Bake sale help needed!!

[Nevergrow'nup]

I need help on deciding prices. I knew this was just the place to come!! Our church youth group is raising money for a trip. We will have cakes, pie, brownies, cookies and I'm going to make some white chocolate popcorn!!
I'm not sure what prices to put on things. We will be doing the sale on Good Friday. Any help will be greatly aprreciated!!
Anyone not sell stuff at bakes sales? What is a "hot seller" and what flops?? I've never done one before

Thank you!!

 

[Kellyscrapbooks]

I need help on deciding prices. I knew this was just the place to come!! Our church youth group is raising money for a trip. We will have cakes, pie, brownies, cookies and I'm going to make some white chocolate popcorn!!
I'm not sure what prices to put on things. We will be doing the sale on Good Friday. Any help will be greatly aprreciated!!
Anyone not sell stuff at bakes sales? What is a "hot seller" and what flops?? I've never done one before

Thank you!!

Rice Krispy treats always go well. The Good Friday part is the only part of your post that concerns me, many people I know fast on Good Friday, so they might not be as receptive to it as they might another day.

 

[Nevergrow'nup]

Would they be shopping??? I didn't realize this. We had to go with this day because of a schedule conflict.

Another question is what would be a good time for a bakesale on Good Friday.

 

[CJMickeyMouse]

IMO, presentation and location are everything. Our small TAG group made over $500 in a 30 minute bake sale. We set up in the commons at the school - directly following a music concert.

We priced rather high - $8 for a whole pie or cake.... $1 for a couple of cookies (bagged and tied with ribbon in school colors). Everything sold out in the first wave of people and we could have sold a LOT more. Families were buying dessert to take home and share. I don't think we had anything under $1.

-Rice Krispie bars are always a HUGE hit.
-Decorated cakes, cookies, cupcakes.... a few sprinkles, frosting or colored sugar will get you a few extra dollars!
-Dip pretzel rods in chocolate and roll in nuts, sprinkles, M&M's, etc. Cover with plastic and tie with colored ribbon.
-Cookies on a stick sell like CRAZY!
-Make batches of popcorn, chex mix, ranch soup crackers, etc... for those that don't want sweets. Bag individual servings or a little larger.

Good luck!!!

 

[snowman]

Our Cub Scout Pack does a bake sale at least once a year (this past year we had the Saturday before Christmas - it was fabulous). We have found that whole pies sell great (even at $8-$10 per pie), as do loaves of quick breads (think banana nut, etc - $2.00 for a mini loaf or $5.00 for a regular sized loaf). Another thing that was an unexpected seller was homemade jam. Again, depending on jar size it was $2-$5). Cookies (in bags of two) for 50 cents, etc are great for the buy and dines...but it take a lot of cookies to raise any money.

Good Friday itself shouldn't present a problem - a lot of people will be buying dessert for Sunday so they don't have to bake after church...that's what helped us at Christmas.

Oh yea - try to make sure all the food is at least covered w/ plastic wrap...it is more appealling that thinking that people of touched (or worse) stuff you want to buy to eat. Print up price sheets for your cashiers if you don't mark everything. Be prepared to mark prices down about an hour before you plan on closing up shop - unsold items yield no funds...marked down items at least raise something. We always go from about 8am to 1pm or so...but we are in on Saturday, so that sometimes makes a difference. Plastic grocery bags or small paper lunch bags are also useful - people like having their item put in a bag as an option.

Good luck and Good Selling.

 

[TXMouseChaser]

We just had a bake sale and the items that sold best for us were pretzel rods that I had dipped in caramel and then drizzled chocolate over them or pretzel rods that I dipped in chocolate and rolled in sprinkles or little m&m's or crushed butterfingers. Also (and I so wish I had made more) I took three marshmallows and put them on a wooden skewer (99 cents for 100 skewers at walmart in the cooking section). I dipped the marshmallows in chocolate and rolled them in sprinkles or m&ms or crushed candy and some I took white chocolate and drizzled over the regular chocolate.

I charged $1.00 for each pretzel rod or marshmallow stick. I made 100 total and they were sold out within the first hour of the bake sale. They were really easy to make. PM if you want any hints or help.

 

[mrp4352]

We always try to keep pricing simple. Things are $.50 or $1.00 - whole items are marked with their dollar amounts (we tend towards $10 - nice round number). Dot stickers work well - red sticker means $X; blue means $Y...

Also, we've found that having some sugar-free or points-friendly items makes a difference. I wouldn't do many, but it's a nice come-back for people who say, "I'm on a diet".

Good luck!!

 

[Nevergrow'nup]

Any ideas for sugar fee or points deserts? I'm drawing a blank.

Thank you all for your ideas, any more??

 

[rockyroad]

People, especially kids, like to buy stuff with m&m's on the top.

Cookies, rice krispie treats, whatever...put some m&ms on the top.

As to prices...how much would you pay?

I would also include 2 and three for a dollar items.
You want those dollars.
People also like a good excuse to buy more and bigger.

 

[GoofItUp]

Just one more thought.....you might set out a "donations accepted" jar, too. The last couple of bake sales I've been to I've been very surprised at how cheap they are selling things for and gladly make an additional donation. IMO it's more about supporting a good cause than getting a baked item for a cheap price.

BTW...the last couple of things I've bought: fresh apple bundt cake, brownies individually wrapped, and a plate of cookies. I think the dipped marshmallow and pretzel ideas are really great, too!

