Keep Food Fresh at Your Busy Fair Booth

[flemings99]

Working a very busy booth this weekend. Do you bring food samples? Mine always seem to run out and then I have dirty dishes out.

Fair runs 9am-4pm. Suggestions on how to keep the food fresh while I'm there? Or would you punt on the food and just do a display?

I know use the cool n' serve but it's not going to stay cold the length of the fair.

 

[raebates]

I don't do food samples because of health codes. I simply have individually wrapped candies in one of the dishes. This time of year it's the Holiday Dots Square Bowl.

 

[Chozengirl]

Do a dipping oil and baguettes.

 

[ShellBeach]

I give recipes cards with my contact label on it.

 

[otisbg]

PLease do not do food, as Rae mentioned......not a good idea - would you take food samples from an area where everyone is coughing and sneezing and touching? not to mention - do you know where it came from?

 

[deanna_g]

I agree. No food samples. Besides, if the board of health shows up and you have food samples up that were not prepared in a certified kitchen, you may have a problem on your hands.

 

[wadesgirl]

I have never done food samples, too much work for me and it doesn't guarantee more sales. The last booth I did a Tastefully Simple Consultant used our Cool N Serve Tray to put some samples out. By the end of the day they were still cold.

 

[Jolie_Paradoxe]

Same - no food. Too much of a hassle. I do mention some great recipes that I'd be happy to demo at their show. I hand out recipes with my contact info and let them look at our tools...reminding them they can get it for free or half price if it isn't in their budget to buy outright.

 

[pampered_chefgal]

The only thing I've ever done if I've done food, is a sample of the dessert sauces. I just put some in small cups with a spoon. Typically just do handouts

 

[Barry Carlton]

I think I would do Parmesan bowls every 10-15 minutes or so. I would not hand them out (I would save them for home use). It's a quick demo of the 8 inch nonstick saute, the 1 cup prep bowls, and the nylon slotted turner. One can of fuel would probably last all day easily if using the burner only for 2-3 minutes 3-4 times an hour.

 

[pchockeymom]

Take your apple p/c/s on the stand, fill the large bamboo bowl with apples, and use it as a demo. Whenever anyone walks by, ask them if they know what it is, if they'd like to give it a try, then they'll get a fresh, healthy snack. Your booth will be the hub of the event.

Also, take a pineapple and the pineapple wedger. If the flow of people gets a bit thin, call out that you're doing a demo. Cut the pineapple in half, demo half, then let someone else do the other half. Ask the crowd who knows how to pick a fresh pineapple, wait for all their rediculous answers, then tell the fool-proof method (pluck from top, if it snaps right out, good unless it snaps right out side. If it doesn't snap from top it's not ripe. If it snaps from side it's overripe). Then you can cut the pineapple into bite size pieces, put on a bamboo platter and serve with a dish of toothpicks.

 

[cookingwithlove]

Barry,

What kind of hot plate do you use? Is is reasonably priced and do you take to our shows when you are doing skillet demos?

 

[Barry Carlton]

Since I restarted I have not had a need to use one but when I was a PCC before I would use this if we were not in the kitchen. I did a lot of patio parties in Fresno in the summer.http://www.amazon.com/dp/B000BVC4NY/?tag=pfamazon01-20

 

[cookingwithlove]

Thanks Barry. Wow it is only $15.75. That is really reasonable. I am trying to showcase our cookware, but it does not always work in some house. This will be great!

 

[flemings99]

These are great idea. Thanks.

I have a gal on my team working a Chocolate Fest this weekend who is making 1,500 Smores Cups!!! Yes the # is correct! I hope it goes well for her.

 

[wadesgirl]

These are great idea. Thanks.

I have a gal on my team working a Chocolate Fest this weekend who is making 1,500 Smores Cups!!! Yes the # is correct! I hope it goes well for her.

I could see for something like this where food is required that you have a recipe! Good think the smore cups can be made in large batches!!

 

[ms_twana]

Okay, you all are scaring me with this "don't take food" stuff. I have a booth next week, and food is required in order for me to have the booth for free. I'm not paying for a booth when I have an opportunity to get it for free.

What should I take? I was thinking of tortilla chips and fresh salsa. I could demo the MFP over and over again. I didn't know what else to take though.

 

[pchockeymom]

What should I take? QUOTE]

Take fresh fruits and veggies people can demo products with-pineapples, apples, mangos, potatoes, oranges, onions, carrots, zucchini, lemons, limes, etc. Not all of it would be stuff people would eat, but some of it they could. If you need to have food to serve, make it wrapped and put it in the triffle bowl-things like candy.

 

[Dotty]

Are you sure a certified kitchen is required for samples? I thought that was only for food for sale. I've had no problems, but then I've only participated in vendor fairs.

However, personally, I wouldn't serve anything that was prepared at the fair.. just due to the inability to ensure everything is clean before I start. Stuff will get dirty in just the load/unload and table setup.

 

[NooraK]

Are you sure a certified kitchen is required for samples? I thought that was only for food for sale. I've had no problems, but then I've only participated in vendor fairs.

You should always check the local requirements for where you are setting up. If it's a larger fair, I'm sure the organizers can tell you, or at least direct you to who would know. I'm sure they wouldn't risk having the fair shut down for health code violations. I've actually seen some applications that specifically say no food allowed due to the rules.

 

[Dotty]

You should always check the local requirements for where you are setting up. If it's a larger fair, I'm sure the organizers can tell you, or at least direct you to who would know. I'm sure they wouldn't risk having the fair shut down for health code violations. I've actually seen some applications that specifically say no food allowed due to the rules.

Thanks.. that is just something I hadn't considered before.

 

[PC Angel]

I do pineapple pieces with a toothpick in each one (small trash can under my table) while also showing a 1/2 of a "wedged" pineapple on display for the customers to see how it works. Also, I fill up my decorator bottles with Better Crocker cream cheese frosting (colored for the occasion - green/red-Christmas/Orange&Red-Fall & Pastels for Easter!) with some holiday cookies (again which ever season) from Dollar General for everyone to decorate. The kids LOVE this and in the past I have sold over $400 in sales just on these 2 items PLUS, I usually decorate my 3 tier stand (occasion) and fill with occasion M&M's (bowl in the middle) with silver or matching Kisses on top & bottom plates. This draws in the brides and sell's my bridal show for me :thumbup:

 

[ChefKelebel]

I just always remember what another consultant told me once, we're not there to be caterers or feed the masses, we're there to sell products. Take potatoes. Use them to demo all the tools you can think of (corer, peelers, veggie wedger, APCS, mango wedger (pretend its a mango) and then put the peeled pieces in a collapsable bowl, cover them and take them home to make YOUR OWN family the yummy potato chowder recipe in the DCB!!!

 

[NooraK]

I just always remember what another consultant told me once, we're not there to be caterers or feed the masses, we're there to sell products. Take potatoes. Use them to demo all the tools you can think of (corer, peelers, veggie wedger, APCS, mango wedger (pretend its a mango) and then put the peeled pieces in a collapsable bowl, cover them and take them home to make YOUR OWN family the yummy potato chowder recipe in the DCB!!!

Love that!