Fair trade Pick 'n' mix stall

By using familiar concepts 'new' food can appear a little less intimidating, and students are more likely to try something for the first time. Dried fruit and nuts make the perfect products to sell as pick 'n' mix. Not only is this an attractive method of selling fair trade dried products but its better for the environment than individually packaged snack packs.

Setting up a pick 'n' mix stall 

Before you start.  Make sure you've checked what your school's policy is on selling nuts. Some people have very severe allergies to nuts and even if they come in contact with them they may have a reaction. For more information on nut allergies visit: http://www.anaphylaxis.org.uk/

How many pupils and staff will buy pick 'n' mix fruit and nuts? Have a meeting or do a survey to find out how much interest there is among staff, governors, parents and pupils.

Resources. The Food Standards Agency 'Bad Food Live!' DVD provides teachers with an excellent way of teaching basic food hygiene messages, from the importance of handwashing to cooking and chilling food properly. Teachers can get a copy of the video by calling 0845 606 0667, or email: foodstandards@eclogistics.co.uk quoting ref: FSA/0845/0903. Food hygiene fits into the PSHE & Citizenship curriculum at key stages 2 and 3, 'developing a healthy, safer lifestyle'.

Get prepared. Work out what you need - scoops, scales and paper cups or cones. Decide how much you are going to sell your products for by weight. Set up your pick 'n' mix so it looks attractive. Include your class in designing or decorating cones, and try and include fair trade in your themes.

CASE STUDY! We did it! 

If you have a success story to tell about when you ran a pick 'n' mix stall please contact Hannah Williams by emailing: hannah@sustainweb.org