Two hours if it's the usual custard base.

Becky

Can you take a cooler with some blue ice, and just replenish a plateful as they sell?

I made potato salad for a potluck once. I put ice in a deep aluminum baking pan and place the potato salad container on it (surrounded by ice). It kept the salad cold for hours during serving without being spoiled. You may want to do the same.

I suspect she's talking about sellign the whole panful.
I wouldn't do bread pudding unless you really know your recipe.....some turn out more like a cake than a pudding and that would be safe....but the soft custardy kind needs to be eaten 2 hours after is out of the refrig.
But there are lots of cakes and breads made with milk and eggs that don't need to be refrigerated.

I agree, I don't think I'd chance bread pudding for a bake sale, unless I had some way to refrigerate it, and I'm pretty laid back about small variations in timing.

However, eating it myself and selling it to someone else to eat are worlds apart.

Annie

And you have no idea how long it will sit in their car before they actually eat it.

Well that's a point, Linda,...although, you could really say that about any food you sell to the public.

The problem I would have with trying bread pudding for a bake sale is that it's one of those things that everyone has different tastes about..cake-like vs. custard-like etc.

At the restaurant, we sold a bread pudding made with croissants, using plenty of them to end up with a fairly cake-like, though tender, pudding. It was absolutely delicious, but nothing like the bread pudding I was accustomed to.

That's true, Rachelellen, but I could leave oatmeal cookies or a brownie or fudge, cupcakes or muffins, whatever, in the backseat of my car all day and it would still be safe to eat, as would jam and pickles, etc. But something with all those eggs? Well, that would be a bad idea, I think.

I do agree, though, about the differences in bread pudding. I know Nancy made some with Krispy Kreme donuts and I'm betting they were delicious, but not what I'm used to either. Mine was always made with a sweet bread dough, lots of eggs and had a creamy sauce to go over the top. Definitely not bake sale material, as it would be far too messy.

Annie

Thanks for the input. I'd be selling 2-3 serving size portions. The bake sale takes place in a retirement community and the residents are our main customers so I don't think it sitting in a car is a problem. I was more concerned with it sitting out while we set up tables and during the sale. But, the more I think about it, I think there's a small kitchen right off the room we're using...I'll see if there's a refrigerator in there. Thanks again.

and if that little kitchen has a microwave and you could sell individual portions of warm bread pudding with caramel sauce.....you will eb sold out in the snap of a finger!!!!
Linda C

I agree, if there's refrigeration available, that would be different. I'll bet the residents there would love it.

Annie