Things You’ll Need:
Volunteers
Large potatoes (as many as you think you can sell)
Any topping you like on potatoes

When planning a Loaded Potato Fundraiser, you need to secure a day, time and place for hosting this activity.

Once you have these details ironed out, it’s time to move to step two. Find volunteers to set up the area, prepare the food, and clean up after the event.

With your volunteers, brainstorm toppings for your Idaho baked potatoes. You will want to have things people like on their potatoes (chili and Velveeta cheese, broccoli and Shredded Kraft Cheddar cheese, Parkay butter and Daisy sour cream, bacon and Daisy sour cream, etc.). If you want you can offer something new (like shrimp and cream cheese; grilled onions and cheddar; pepperoni, Mozzarella and pizza sauce, etc.).

Now that your volunteers are ready and you know what you need, it’s time to get as many items donated as possible.   You may be able to get a larger grocery supplier, like Costco, to donate the potatoes.  See if your volunteers or other members of your church or organization can donate toppings for the potatoes. Try to have these items ahead of time a volunteer prepare them the night of your fundraiser.

Next, get your menus ready. These are easy to do on your HP computer. You can make two menus from one  sheet of paper. Go into page setup and make sure you are working with your page long ways (landscape). Using two text boxes, divide your paper in half. Type in all of the choices for the loaded potatoes and their choices for drinks in the first box. Have the menus either on the tables or hand them to the people as they come in. You can set this area up like a restaurant and have a “hostess” with a separate wait staff (we had our teens as the wait staff).

Once your volunteers are in place and you have your donations lined up, it’s time to set up for your fundraiser. With enough donations,  nothing will need to be purchased. Have one of your volunteers set up the drink station (we served water, sweet and unsweet tea but you can serve whatever beverages you are comfortable with). You will need other volunteers to set up tables and chairs. You will need the potatoes baked and the toppings ready. Be sure to have your paper products ready as well (using regular dishes would be nice but then you need someone willing to do all the dishes). Make sure you have plates, utensils, napkins, cups, tablecloths and any other items you think you may need.

Once people start arriving, have your “hostess” seat them and hand out the menus. At this time, it’s good to take drink orders if they are ready. Give each person special treatment and this will go a long way. We charged $5 per potato but many people gave more than $5 because of the great service. Remember, it’s a “loaded potato” so really pile the topping on.

Another way to have this fundraiser is to have your teens start calling around taking orders and offering to deliver the potatoes. You may manage to sell more and make more because people will be glad they didn’t have to go out and they didn’t have to cook. It has worked out well for us but you have to take special care if you decide to deliver.

Don’t forget the foil for your potatoes. Foil will help keep the potatoes warm longer.

This can also be a fun dinner party. You can have everyone top their own potatoes! Make it a pot-luck and everyone bring toppings to share. Your group provides the potatoes.

Be very careful when working with hot potatoes. Take precautions to keep from getting burned.