Criteria: 1. Can survive 8 hours in a car OR 2. Can be bought at any mom-n-pop grocery store AND 3. Can be made in short order AND 4. Doesn't spark common food allergies AND 5. Requires no condiments/ingredients from host AND 6. A large quantity is not only easy to make and serve, but is affordable AND 7. Goes well with beer AND 8. You['ve made it once successfully at home AND 9. - 10. Other requirements?
Oven-Roasted Potatoes Bring: A bag of russet or red potatoes, A box of tinfoil, A small bottle of canola oil, A packet of dry seasoning/soup mix/salad dressing mix, A box of toothpicks.
At meal time, wash equivalent of two small potatoes per person expected; dice to 1" cubes. Put in a large mixing bowl and towel them dry.
Drizzle with oil and add seasoning to reasonable degree of coverage.
Leaving excess oil in bowl, lay out potatoes in a single layer (on hosts' cookie sheets if available or in easily-handled tinfoil packets if not).
Bake at about 350 degrees till cubes are soft on the inside and browned on the outside.
Serve alone with toothpicks; as a side-dish in hosts' bowl; or spoon warm cubes on top of someone's salad.
Take home and recycle the used foil if possible.
Leave balance of ingredients and foil, etc. for hosts.