The research is done; you’ve selected a profitable fundraiser and distributed materials to your students. Let the fundraising begin! But why does it seem, year after year, so difficult to get students motivated to raise money for THEMSELVES? Don’t they want to reap the rewards? That’s just it. You may be forgetting the most important thing. INCENTIVES! You’d think making money towards their future goal would be enough, but quite often, students need more. Tangible items, friendly competition, and special privileges go a long way with kids. In addition to publicizing your fundraiser, let students know loud and clear that there’s an extra prize for them to win. You’ll be amazed at how this increases motivation! Are you thinking, “We can’t afford to offer prizes. After all, we’re trying to MAKE money!” We’ve got you covered. Not only can the prize be of zero cost to your school, but these fun ideas fit almost any school climate. Select a fundraising organization that offers prizes like Ashley Farms. • In 2019, Aria Mody from West Essex Middle School Band Program won a 75-inch Samsung Ultra Hi-Def TV . We’re offering this same Grand Prize again this year! • Want to go to Disney World in Orlando, FL ? We’re offering a trip for your entire family! Victoria D. from St. Michael’s School in Union, NJ, won in 2019. *Don’t feel ready to travel? You can redeem your vacation anytime. Here are some great incentives your school can offer for FREE. • The Principal Challenge – Got a fun principal that loves to get involved? Ask them if they’d be game for one of these fun challenges that your students will remember for YEARS. Set a feasible goal for your group to sell, and if they reach it, the principal has to: come to school in their pajamas, dye their hair in school colors (permanent or temporary), or get duct-taped to the wall for a few photos! • Break The Rules – Let your top sellers do some rule-breaking! Within reason, of course. Students who sell above a certain number get to wear a hat to school, chew gum in class, or skip homework for the day or week. • Donated Prizes – Every school has a few parents that are business owners or have access to cool stuff. Find out who they are and ask if they’d be willing to donate a prize. It could be ice cream coupons, games at the bowling alley, a pizzeria gift card, free sports training, or a tour of their facility (as long as it’s something cool, like a magazine editor). Tap into your network! • Public Award – Every kid loves their time to shine. Have a trophy or plaque made (this cost is minimal) and present it to your top seller during a school assembly. Don’t forget to snap a photo for the school paper's front page and social media pages. Want to reward the entire school? According to PTO Today , experts say that an effective fundraiser should focus on participation, so it helps to reward everyone who participates. The greater the focus on those lower-level prizes, the better. “The grand prize [concept] is more old school,” says Kurt Koehler, president of AFRDS. • School-Wide Prizes – Want to make sure everyone feels like a winner? If students reach a specific goal as a group, schedule a school spirit day, ice cream or pizza party, fun game day, pajama day, or another treat that suits your kids' interests. School fundraisers take work, so setting up your students to raise the most funds possible is key. But most importantly, show them hard work can be fun and rewarding!
Whether you’re a little kid or a grown-up, chocolate chip cookies are the dessert that can make pretty much anyone happy. When you kick it up with some ice cream in between, you’ve got yourself a mouthwatering confection. We all know they’re delicious, but where did ice cream sandwiches first come from? It’s always nice to know a little history before diving into a recipe since cooking or baking is influenced in so many ways. According to the book Sugar and Snow: A History of Ice Cream Making by Jeri Quinzio, a slice of vanilla ice cream cut from a larger slab known as a “hokey pokey” was sold between pieces of paper on the street. But in 1899, an unknown pushcart peddler in New York City created the ice cream sandwich that consisted of vanilla ice cream pressed between two thin graham wafers, which was sold for 1¢. This new sandwich, of course, took off and has become the perennial favorite treat we know today from ice cream trucks and even high-end restaurants. So how can you make these fantastic creations in your own home? It’s simple. First, you can’t have a cookie sandwich without cookies. Don’t worry, we’ve got you covered! Ashley Farms at Home cookie dough is available in so many yummy flavors you can make a different kind each week for six weeks! Choose from the classic chocolate chunk, oatmeal raisin, candy, and much more. Bake them up, and you’ve got the first step completed. Once you’ve made the cookies of your choice and let them cool, it’s time to add the ice cream. Classic vanilla or chocolate is always a win, but you can go with mint chocolate chip or any of your favorite flavors. Just take one scoop and place it on a cookie then place another cookie on top. We told you it was easy! If you’re up for the challenge, try making homemade ice cream from any of these wonderful recipes . How to jazz it up! If you want to make them extra special you can: • Add colored sprinkles around the outside of the ice cream. For example, multi-color for a birthday, red/white/blue for a July 4th, or red and green for Christmas. You can either place the sprinkles on a plate and gently roll the ice cream sandwich, or you can slowly turn the sandwich in your hand will sprinkling around the outside with your other hand. • It’s also fun to add mini chocolate chips to the outside of the ice cream and re-create a Chipwich. • Mini marshmallows, candy cane, your favorite cereal, or crushed pretzels can all be added to the outside of your ice cream sandwich. Have fun with it! However you decide to make your ice cream sandwiches, we’d love to see your pics! Share them with us by tagging @AshelyFarms in your social posts on Facebook and @AshleyFarmsInc on Twitter and Instagram .
