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.
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!