Tag Archives: girl scout cookies

1944 Girl Scouts Handbook Has 10 Really Terrible Vintage Diet and Nutrition Tips

I recently found a 1944 copy of a Girl Scout Handbook, and what an interesting journey it was to another time that seems worlds away from the one I live in. There’s a lot of focus on developing skills to be a happy homemaker; while my understanding of a modern Girl Scout Handbook invokes a woman who is independent and an equal partner in business, sport, and life.

Young Ethel of Elizabeth, New Jersey owned the near-perfect copy I found, its aged pages revealing she was a member of troop 39. The rest of the book revealed some health and nutrition advice that I found down-right comical. I was unable to get my hands on a current Handbook, but I have to believe the recommendations for fried food, butter, and thousands of calories a day have changed just a little.

Hey! Where are the Cookies?

Cookie sales first began in 1917 in Oklahoma and by 1936 they’d licensed their first commercial baker. But alas this book, printed in 1944, makes no mention of cookies – neither as a fundraiser or even a recipe. However, Wikipedia notes that around this time, 1943, the Girl Scouts sold fat in cans to support the war efforts.

Why You Should Never Buy Girl Scout Cookies

Girls Should be Eating ALL OF THE CALORIES!

“You probably need between 2,200 and 3,000 calories a day. A grown woman who does little active work needs only half of what you do, while a husky football player probably needs twice as much.” (more…)

Posted on January 20, 2024 by Natalie K

Girl Scout Troop Raises Money for Edible Garden Instead of Selling Cookies

Last month, we vocalized our distaste for Girl Scout Cookies in a highly read article, Why You Should Never Buy Girl Scout Cookies. It’s not that we don’t like the troops, many of us worked hard for those same badges. What we don’t like is the message these cookies send, the ingredients they’re stuffed with, and missed opportunity to do something so much more with these young minds.

When we were tipped off to what Girl Scout Troop 2753 is doing in California, we were thrilled. Why isn’t every troop doing this, we wondered.

One of the troop’s members, Alicia, dons her Daisy uniform and says, “My Girl Scout troop is not selling cookies but we are raising money for our fruit and vegetable garden at our school.” (more…)

Posted on March 1, 2024 by Natalie K

Boy Scouts Sell GMO-Free Popcorn for a Healthier Food Fundraiser

If you haven’t noticed, The Girl Scouts have hit the streets with their cookies this month. They’ve opted for a throwback twist this year as many girls are pulling wagons with cookies ready to deliver on the spot. It may become their biggest sales year yet. Cookies on demand, at your door? Pretty tough to say no to a Thin Mint when it’s literally in your face. Unless of course, you’ve been reading more about what’s actually in those cookies. That may scare you off of Carmel Delights for life.

But, what about the girls’ counterparts? The Boy Scouts sell popcorn every fall. Is their product any better? They are, after all, selling corn, the biggest genetically modified (GM) crop in this country. And the law states no one has to label whether or not a product contains genetically modified organisms (GMOs). And if you search a package of Boy Scout Popcorn, the Trails End Brand, you’ll see no mention of GMOs on the labels. Are our girls getting an unfair rap? Are the boys being just as irresponsible with what they’re selling to the public?

It appears not, at least on the GMO front. Elizabeth Weaver works with Weaver Popcorn Company, Inc. They are the distributor and producer of Trails End Popcorn, the exclusive Boy Scout brand. Weaver explained what’s in the popcorn and why the packages do not indicate that the snack is GMO free. (more…)

Posted on February 7, 2024 by Lacy

Why You Should Never Buy Girl Scout Cookies

Settled in to these resolutions yet? Then it must be time for Girl Scout Cookies to go on sale. I used to think there was something spectacularly special about them. Our dietitian, Mary Hartley, RD, reminds that they may be a sentimental favorite, but they are not healthy food. In fact, there’s nothing remarkable about these cookies.

Never once in my years in the Scouts do I recall having a conversation about fruits and vegetables, exercise, or nutrition. I do remember ending each meeting (spent entirely sitting down) devouring packaged chocolate chip cookies and Kool-Aid. I remember my troop leaders pushing us to sell, not teaching us the ingredients in the cookies or why the nutrition mattered. I might be guessing here, but I don’t expect that’s changed much today.

To be more specific, let me tell you exactly why any of us shouldn’t be buying these cookies.

1. GMOs. Most brands try to cover it up, but the Girl Scouts own their use of GMOs, or genetically modified organisms. You’d almost think they were proud of putting engineered food in products they’re making our children sell by the language on their site, GirlScouts.org. They slide the responsibility on to their bakers, saying it’s their call what they use. Some of the reasons to avoid GMOs, since the US doesn’t require labeling while 61 countries do, include a link to allergens and altered DNA of the food.

2. Consistency. Two bakeries produce Girl Scout Cookies – ABC and Little Brownie. They have different recipes, ingredients and nutrition facts for each cookie. That makes for a whopping 20 calorie difference between a Samoa from Little Brownie and a Caramel Delight at ABC. (more…)

Posted on January 10, 2024 by Natalie K

Scouting Calories for Charity: Girl Scout Cookies vs. Boy Scout Popcorn

The Boy Scouts and Girls Scouts teach children a lot of noble life lessons, but unfortunately their practice of using high-calorie snacks for fundraiser no longer seems noble in a nation facing an unprecedented childhood obesity crisis. It’s easy to pick apart the Girl Scout cookies for their inherently high levels of sugar and fat, but a closer look at the Trail’s End snacks sold to support the Boy Scouts shows they are little better.

