Since I've changed parishes, I have been working to get more involved in
events and fundraisers. I am shy and not a real "people person," so I don't
plan to do much in the way of volunteer work. But I am more than willing to
help out with bake sales. I haven't been to any of them here yet, but I
know they have some coming up in the next month or so.

So, I'd like some tips and suggestions. What items sell the best? Worst?
My oven is small, but I can do multiple batches without too much trouble.
I'm a pretty good baker - especially cookies and breads. (Pies are my big
weakness...I just need more practice).

All good ideas are welcome!

Paula

"PaulaGarlic" > wrote in message
hlink.net...
> Since I've changed parishes, I have been working to get more involved in
> events and fundraisers. I am shy and not a real "people person," so I
don't
> plan to do much in the way of volunteer work. But I am more than willing
to
> help out with bake sales. I haven't been to any of them here yet, but I
> know they have some coming up in the next month or so.
>
> So, I'd like some tips and suggestions. What items sell the best? Worst?
> My oven is small, but I can do multiple batches without too much trouble.
> I'm a pretty good baker - especially cookies and breads. (Pies are my big
> weakness...I just need more practice).
>
> All good ideas are welcome!

I generally make large cinnamon rolls. They are inexpensive to make and the
sell very well. What really irritates me is when I make something with $8
worth of ingredients that someone sells for $3!!!!!! You can make a half
sheet pan of cinnamon rolls (about 18) for a couple of dollars and they will
sell for $2 each because people are used to paying$3+ at Cinnamon. I don't
think that you get a good return on your investment for loaves of bread.
You do better turning the dough into dinner rolls and selling them in
packages of 6. I think you get more money selling small tarts than a large
pie made from the same amount of ingredients.

I worked in a large office and about 100 people participated every Christmas.
Hard to believe, but people gobbled up rice krispie bars (individuall wrapped)
as fast as they were displayed.

Good fudge (also wrapped) went well.

I found that rice krispie bars sell well to children, especially if
they're on a stick with sprinkles. In fact, kids will buy anything with
sprinkles.

Diana

Snowfeet1 wrote:
> I worked in a large office and about 100 people participated every Christmas.
> Hard to believe, but people gobbled up rice krispie bars (individuall wrapped)
> as fast as they were displayed.
>
> Good fudge (also wrapped) went well.

"PaulaGarlic" > wrote in message thlink.net>...
> Since I've changed parishes, I have been working to get more involved in
> events and fundraisers. I am shy and not a real "people person," so I don't
> plan to do much in the way of volunteer work. But I am more than willing to
> help out with bake sales. I haven't been to any of them here yet, but I
> know they have some coming up in the next month or so.
>
> So, I'd like some tips and suggestions. What items sell the best? Worst?
> My oven is small, but I can do multiple batches without too much trouble.
> I'm a pretty good baker - especially cookies and breads. (Pies are my big
> weakness...I just need more practice).
>
> All good ideas are welcome!
>
> Paula


This sounds really, really stupid, but my "secret weapon" when I'm in
a pinch is Jiffy brownies made with semi-sweet chocolate chips. I use
a little more water than what the recipe on the box calls for, use a
jumbo egg, mix by hand until combined but still lumpy - spread half
the mix in a loaf pan (sprayed with non-stick spray) randomly sprinkle
on a handful of choc chips, cover with the remaining mix, and then top
with remaining chips. 20 mins at 350F. I often cook four to six
batches at a time, but if I do that many, add a few minutes on the
baking time. People from all walks of life die for these things.
Seriously. They are cheap and easy to make, and nobody knows they are
from a mix.

Good luck,
-L.

On Tue, 14 Oct 2003 22:09:57 GMT, "PaulaGarlic"
> wrote:

>Since I've changed parishes, I have been working to get more involved in
>events and fundraisers. I am shy and not a real "people person," so I don't
>plan to do much in the way of volunteer work. But I am more than willing to
>help out with bake sales. I haven't been to any of them here yet, but I
>know they have some coming up in the next month or so.
>
>So, I'd like some tips and suggestions. What items sell the best? Worst?
>My oven is small, but I can do multiple batches without too much trouble.
>I'm a pretty good baker - especially cookies and breads. (Pies are my big
>weakness...I just need more practice).
>
>All good ideas are welcome!
>
>Paula
>

In the past, there has been a great deal of talk about Barb Schaller's
Famous Orgasmic Chocolate Brownies. While I have never made them,
plenty of people around here will swear by them. The following link
will take you to the Unofficial Rec.Food.Cooking site with the recipe
(second recipe in the list).

http://www.recfoodcooking.org/signature.php?page=5

Best of luck!