 

[teamagic]

I just did a bake sale last weekend as part of a fashion show. My hot sellers were - cookies wrapped individually(kids begged mom for one), biscotti, homemade peanut butter buckeyes, popcorn drizzled with carmel, whole pies, whole cakes, and cracker snacks.

As for the pricing, try to price the items so that they sell and you make money. If you over price, the items will sit and no money will be made. If you price items too low, items will fly off the table BUT you will not make that much money. It really is trial and error. Good Luck and have fun.

I am not sure if anyone suggested this or not, we marked baked goods with labels that stated if there was nuts or peanut butter. That way anyone will food allergies would know what was in it.

 

[Nevergrow'nup]

Do you think that 6 chocolate chip cookies in a bag for $1 is okay?
How about a price for a mini-loaf banana bread? $2 or $3

I LOVE the pretzels and marshmallow ideas. I am also making rice krispie treats in egg shapes with my kids decorating them, I might put them on a stick too.
Teamagic what are the peanutbutter buckeyes? They sound good!

How about a price for the chocolate covered popcorn $2 a bag? I have those clear celophane treat bags to put those in. Also, for those who drizzle the caramel on top of the popcorn, do you use the little square caramel or some thing else?
I know for every question I get answered I have 10 more but I have never done one of these before. I have been baking all afternoon!!
Thanks!!

 

[nanamom7]

I don't know if I missed it but how big do you cut the rice crispy treats. I made choc w/walnuts and peanut butter. How big and price. No one said what kind of carmel to use on the pretzels or how big of bags for popcorn. Tell I've never done this either.

 

[megsters]

maybe its just my area...or the high school and college crowed...

if we ever wanted to make any money, puppy chow (now called muddy buddys or something like that) was THE way to go. we cant do bake sales at the university anymore ( its a major healthcare university/teaching hospital, and there were too many national cases with using laxatives in the goods, or we would still be doing it )

but, from my experience with that and my parents church, the puppy chow/muddy buddys were always a big hit and excellent money maker.

good luck with the bake sale !!

 

[hambirg]

I really don't know about Good Friday. My kids went to Catholic school. . .is this a Catholic function? If it is it might be tough. . except for the things the kids can have. . .they don't have to fast. .. and for the things people can keep over til Easter. . .that might actually might be a big seller. At our functions. .. the cakes and pies (some of them are dang near famous! We auctioned a lemon meringue by a certain lady for $100!!! The same lady made pans of Baklava for us. . .OMG! Same thing. ..$100) can go for about $8. We would put 3 cookies in a bag for $1 (think McDonald's size chocolate chip). The quick breads (banana, pumpkin, etc.) were always one of the first things to sell out( about 3-4 dollars). Another great one for the kids is the cake cones. You just make a box of cake mix (chocolate is always good) bake them in ice cream cones and frost and sprinkle them. The kids love them. . .they make a ton and they can sell for $1. It's also nice to have some people make sugar free items for those that can't have it. I would also say. . .let anybody that uses nuts or eggs to please mark their items as containing those.

 

[powellrj]

I think the sale is over since the post is dated 4/3/07. I wonder how all of these old post keep finding their way to the first page.

 

[TupperMom7]

Since Good Friday is right before Easter, I would go with Easter decorated items. Rice Krispie Treats in the shapes of eggs or bunnies, cookies shaped like eggs, cupcakes with coconut "Easter Grass" and a couple jelly beans looks like a birds nest, brownies are always a hit (no nuts), lollipops - candy melts in a mold shaped like something for Easter, Carrot cake, angel food cake, lemon meringue pie, coconut cream pie....okay, now you've gone and made me hungry!

Prices - $8.00 for a whole cake or pie, cookies - 4/$1.00 if plain, 2/$1.00 if decorated. Rice Krispie treats 50 cents each, cupcakes 75 cents if decorated, brownies 50 cents. Go to a local bakery or grocery store bakery and see how much they charge for similar things. And yours will undoubtedly taste better because they are homemade.

 

[ma2jr]

Have you tried the cupcakes in ice cream cones? always a hit...


Here is the simplest way http://www.bettycrocker.com/recipes.aspx/ice-cream-cone-cakes

 

[TupperMom7]

I think the sale is over since the post is dated 4/3/07. I wonder how all of these old post keep finding their way to the first page.

Well, I'll be dipped, you're right! This is the first new reply to the post :

I don't know if I missed it but how big do you cut the rice crispy treats. I made choc w/walnuts and peanut butter. How big and price. No one said what kind of carmel to use on the pretzels or how big of bags for popcorn. Tell I've never done this either.

I wonder how she came upon a question from 2007???

Maybe the replies will help someone for their bake sale.

 

[rszdtrvl]

Found this thread on a Bing search (maybe that is why a lot of older threads get popped up??) and am bumping it up!

We are having a bake sale in 3 weeks.

What would you charge for JUMBO chocolate chip cookies? Like 5-6" across.

Also, how about mini banana bread. Like 2" x 4"?

And what are your favorite items to purchase at bake sales?

Right now I have only made :

Banana Bread (2" x 4")
Banana Bread w/ butterscotch chips (2" x 4")
Banana Bread w/ chocolate chips (2" x 4")
Jumbo Peanut Butter Cookies (4" circle)
Jumbo Peanut Butter Cookies w/ chocolate chips (4" circle)
Jumbo Chocolate Chip Cookies (5" - 6" circle)

I also plan on making for sure Jumbo Snickerdoodles and Jumbo Sugar Cookies.