On the FAQ page of the Trail’s End website, there is a discussion of the health benefits of popcorn, which is a whole grain. However, the amount of added sodium, sugar and fat in the Trail’s End products pretty much negate this one healthy aspect. For example, the ingredients list on the Classic Carmel Corn reveals that three forms of sugar precede the actual popcorn. Also of concern are the artificial flavors and colors found in a number of these products. The nuts found in the trail mix may offer some real nutrients as a snack, but again the 10 grams of sugar show’s there’s an awful lot of candy.

Below is a quick look at some of the most popular Girl Scout Cookies and Trail’s End Snacks.

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Posted on January 10, 2024 by Margaret

Savannah Smiles No Healthier Than Other Girl Scout Cookies

It’s that time of year again! Girl Scout Cookie season is upon us. Among the classic favorites like Thin Mints, Samoas, and Tagalongs, the girls will be offering a brand new cookie this year as part of the organization’s 100th anniversary.

A new lemon cookie called Savannah Smiles will be sold. The name is a nod to the hometown of the Girl Scout’s founder Juliette Gordon Low. The new cookie is designed to look like a smile shape. It is a hard cookie covered in powered sugar with a lemon flavor.

Taste testers haven’t been overly impressed by the Savannah Smiles, mentioning that the flavor lacks the uniqueness that many come to expect from a Girl Scout Cookie. Many Girl Scout flavors are attempted to be replicated and offered on the shelf all year round, but few succeed at really edging out the original. However, the review of the Smiles seem to indicate that many lemon cookie alternatives offer more flavor than the new Girl Scout version. (more…)

Posted on January 10, 2024 by Lacy

Infographic: Girl Scout Cookies Calories vs. Popularity

Click here to embed this infographic on your site.

Knock-knock. Who’s there? Just a sweet girl with an endearing smile and a box full of calories and trans-fat.

After Wired Magazine shared the most popular Girl Scout Cookies by sales we decided to see how that data compared to their caloric value. Two of the least popular varieties also have the most calories/cookie, so at least not that many people are indulging in those. The most popular’s, the Thin Mint of course, saving grace might be that it’s second-to-last for calories/cookie.

Philanthropic calories count the same as any other. So imagine walking 10 minutes for each Thin Mint you eat. If you eat the entire sleeve in one sitting… well, we’ll be here when you get back. Or, you can just make a direct donation to the Girl Scouts. Your local troop will get more of your generous dollar, and you won’t have to burn off an unhealthy snack.

Not Pictured: 2024’s Savannah Smiles lemon cookie

Posted on September 20, 2024 by Health Buzz

The Girl Scouts Attempt a Merit Badge in Sustainability, not Nutrition

By Jamie Birdwell

The Girl Scouts of the USA are trying to earn their merit badge in sustainability.

The use of palm oil in their iconic cookies has become a hot topic for debate recently, with some experts indicating that the oil commonly used in processed foods can cause harm to the environment due to deforestation. All sixteen varieties of Girl Scout cookies contain palm oil, but official Girl Scout cookie bakeries ABC Bakers and Little Brownie Bakers have made a commitment to sustainability, Amanda Hamaker, manager of national products, said.

According to an article in Time Magazine, the awareness about the famous cookies containing palm oil came from none other than a couple of Girl Scouts themselves. While researching about Jane Goodall and her work with primates, Madison Vorva and Rhiannon Tomtishen learned that the use of palm oil can contribute to harming the environment of the orangutan.

“Being a Girl Scout is about showing stewardship for the land. We knew we had to keep fighting.” Vorva said to Time. (more…)

Posted on June 21, 2024 by Health Buzz

Biggest Girl Scout Cookies Calorie Offenders

February means lots of things – Super Bowl Sunday, Valentine’s Day, President’s Day, and that most traumatic time of the entire month – Girl Scout Cookie time!

Going to the grocery store means that you are confronted with sweet little faces, begging you to buy just one box, please? What harm can there be in purchasing such delights? They are for a good cause, after all. Beware, however – altruistic moves can have devastating consequences on your waist line. Here are the top 6 Girl Scout cookie offerings and their calorie counts along with the necessary exercise needed to burn them off. Read the labels and make an educated decision; don’t be swayed by guileless smiles and sweet dispositions.

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Posted on February 22, 2024 by Carmen

Healthy Tips for Enjoying Girl Scout Cookies

A mere 21 days ago you rang in the new year with a resolution to the tune of getting fit, losing weight or eating healthier. And just like that, Girl Scout cookie season blows in and tempts you out of your resolve and back in to her $3.50-per-box sugar heaven.

Girl Scout cookies are like a double-edged sword: the purchase is for a good cause, yet, you end up with boxes of cookies staring you down from the pantry.

Guess what? It’s mind over matter. You do have more willpower than those cookies have sugar. We’re here to say that you can have your cookies, eat them too, stick to the resolution and make it through to the other side.

So here are our tips for making it through Girl Scout cookie season: (more…)

Posted on January 21, 2024 by Natalie K

Girl Scout Cookie Nutrition Facts

Very soon, your doorbell is likely to ring. On the other side of that door is a cute, likable, do-gooder little girl who wants nothing more than to sabotage your diet. She doesn’t know that’s what she’s doing, she just wants a free pass to summer camp.

There’s no denying Thin Mints are one of the tastiest cookies ever created. They account for 25 percent of the Girl Scouts’ total sales each year. The Lemonades are sweet and refreshing and there is something so comfortable about the Peanut Butter Sandwiches. No matter which $3.50 box you buy, the nutrition facts and ingredients are the last thing those little sweethearts of cookie entrepreneurship want you to see.

So here’s the truth: it’s not nearly as cute as those girls’ pigtails. (more…)

Posted on January 26, 2024 by Natalie K

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