Sourcing fruit and veg for PTA weekly 'fruit sale' - any tips?

[sydenhamhiller]

At DCs' school, there has been a weekly Friday cake sale for years - PTA mums sell cakes/ biscuits for 20 p at the morning playtime. It's a small but reliable little earner for PTA school funds and the highlight of most children's week. (Or at least for my two!)

Recently, the school have made the very valid point that they do have Healthy School status, do make a big deal about 5 a day, value of exercise, KS1 kids get free fruit every day, KS2 kids can bring only fruit/ veg to school etc etc - so really they would appreciate it if the PTA sold fruit/ veg on fridays.

The PTA did hold a 'fruit sale' once a half-term, to the pupils' disgust :). It takes much longer to prepare (washing/ cutting fruit etc), and makes a loss which was subsidised by the cake sale profits.

The PTA would really like the fruit sale to work - but we need it to break even at least. Local supermarkets work out too expensive, and most parents work so spending every Thursday morning at our closest London market is fine for a one-off but not a viable option on an ongoing basis.

Wondered if any other parents had similar experiences/ any tips on suppliers? We've tried a couple of local suppliers, but it all gets a bit London shi-shi, local, organic and super expensive for our budget :( I would try and contact a local greengrocers to strike some kind of deal, but they have all turned into charity shops and chicken take-aways over the past few years...

Any other ideas? Would be so grateful.

Is there any room at school for your kids to plant veg? The school the dcs are at has put in some raised beds and the kids plant onions, cabbages, rocket , spinach etc. there is a weekly gardening club who tend the beds and the beds are watered via an auto system from autopot and little growers. The gardening club have sales when they have produce ready. Not every week but once a half term.

I don't know if they have a scheme in our area, and obviously it only works in the summer/autumn but you could try contacting Abundance. Even if it only worked for part of the year it would bring your average costs down.

Are you sure there are no greengrocers? I live in quite a posh part of London but even we have several convenience shops that also sell fruit & veg and we also have a large Korean community near by who have many small shops who also stock fruit and veg, surely there must be something similar near you?

Or what about contacting Abel & Cole? They have a scheme aimed at selling bags of fruit and veg through schools to parents to raise money for PTAs- perhaps they'd sell you some fruit at cost if you also participated in that scheme?

Sam100 that is a lovely idea...but any spare space is being ear-marked for the 'Bulge' classes we'll be having next year because our inept council has not been looking at birth rates now has a massive shortfall of places.

FWIW I think the idea's a bit mad really from a rundraising pov, especially if KS1 childre already have free fruit.

We have monthly cake sales and theses take place after school. That way they are perceived as a treat and as it's after school parents can control how much cake is bought and when it's eaten - might be something to suggest to your school as a compromise?

Why not combine the two and have 'healthy' cakes/snacks that fits in with the healthy school status? Choc beetroot cakes, courgette / squash muffins etc - there are so many great recipes - cakes using honey or fruit/carob etc for sweetness, granola bar type stuff etc, whole meal flour, seeds etc Parmesan crisps, dried fruit coated in yoghurt ....
Just an idea....

Houseofmirth think that's a really good and valid point...and sometimes sticking point between members of the PTA - there are endless debates about whether we do things the school want us to (even if they don't make money), and to what extent our activities should be income-generating, or about community spirit...

Pleaseputyourshoeson I was going to suggest that but thought it might be hard to implement. Perhaps if school/pta have website they could post healthy cake recipes so parents can easily find them.

sydenhamhiller I think it's the role of the PTA to generate income to fund the school's wish list and also sometimes to do events which aren't money makers but which do foster communty spirit.

I think there are diferent issues here. If the school want the children to only have access to healthy snacks in school time then they need to either stop all "unhealthy" snacks at breaktime (and ban cake sales in school time) or ask you to fund fruit for KS2. Cake sales are a big money maker at out school and if your school is not entirely against them I'd opt for a monthly after school one which would then perhaps fund the KS2 fruit?

Is there any free fruit left over at the end of the day? We have loads and usually put it out for parents to help themselves. You could save this up until the end of the week and charge 5p per piece?

Our PTA run a 1p sweet shop on a Friday and over the years have had to put up with enquiries of 'healthy' alternatives. Luckily they have been ignored

We tried to sell fruit at our cake sales

Twas always left mouldering over

Cake sales are not the time to be promoting healthy food

its supposed to be sugary crap fgs

Abel and Cole do a organic veg scheme for schools perhaps you could look into that ? it wont be directly to the children but may work?

Fruit sale is never going to work as a fundraiser. Cake sales only work because the people that bake the cakes donate the cost of the ingredients. Otherwise it would be impossible to sell them for 20p each!

We had "ice cream Fridays" after school last summer term. Might be some mileage in doing fruit-based lollies, I guess. Still likely to cost quite a bit, though.

Oh please, the idea is to make money not to be worthy.

We have healthy eating status, cake stalls, sweets for birthdays and a PTA kids quiz with rather a lot of Easter eggs as prizes

Could you make smoothies and sell them alongside the cakes? Maybe a cake and drink (smoothie) 30p? Encourage parents to make healthy cakes/snacks as well. Going in the right direction, but still making a profit.

Have you asked the supermarkets about giving you a discount on the fruit?

Here is the Abel and Cole scheme. Works well at our school (and no risk / extra stock for the PTA):
www.abelandcole.co.uk/farmers-choice

Alternatively, would the school be happy with pizzas? One of our classes, when it is their turn to do cakes, make pizzas instead - wrapped ready to take home and heat up for a lazy Friday night meal.

My friend's school get people to make and sell takeways meals for the freezer. Maybe only once a year though - as it is proper meals like curry, etc.