~sunshine

"PaulaGarlic" > wrote in message thlink.net>...
> Since I've changed parishes, I have been working to get more involved in
> events and fundraisers. I am shy and not a real "people person," so I don't
> plan to do much in the way of volunteer work. But I am more than willing to
> help out with bake sales. I haven't been to any of them here yet, but I
> know they have some coming up in the next month or so.
>
> So, I'd like some tips and suggestions. What items sell the best? Worst?
> My oven is small, but I can do multiple batches without too much trouble.
> I'm a pretty good baker - especially cookies and breads. (Pies are my big
> weakness...I just need more practice).
>
> All good ideas are welcome!
>
> Paula

Pecan sticky buns (the way we make them, they're cinnamon rolls with
pecans and a lot of brown sugar) are a sure sell-out at our church.
The giant muffin tins that were popular a few years back are a real
convenience in making these.

--
Chris Green

>"PaulaGarlic" > wrote

>> So, I'd like some tips and suggestions. What items sell the best? Worst?
>> My oven is small, but I can do multiple batches without too much trouble.
>> I'm a pretty good baker - especially cookies and breads. (Pies are my big
>> weakness...I just need more practice).

What would tempt *you* to buy? And what are your specialties? Since I
don't bake much, I could go for anything from individually-wrapped
brownies to a nice coffeecake. If you had any cheese daniish for sale
(not those supermarket things that have about 1 teaspoon of cheese to
8 oz of dough), I'd buy 'em all and freeze for future Sunday morning
treats. The thing I bought most recently was an individual (5"?) sweet
potato pie. Delicious. Keep practicing pies. :-) You could easily go
bankrupt with expensive ingredients. However, a simple icing of
powdered sugar and lemon juice will make a plain-ish cake or bun very
attractive. Presentation is important. Another poster suggested Rice
Crispy treats...with sprinkles. This sounds like a good idea to me. I
can't think of many baked goods that are inherently unappealing.

Frogleg wrote:
> <snip>

> What would tempt *you* to buy? And what are your specialties? Since I
> don't bake much, I could go for anything from individually-wrapped
> brownies to a nice coffeecake. If you had any cheese daniish for sale
> (not those supermarket things that have about 1 teaspoon of cheese to
> 8 oz of dough), I'd buy 'em all and freeze for future Sunday morning
> treats. The thing I bought most recently was an individual (5"?) sweet
> potato pie. Delicious. Keep practicing pies. :-) You could easily go
> bankrupt with expensive ingredients. However, a simple icing of
> powdered sugar and lemon juice will make a plain-ish cake or bun very
> attractive. Presentation is important. Another poster suggested Rice
> Crispy treats...with sprinkles. This sounds like a good idea to me. I
> can't think of many baked goods that are inherently unappealing.

And keep in mind what people eat locally. I made the mistake of making
some very nice German baked goods for a bake sale last year. Being
totally unfamiliar to the punters, most of it didn't sell. I didn't mind
taking it back home and eating it myself, but that wasn't the point.

This year I will stick to some of the things as suggested above and more
local items such as biscochitos.

PaulaGarlic wrote:

>
> So, I'd like some tips and suggestions. What items sell the best? Worst?
> My oven is small, but I can do multiple batches without too much trouble.
> I'm a pretty good baker - especially cookies and breads. (Pies are my big
> weakness...I just need more practice).
>

Chocolate and sex:
multiple orgasm choc. chip cookies and better than sex brownies. These always
did the best at the bake sales I've been part of. Make the peices/cookies big.
blacksalt

In article k.net>,
"PaulaGarlic" > wrote:

> Since I've changed parishes, I have been working to get more involved
> in events and fundraisers. I am shy and not a real "people person,"
> so I don't plan to do much in the way of volunteer work. But I am
> more than willing to help out with bake sales. I haven't been to any
> of them here yet, but I know they have some coming up in the next
> month or so.
>
> So, I'd like some tips and suggestions. What items sell the best?
> Worst? My oven is small, but I can do multiple batches without too
> much trouble. I'm a pretty good baker - especially cookies and
> breads. (Pies are my big weakness...I just need more practice).

> All good ideas are welcome!
>
> Paula

When is the sale? Will you bake ahead and freeze? Will you price your
goods or will someone else?

Our local Sr. Citizens Center is holding a sale on November 16 or
thereabouts. People will be buying for their freezers for Thanksgiving
and some of the goods will already have been frozen, and others will be
delivered fresh and warm throughout the day. Someone else in this
thread said that packaging is important. I'm not so sure about that.

At the aforementioned sale one year, a teen-ager brought in a boatload
of cupcakes, cookies, and bars, and had them on small paper or foam
plates covered with plastic wrap. She sold everything. I posted a
recipe for a Fake Apple Strudel Coffee Cake within the last few days --
that has sold well for me. My prizewinning jams and jellies always sell
well, as does my homemade white bread. My brownies didn't sell well --
I may have had them too high-priced, but they use high quality
ingredients and I was looking for profit on them -- I think I tried to
price stuff as the local grocery store bakery did (and a little more
expensive with the thought that homemade would probably use higher
quality ingredients). Rice Krispie Bars walked out the door! Homemade
lefse sold fast, as did homemade divinity and fudge.

