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Bake sale item for non baker?


MEmama
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Any ideas of something fast and ***foolproof*** I can bring to a bake sale?

I am so not a baker so it really must be simple. Many basics are already being provided, so no chocolate chip cookies, brownies, Rice Krispie treats. Gluten free is already covered.

Ideas?

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We like caramel Rice Chex with pecans...

This is made like caramel popcorn-- but we use a big box of Rice Chex instead of the popcorn and add in 1 cup of pecans (halves or pieces) during the baking period.

This recipe is similar to the one I use--I do boil my mixture 3-4 minutes.

Note-- I use the whole Family Size box of Rice Chex-- this is more (volume) than what the recipe calls for-- but we found it tastes better if the caramel coating is not as heavy.  I use 1-2 roasting pans and bake for about an hour--stirring every 15 minutes.

Pack in zip-lock sandwich bags or quart-sized bags for sale.

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I’ll offer an totally different idea- homemade Chex mix. It’s super easy to throw together and then portion in baggies. And it’s good for people who might want something salty to go with their sweet stuff, or for someone who doesn’t eat a lot of sugar. And it stays fresh for a good while, unlike most baked good that have a few days at best. 

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3 minutes ago, Annie G said:

I’ll offer an totally different idea- homemade Chex mix. It’s super easy to throw together and then portion in baggies. And it’s good for people who might want something salty to go with their sweet stuff, or for someone who doesn’t eat a lot of sugar. And it stays fresh for a good while, unlike most baked good that have a few days at best. 

Ita!  Ime, something salty is always a hit.  I usually contribute ranch oyster crackers.

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Caramel Chex 

8 C cereal
1 C brown sugar
¼ C light Karo syrup
½ tsp salt
½ C real butter, cut into smaller pieces
½ tsp baking soda
1 tsp vanilla
MnMs (optional)

1. Place cereal into a large microwave-safe bowl.  

2. Combine brown sugar, Karo syrup salt, and butter into another  large microwave-safe bowl (this will double in volume during cooking—make sure it is big enough).  Microwave for 30 seconds, stir.  Microwave for 2 minutes, stir. Microwave for another 2 minutes.  Stir in baking soda and vanilla.  Pour over cereal and stir to combine.  

3. Place the bowl containing the cereal mixture into the microwave.  Microwave for 3-5 minutes, stirring every minute, until the mixture starts to brown slightly.  Spread on parchment paper or buttered cookie sheets to cool.  Stir in MnMs if desired.  Store in a covered container. 

*You can also use this mixture for caramel corn.  Put it over 12 cups popcorn (if you’re using salted microwave popcorn, leave the salt out of the caramel mixture), and skip step 3.  This makes a soft caramel corn.  If you want it crunchy, spread it on two buttered cookie sheets and bake at 200ºF for 1 hour, stirring every 15 minutes.  

Edited by Forget-Me-Not
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Depending on where you are...and riffing off the chex mix idea, this might be a good option. I might be hesitant to do it if you are in a area where Asian foods/flavors aren't popular.

Furikake Chex Mix is so good! Hugely popular Haiwaiian snack mix. Trader Joe's has furikake now if you aren't near an Asian market.

https://onolicioushawaii.com/furikake-chex-mix/

 

Edited by calbear
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19 minutes ago, pinball said:

Spicy sweet pecans.

in General:

whipped egg white, a little sugar, salt and cayenne

bake very low oven, stir every 15 mins for abt 45 mins

I was going to suggest candied pecans, as well. They've been a big hit when we've made them, but we didn't make them spicy. We followed Trisha Yearwood's recipe. The pecans will stick together in clumps, so be sure to separate them a bit before they completely cool.

The only drawback to this idea is that nuts can be pricey.

https://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/trisha-yearwood/jerrys-sugared-pecans-recipe-2109318

Edited by Storygirl
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6 minutes ago, calbear said:

Depending on where you are...and riffing off the chex mix idea, this might be a good option. I might be hesitant to do it if you are in a area where Asian foods/flavors aren't popular.

Furikake Chex Mix is so good! Hugely popular Haiwaiian snack mix. Trader Joe's has furikake now if you aren't near an Asian market.

https://onolicioushawaii.com/furikake-chex-mix/

 

I’ve never heard of this- it sounds SO GOOD and would be a great snack to set out when we get together with the grands and play games. We usually do regular Chex mix but they would LOVE this! thanks for the link.

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11 minutes ago, itsheresomewhere said:

A huge seller at the last bake sale before covid as individual chocolate pudding with a cool whip topping.  We had them made up and in a cooler ready to go.  The kids sold out and made a huge amount for their club.  

Or a spin off of this: chocolate pudding with crushed Oreo "dirt" and a gummy worm on top!

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Another tricky thing about bake sales is cost.  If I spend $10 I hope they make $15+ or at least break even.

The last bake sale I did specified bringing things already packaged in units that would sell for $1. 

That helped me decide what to bring because if my contribution will lose money I'd rather just donate, kwim?

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1 hour ago, happi duck said:

Example of ranch crackers here: https://www.hiddenvalley.com/recipe/hidden-valley-oyster-crackers/

I don't bother with a Ziploc bag and just mix it in a bowl.  

This was the "thing" my mom always had when the grandkids came to visit. They love it. It was the single most disappointing thing to my son when he was diagnosed with celiac - no more ranch oyster crackers at grandmas. 

