Bake Sale

Bake sales have long been a popular ways of raising funds.  Bake sales can be a fun, inexpensive and easy money-making opportunity because there are limited start-up costs.  Bake sales are well known and are popular in the community.  Additionally, Bake Sales are one of the best ways that an entire family can get involved.

Keys to hosting a successful Bake Sale:

Select a Leader - The leader you select should be someone who has great organizational skills.  He or she should also be able to give direction and keep others on track.

Volunteers - Since several people are needed for a successful Bake Sale, it is important to find volunteers to help with handling donations, baking the goods, setting up tables and making signs. Don't forget there will be a need for people to help clean up afterwards!

Donations - Did you know that you don’t have to bake all of the goods yourself.  You can ask friends, family and neighbors to donate their favorite baked dish.  Be sure to have a sign-up sheet so that you get a variety of baked goods and don’t end up with a table full of Rice Krispie treats!

Be specific about how you would like the goods packaged, either individually wrapped in plastic wrap or treat bags.  Also make sure that each dish donated has a card attached that has the name of the dish and the ingredients (such as nuts, strawberries, etc., that have been known to be an allergen to some people).

Location - Place your table in an area that has lots of people passing by. Plan your sale around an event that is already happening to guarantee it’s success, such as sporting games, church, or at the park.  

Presentation - Decorate your table and keep it clean and organized. Make sure only the Baked goods are present on the top portion of the table and all decorations are on outer portions of the table.  Divide the baked goods according to type (cookies, cakes, candied apples, pies.)

Options - Make sure you have options available for those customers who may wish to have a half-a-dozen cookies, or even whole cakes or pies.  If you are having a bake sale near a holiday such as Easter, Christmas or Valentine's Day, create gift packages of a sampling of treats for your customers to purchase.

Serve drinks - If you are doing your bake sale during the winter, serve hot chocolate; in the summer, lemonade.

Sell the Recipes - Compile the recipes from the bake sale in an inexpensive cookbook and sell them at the sale.