Fall is right around the corner, and you know what that means. Pumpkin treats aplenty! It’s finally that time of year for PSL lovers to rejoice, and we couldn’t be more excited. Pumpkin spice season can start a little early this year because as our country grapples with problems, we can indulge in one of life’s simple cozy pleasures. An Autumnal Delicacy Nothing smells better than pumpkin pie or a pumpkin roll warm out of the oven. That rich and moist pumpkin roll swirled with luscious cream cheese filling is just what 2020 needs to make things right in the world. Ashley Farms makes it easy to bring that delicious dessert right to your kitchen with our Broadway Café brochure, along with other fall treats like traditional Grandma’s Country Apple Cake. Drink Up Looking for more pumpkin in your life? Try a pumpkin cocktail recip e like the Polished Princess. This delightful vodka martini drink includes 5 fresh cranberries, a pinch of pumpkin spice, ½ ounces of lemon juice, ¾ ounces simple syrup, 1 ½ ounces vanilla vodka, and 1 egg white. Pumpkin pie spice can be purchased at most grocery stores and is an excellent addition to so many tasty libations and yummy bites. If you’re looking for a beverage for kids, the Creamy Pumpkin Smoothie is the answer. Pumpkin is a great source of fiber and potassium. It’s also an antioxidant to help prevent inflammatory disease and strengthen your immune system. In 10 minutes, you’ve got yourself a healthy and delicious drink the kids (and adults!) will love. Here’s what you need: • 3/4 cup almond milk • 1 cup coconut milk yogurt • 1 cup pumpkin puree • 2 tsp pure maple syrup • 1 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice (you can add 1 tsp more if you want more spice) • 1 frozen banana • ice for desired consistency Blend until smooth. Where Did It Begin? Wondering what pumpkin spice is and how it took over our lives? It’s usually a mix of cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger, cloves, and allspice, but some may include cardamom or mace. Pumpkin pie spice dates back to the 1890s (although some say as early as the 1700s) and today can be found ready-mixed for all your recipe needs. The spices themselves have been found in many Southeast Asian, Indonesian, and Caribbean dishes for hundreds of years. Still, the aromatic blend of pumpkin spice hadn’t been seen in America until later. This robust “ $500 million a year cultural mainstay ” has now been injected into everything from Twinkies to vodka drinks, as previously mentioned. The mix of spices was bundled ready to use back in the 1950s, making it much easier to bake with and became synonymous with fall. Trying to recreate this flavor in a coffee drink, Starbucks moved full steam ahead with their famed PSL (pumpkin spice latte), which became the phenomenon now available in nearly 50 countries. Many other companies followed with the pumpkin craze by incorporating it into yogurt, beer, candles, and much more. If one thing is for sure right now, we could all use a little pumpkin in our lives to make us feel like we’re wrapped in a warm blanket. Welcome this fall with a delicious treat from Ashley Farms, and let us know how you celebrate the season!