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!
Chocolate chip cookie dough is fantastic as is. Classic. Simple. Delicious. But what if you could turn up your dough game? We’ve got six ideas that use our Ashley Farms cookie dough and turns it into a whole new dessert that everyone will love. There’s a variety you can pick and chews from, including Chocolate Chunk, Candy Cookie Dough, Macadamia White Chocolate Chip, Oatmeal Raisin, Peanut Butter with Chocolate Chip, Gluten-Free Chocolate Chip or go with the Chocolate Covered Cookie Dough Bites. We’re here to bake your day a little better! When it comes to baking, don’t be afraid to take whisks, ahem, risks. Here are a few sweet ideas that take cookie dough to the next level. 1. Stuff an Oreo in a Chocolate Chip Cookie It’s like a cookie ate a cookie! Wrap 3 tbsp of cookie dough around an Oreo and bake at 350° for about 10 minutes. Is your mouth watering yet? Get the full recipe HERE ! 2. Chocolate Chip Cookie Stuffed Oreos So, while we’re on the topic of Oreos, let’s flip that previous recipe around. It’s so crazy but so simple, and of course, delicious! Just place cookie dough inside of the Oreo and dip (or don’t dip) into chocolate. Get the full recipe HERE ! 3. Cookie Butter Now that I have your attention let’s talk cookie butter. This is great if you have leftover cookies, which is a slim chance, but if you do, here’s how to make it. Pulse the cookies in a food processor until small. For every 2 cups of cookie crumbs that you have, you will need 1/3 cup cream, 2 tbsp brown sugar and 1 tbsp melted butter. Mix the ingredients in a bowl until a smooth dough forms. Voila! Spread it on whatever you’d like … toast or another cookie perhaps? Get the full recipe HERE ! 4. Rise and Shine Cookies Whoever said you can’t eat cookies for breakfast? It’s time to wake up and smell the cookies! Add 1 to 2 tsp of instant coffee to the batter to get a java flavor and a little caffeine pick-me-up. Bake cookies as usual. Get the full recipe HERE ! 5. Cereal Cookies Speaking of morning cookies, let’s add some cereal to our dough. They both are great with milk, so why not mix them, right? Crispy rice is a winner, but you can mix in whichever cereal you like to add crunch to the chewy texture. Try out a few different kinds of cereal and do a taste test to see which your family likes best. Get the full recipe HERE ! 6. Boozy Cookies These are not your kid's lunch box cookies. These are showing up to a friend’s house and be the hit of the party cookies (although all the booze does burn off, so really, they’re suitable for any age, but the name sounds adult). Add 2 tbsp of Kahlua and bake cookies at 350° for about 14 minutes. Let cool before serving, if you can wait! Get the full recipe HERE ! If you liked these ideas, we’d love to know! Contact Us ! And be sure to follow us on Facebook , Instagram , and Twitter to join the Ashley Farms community of dessert lovers.
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 .