Bean Supper Resource Kit 

I. Organizing  Tools

I.1. Timeline/Responsibilities Checklist for Organizing a Bean Supper

Planning and communicating responsibilities helps ensure a successful event.  This spreadsheet covers a wide range of activities and time frames for completing various tasks. Use this to get started and add to it as you think of additional assignments.

Bean Supper planning timeline.xls 

I.2 Budget

Here is a spreadsheet to get started.  Build your budget, then track actual revenues and expenses against your plan.  

BS Sample Budget.xls

   II. Supper Items

II.1  Recipe/Ingredients Cards or Table Tents

Use one of these cards or make your own to advertise your event or provide recipes or ingredient lists.

Maine Bean Supper Recipe Card side 1.doc

Recipe Card Side 2.doc

II.2   Placemats

Another great idea:  make place mats that feature the local farms and farmers, healthy food facts or other information that makes your event special.  Here's an example produced by Casco Village Church, UCC:  

Placemat PDF.pdf

II.3   Non-plastic, compostable dinnerware

If you have access to a dishwasher, traditional dishes and cutlery are best for the environment.  If you must use disposable, one-use items, consider biodegradable dinnerware and cutlery.  New products are continually being introduced (often made of cornstarch), so an internet search of eco-friendly disposable dishes and cutlery should yield several good choices.   

 III. Marketing/Publicity 

III.1  Posters and postcards (full color or black and white)

Don't forget to hang posters and distribute postcards about your event.  Here's a beautiful photo of beans that may be used as a poster or postcard.  Highlight your use of local foods to draw a crowd.

RFMAINE BEANpostcard2010color.doc

RFMAINE BEANpostcard2010bw.doc

Bean supper idea for postcard.doc

III.3  Press Release

Publicize your supper!  Local press will be especially interested if they know that your Bean Supper incorporates Maine foods and includes other creative ideas.  A photo including community members preparing the meal, etc. can be included with your press release.  A list of Maine media is provided in the attached document.  Because policies and deadlines vary, it is best to look at the website of media you would like to help publicize your supper.  Be sure to follow the instructions provided and call if you aren't sure of how to proceed.  For a special event (meal that includes entertainment, special fundraiser, etc.) you might even get a local reporter to cover your event.  

To view a list of Maine media, click here:  

  Press List via MaineDirect.pdf 

 Note:  this list is from the Maine Direct distribution service, a paid service that electronically distributes press releases to Maine media.

If you are interested in this service, use the following website.  

http://mainebusiness.mainetoday.com/newsdirect/

  IV.  Maine Seasonal Recipes and Serving Suggestions

See what you've learned?  Make a game of learning healthy portion sizes.  Try this worksheet (answers included).

Serves You Right Worksheet Color.pdf

Serves You Right Worksheet b&w.pdf

IV.1 Recipes

The recipes included here have been provided by a variety of sources.  We've included healthier versions (along with serving and nutritional information) of traditional favorites that feature foods available from Maine producers. Enjoy!

IV.1.2   Baked Beans

Maine Beans…the Heart of a Bean Supper

Yankee Magazine has 64 different Bean Recipes online. For variety in your traditional Bean Supper, go to www.yankeemagazine.com/recipes/for/beans and see if there are any recipes that sound fun to try. You can substitute local Maine products such as maple syrup, mustard, sea salt, vegetable oil or salt pork/bacon, where similar ingredients are called for.