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A real fruit pie for people who might want something less unhealthy? Start with a premade  shell to make it much easier to do. Choose a 5 star recipe from online to fit available / affordable fruit. 
 

or individual fruit cobbler cups in cupcake papers to meet Covid needs for separate individual items? 
 

(but muffins from mix are much faster and much more foolproof, especially if u get two different mixes and two pans in case one is not so great result .   And no extra doings like frosting needed.  Though if you wanted, a lemon frosting can be nice on a blueberry muffin.  ) 

Edited by Pen
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1 minute ago, wathe said:

As a non-baker, my contribution to bake sales is a cash donation, roughly equivalent to the amount that would expected to be raised from donating baked goods to be sold.  So maybe not much help.

This is definitely my preferred method as well. But we need to make something for the snack shack at a track meet and I’m afraid cash doesn’t feed hungry teen athletes and bored siblings. Lol

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21 minutes ago, MEmama said:

This is definitely my preferred method as well. But we need to make something for the snack shack at a track meet and I’m afraid cash doesn’t feed hungry teen athletes and bored siblings. Lol


Honey Stinger Organic Waffle, Honey, Sports Nutrition, 16.96 Ounce, Pack of 16 https://www.amazon.com/dp/B004F1LNDI/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_glt_fabc_12GSW90MHSWG0FGGFWH9?_encoding=UTF8&psc=1

 

I think there are other flavors too, and this is a favorite with my son’s track team  

 

places like REI in our area also have them - possibly for less $per box and where you can see expiration dates

 

(and I saw that one reviewer commented that the ones on Amazon may be knock offs - inferior to real thing - ours have come from REI or a local running store where we first found them) 

Edited by Pen
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Brownies from a box mix are quite good and not much cost or effort.  If you feel like making them seem more homemade, sprinkle some chocolate chips on them before baking and/or powdered sugar after they cool down.

 

Or I have even seen parents who totally forgot and still wanted to contribute make a quick stop at walmart or kwik trip or whatever your favorite place for bakery treats is and buy a big package and repackage in smaller portions.  I guarantee a bunch of hungry teens will not care!

Edited by cjzimmer1
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15 minutes ago, cjzimmer1 said:

Brownies from a box mix are quite good and not much cost or effort.  If you feel like making them seem more homemade, sprinkle some chocolate chips on them before baking and/or powdered sugar after they cool down.

 

Or I have even seen parents who totally forgot and still wanted to contribute make a quick stop at walmart or kwik trip or whatever your favorite place for bakery treats is and buy a big package and repackage in smaller portions.  I guarantee a bunch of hungry teens will not care!

That's what I was thinking about buying something from the store bakery.  

We put a cup of chocolate chips in our brownie mix when we make them.  I remember a while ago topping them with Andes mints when they were just out of the oven and then spreading the melted mints or something like that.  That was a big hit - I don't know why I didn't do that again.

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1 hour ago, MEmama said:

This is definitely my preferred method as well. But we need to make something for the snack shack at a track meet and I’m afraid cash doesn’t feed hungry teen athletes and bored siblings. Lol

In that case I would donate something baked by someone else - either bought  from a bakery or a bulk pack of packaged snacks from Costco 

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8 minutes ago, wathe said:

In that case I would donate something baked by someone else - either bought  from a bakery or a bulk pack of packaged snacks from Costco 

Yeah, I don’t have much time either. So I’m thinking about individual bags with a bagel, small peanut butter and a plastic knife. Grilled cheese sandwiches always sell out so I know there’s demand for something kind of substantial and not sweet, but I don't think we can do those this year. 

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Are you working the bake sale or just dropping off items?  We've made a killing selling root beer floats for a dollar, but they require a dedicated person to work that station.  You need a cheap tub of ice cream, cheap root beer, small solo cups, and straws.  Root beer first, then ice cream so you don't get all foam.  We've also sold homemade trail mix, cans of soda, and even bags of chips.  One year ring pops where the things that EVERY kid HAD to have.  It doesn't have to take effort or make sense; it just has to sell.

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29 minutes ago, MEmama said:

Yeah, I don’t have much time either. So I’m thinking about individual bags with a bagel, small peanut butter and a plastic knife. Grilled cheese sandwiches always sell out so I know there’s demand for something kind of substantial and not sweet, but I don't think we can do those this year. 

How about string cheese or meat snack sticks? Both come prepackaged, and offer something not so sweet. 

Or yogurts? 

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2 hours ago, MEmama said:

This is definitely my preferred method as well. But we need to make something for the snack shack at a track meet and I’m afraid cash doesn’t feed hungry teen athletes and bored siblings. Lol

In that case, I'd bring juice boxes.  

They always sell well, and no one thinks to bring them.  

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I’ve had good luck with dog treats at bake sales. Many people want to help, but don’t want to bring home baked goods for a variety of reasons. I do use a small dog bone cookie cutter, and make sure they are will marked, so they are not mistaken for people food.

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22 minutes ago, City Mouse said:

I’ve had good luck with dog treats at bake sales. Many people want to help, but don’t want to bring home baked goods for a variety of reasons. I do use a small dog bone cookie cutter, and make sure they are will marked, so they are not mistaken for people food.

Brilliant! OP, if people bring pets to these things (hmm...maybe not swim meets, but I know people do to baseball and such) even store bought treats put in baggies would work. 

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