recipe, a pitcher of fresh juice, a bag of nuts -- anything raw!? Personally, we do usually like to make something a little more involved prep-wise. But, this isn't meant to reflect the way that we eat every day; it's more of just one way in which we choose to honor the celebration aspect of these gatherings. But, again, simple is just as welcome as gourmet.

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• Some have asked us: How much food should I bring ? Well, that depends on the meetup. Sometimes, the organizers will send suggestions. Other times, you're on your own. I would imagine that common courtesy would dictate that you bring at least as much food as you would eat -- and probably a little more. But, it's usually best (in my opinion) to get a feel for the number of people attending, and then make /buy / bring enough food so that everyone there can have at least a taste of your creation.

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• It's probably optimal to stick with a vegan dish, as your creation will likely enjoy a wider audience. But, quite commonly, we do see "beegan" dishes (i.e., those using honey and/or other bee products -- such as the absolutely delicious chocolate mousse pie served by our friend Tracey last week at our friend Joe's birthday party). At many raw potlucks, people bring along little recipe cards to place next to their dish so that others can see what's inside. I think this is a nice touch. :-) ? (We should probably do this and encourage those labels a bit more than we actually do, as they are helpful. Also helpful, if you do cards, is to label what ingredients are organic, as eating organic vs/ "conventional" is actually a pretty important issue for many health-conscious individuals.) At others, I've often participated in little impromptu sessions of standing around the food and each person taking a turn describing what's inside.

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• Personally, I've never attended a raw potluck to which attendees brought wine, raw diary products, or raw meat products (all of which are consumed by some raw foodists). But, that's not to say it doesn't happen. I guess my raw "potlucking" experience is just limited to Pittsburgh. But, again, we do see dishes containing bee products quite commonly, and we do also tend to drink tea in these parts (which some raw foodies do not drink).

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• If you're at a loss as to what dish to make, start surfing the Internet. Want to hear an awesome story ? About a year ago, we held a meetup in our home (one of many, many we've hosted), and were talking to our then-new friend Mark. We asked, "Where'd you get the recipe for your dish "? He replied, "Oh, I found this amazing raw foods recipe resource online called the All Raw Directory!"? He didn't know that Pure Jeevan had created that site (which, again, is really super as a starting point for raw meetups -- thanks in great part to our friend Modern Jane, who is the moderator for the raw recipes section)!

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• Most of all, just bring your smile. Really, that's what it's all about, anyway.

Tomorrow's Topic:? *Hosting* Raw Foods Meetups

>>> We'll pick this conversation up again tomorrow with some tips on hosting raw meetups!