Bake Sales 
Private organizations, church groups, non-profit organizations, lodges, and just about any
organization that exists will, at some time in their existance, consider a Bake Sale as a means of raising funds. Bake sales, by nature, are designed primarily to raise money for non-profit organizations through the sale of home-baked food items. It may be a sound idea as economically the outlay of capital is extremely limited. There is no "middle-man" to consider. There is generally no charge for the Bake Sale location. The profits go directly into the coffers of the organization.
The cooking supplies and equipment used to bake items are generally provided at no cost, or at minimal cost, to the organization by the membership, their families, or volunteers. At the sale location, volunteers will generally supply the labor and time required for a Bake Sale to take place.
End result; the funds collected through the Bake Sale are close to 100% profit.
Our society's outlook on Bake Sales is that they are being conducted to further a worthy cause. The goods provided for sale are percieved as being "home made" and therefore must taste great. You know, something like 'granda ma' use to make. Yum, yum!
Just look at these goodies 
Look great don't they!
From a food safety perspective,
there are problems associated with a Bake Sale.
1. Where is the food prepared? 5. Is the kitchen & the equipment clean?
2. The food is prepared by whom? 6. Are hands washed before food is made?
3. How is the food prepared? 7. Are potentially hazardous ingredients handled
4. Are the cooked foods transported to prevent bacterial growth?
safely to prevent contamination? 8. Do the foods contain allergians?
As there are inherit food safety problems associated with a Bake Sale,
the St.Francois County Health Center has established Bake Sale guidelines.
IF your organization is to conduct a Bake Sale, your organization and its members, volunteers, and/or staff must adhere to the following guidelines.
As private homes are not licensed, and not subject to inspection, The St. Francois County Health Center requires that all foods offered for sale at bake sales be non-perishable (foods that are not required to be refrigerated and do not support bacterial growth or the production of toxins). 
Baked goods that are approved, include any of the following:
• Cookies, Bars and Brownies
• Bread or Buns
• Sweet Dough Bakery Items (i.e. Doughnuts)
• Fruit Pies
• Jellyrolls
• Cakes or Cupcakes
• Popcorn
• Confections (i.e. Candy)
• Pre-packaged foods such as granola bars or juice boxes • Trail mixes • Honey*, Jams & Jellies 
The following foods including any other potentially hazardous foods
are NOT permitted to be sold at bake sales:
• Cream Éclairs
• Cream Puffs
• Cakes or Pies that contain perishable fillings (i.e. cream, cream cheese, egg, pudding, pumpkin, sweet potato or meat)
• Home canned/processed food items
• Dairy products such as milk, cream, yogurt, cottage cheese, or butter
• Cut melons
• Icings for cakes must not be made with eggs or dairy products (i.e. milk or cream.)
When planning a bake sale, please observe the following requirements for selling:
1) All foods must be protected from unnecessary handling, airborne contamination and pests.
Baked goods should be placed in food storage bags or containers, wrapped with new food grade
plastic, wax paper or foil or dispensed from a covered food storage container. Items must be
displayed and stored off the floor or ground and must be covered at all times.
2) Ingredient information should be available upon request or each item should be
properly labeled. Label information shall include:
(a) The common name of the food, or absent of a common name, an adequately
descriptive identity statement
(b) If made from two or more ingredients, a list of ingredients in descending order
of predominance by weight, including a declaration of artificial color or flavor and chemical
preservatives, if contained in the food
(c) An accurate declaration of the quantity of contents; (d) The name and place of
business of the manufacturer, packer, or distributor; and (e) The name of the food source
for each major food allergen contained in the food unless the food source is already part
of the common or usual name of the respective ingredient.
3) A sign or placard stating “Homemade Goods” must be posted. The Consumer needs to be
informed that the food is prepared in a kitchen that is not subject to inspection by the St.
Francois County Health Center.
4) The event organizer should retain a list of who donated what food items or wrapped baked items
should be labeled with the baker's name in order to identify the source of the product.
5) Good standards of housekeeping and hygiene are expected of persons operating the bake sale.
All foods should be displayed on clean counters and the bake sale area
maintained in a clean and sanitary condition.
When planning a bake sale, please observe these additional requirements for sampling:
6) Persons preparing, packaging, transporting, displaying or sampling bake sale items must be free
of communicable disease such as the flu, common colds, and hepatitis. Their hands and arms
must be free of open wounds, cuts or sores.
7) Bare hand contact with the food items should be avoided through the use of plastic gloves,
tissues, bags or utensils (tongs/spoons).
8) Persons contributing to, or participating in, bake sales must wash their hands before conducting
the sampling and after any act that could contaminate their hands, such as coughing, eating,
smoking or using the restroom.
LABEL EXAMPLE FOR CHOCOLATE CHIP COOKIES
One Chocolate Chip Cookie INGREDIENTS:
Enriched Bleached Flour, Sugar, Chocolate Chips, Butter, Salt, Eggs, Water, Baking Soda, Vanilla
Allergens: Contains wheat, soybeans and eggs
Elly’s Sweet Treats
1025 West Main Street, Park Hills, MO 63601
(573) 431-1947
* Honey needs to have an additional statement on the label:
"Honey is not recommended for infants lless than twelve (12) months of age. "
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