Good luck!
--
-Barb (www.jamlady.eboard.com updated 10-10-03; check the PickleHats tab)

On Wed, 15 Oct 2003 20:56:16 -0500, Melba's Jammin'
> wrote:


>Someone else in this
>thread said that packaging is important. I'm not so sure about that.

I don't know if you meant me, but I mentioned "presentation," not
packaging. I.e., Krispie Treats *with* sprinkles; cake or sweet breads
with icing. I'll buy nearly anything that has sliced almonds adhering
to the outside. :-)

In article >, Frogleg
> wrote:

> On Wed, 15 Oct 2003 20:56:16 -0500, Melba's Jammin'
> > wrote:
>
>
> >Someone else in this
> >thread said that packaging is important. I'm not so sure about that.
>
> I don't know if you meant me, but I mentioned "presentation," not
> packaging. I.e., Krispie Treats *with* sprinkles; cake or sweet breads
> with icing. I'll buy nearly anything that has sliced almonds adhering
> to the outside. :-)

I stand corrected. Gonna have to get the eyeglass cleaner out. "-)
--
-Barb (www.jamlady.eboard.com updated 10-10-03; check the PickleHats tab)

Melba's Jammin' > wrote in news:barbschaller-
:

>
My brownies didn't sell well --
> I may have had them too high-priced, but they use high quality
> ingredients and I was looking for profit on them -- I think I tried to
> price stuff as the local grocery store bakery did (and a little more
> expensive with the thought that homemade would probably use higher
> quality ingredients).

What might have happened there is that I think people are generally looking
for a bargain when they shop at things like this - something cheaper than
they would get at the local bakery, either that or things they can't
generally buy at the local bakery - like, say, Rice Krispie Treats.

I've not had any experience with selling baked goods specifically,but we
were discussing this phenomenon at Embroiderers' Guild meeting this week.
Our group is holding an exhibition in November, and we always have a Sales
Table, selling various things we've made. We make things that don't require
too much work or expensive materials - not just because the quicker it is
to make, the more you can make but because people will not pay the real
value of hand crafted items.Even for the things we do make we charge less
than they're _really_ worth. They will pay exorbitant prices at the little
crafty homewares shop in the Plaza, for things that were mass produced and
probably imported. However, if they are looking at buying something at our
sales table they're in that "fete" mentality. "Oh, I'll get a bargain here
buying something home made....". Certainly can't charge for the time
involved in making something.

--
Rhonda Anderson
Penrith, NSW, Australia

"Rhonda Anderson" > wrote in message
. 1...
> Melba's Jammin' > wrote in news:barbschaller-
> :
>
> >
> My brownies didn't sell well --
> > I may have had them too high-priced, but they use high quality
> > ingredients and I was looking for profit on them -- I think I tried to
> > price stuff as the local grocery store bakery did (and a little more
> > expensive with the thought that homemade would probably use higher
> > quality ingredients).
>
> What might have happened there is that I think people are generally
looking
> for a bargain when they shop at things like this - something cheaper than
> they would get at the local bakery, either that or things they can't
> generally buy at the local bakery - like, say, Rice Krispie Treats.

That is why I think it is better to make smaller items that people can buy
for a dollar or two instead of large items that might cost $10. Sometimes
people just want to participate and spends a couple of dollars. If you
don't have anything in their price range then they don't buy anything.
There have been times that I have just given a donation to a group instead
of buying something I don't want and likewise, I have donated money instead
of baking something that I know won't be sold at a reasonable price. It
makes no sense to me to spend more money on ingredients than will be charged
for the item.

>Melba's Jammin' wrote:
>
>My brownies didn't sell well --
>I may have had them too high-priced, but they use high quality
>ingredients and I was looking for profit on them -- I think I tried to
>price stuff as the local grocery store bakery did (and a little more
>expensive with the thought that homemade would probably use higher
>quality ingredients).

I don't see why folks would bother going to a Bake Sale and then expect low
quality product... kinda like who would visit a local farmer's market expecting
lower quality produce. Perhaps you need to employ some marketing strategy...
package your products in smaller quantities (folks are adverse to spending more
than a fiver), and offer free samples (there's always a few pans of brownies
that don't look just right but taste fine, cut those into nibbles). Better
than 50% who taste (especially in front of others, especially in front of those
known to them) will be too embarrassed to leave without buying: Psych 101



---= BOYCOTT FRENCH--GERMAN (belgium) =---
---= Move UNITED NATIONS To Paris =---
Sheldon
````````````
"Life would be devoid of all meaning were it without tribulation."

I always snatch up Rice Krispies Treats at bake sales, and if I decide I
want another to take home for later, I'm usually too late.

Brownies are always popular as well, with or without nuts.

--
Sylvia Steiger RN, homeschooling mom since Nov 1995
http://www.SteigerFamily.com
Cheyenne WY, USDA zone 5a, Sunset zone 1a
Home of the Wyoming Wind Festival, January 1-December 31
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