5 Ways to Have Your Girl Scout Cookies and Eat Them, too!

I like to open the box and put the cookies into 100 calorie snack size baggies. That way you pick up a baggie and can be more conscious of how much you are eating. The baggies have to last a certain number of days and you aren't torturing yourself by depriving yourself of a treat.

I can tell you most of the money they get goes to GirlScout CEO's and overhead. The troop gets about 30 cents a box. So give the troop a buck is equivalent to buying three boxes and zero calories.

"Follow the serving size and allow yourself this small treat on occasion."

ON OCCASION is the operative word here and with other things that can get out of hand. Practice some self discipline and you'll be fine.

I think that's great that it worked so well for you. I can only tell you in our experience it didn't. We have been in GS for four years now. In SE Alabama there are no district, council activities which we can attend easily. With daisy's and brownies we can't travel very far. And of the troop leaders I know personally, we haven't ever been given funding to help our endeavors. Whose shoulders does the financial burden fall on? The leaders. I know what you are saying is the way it's "supposed" to work. I am just saying it ain't happening!

It's a good story you buy with the box of cookies but it's just a sales gimic. I feel bad for the kids.. that's why as a troop we don't do it.

It's NOT going toward a good cause! Research how much the executives make. Where do you think it comes from? The green off the girls' uniforms?!

The girls don't see that cash. As long as the executives at GSA continue to rake in the dough, pun intended, at the expense of pimping young girls to sell their cookies, I will never contribute. The girls don't see the money, the troop leaders don't see the money, the executives DO. And they can take their cookies with cheap hydrogenated oil & squat a brownie too, pun intended.

Sorry Girl Scouts-- I've boycotted products containing high fructose corn syrup. Thanks-A-Lot!

I didn't read the article because I only have this to say: With the price in which they charge for a box, why purchase them at all? They really aren't that good to spend 11.00 on 12 cookies.

I love GS Cookies (my fave being the chocolate pb patties Tagalongs I think) and regarding Mims comment while I agree about the whole ban on high fructose and corn syrup in regular every day condiments and other products, but when it comes to sweets, I think you have to look at what they are and that's sweets. Sure, we can choose to go with only organic or natural ones, but for me it's just depriving myself of a simple pleasure. As long as you don't over do it, I say moderation is okay.

SOME BUM, where do you get your cookies? All boxes of girl scout cookies, no matter what area or state is $4.00 each. Some boxes have 12 cookies, some like thin mints have more. There isn't a big difference in price when comparing them to store brands. And with Girl Scout cookies, you know its going towards a good cause!

You can go on their web site and it will tell you all the information.

Don't punish the girls in the troops because of either your ban on some ingredients or where you believe the money is going. Call your local Girl Scout Council and ask for a breakdown on where the cookie money goes. They have the figures. Please remember that you never see or hear of Girl Scouts pitching any other product.

As a Girl Scout leader in CNY, I have to say while the Cookie Program is in no way perfect here or anywhere in the USA, it is a good program and has good intentions. Please remember that this program is not about cookies to our girls as much as it is about teaching the girls to set goals and work towards them. They are creating their own businesses, learning advertising, sales and marketing. The end product is the profits of the sales which they get to choose how to spend. We may not always make as much money as we want, but for Girl Scouts to survive (especially in this poor economy) we need to make our money somewhere. Our cookie program supports our wonderful Council Programs, Camps, and the Staff that supports us volunteers. Unfortunately, you can't run any business today non-profit or not, without paid staff. And cookies is where we make our GS money. Our girls work very hard every year and make routinely over $2000 in our cookie sales. They sell a lot of cookies and they and their parents are very supportive of our efforts with their time and wallets. We are very thankful to them. Please consider these things when you see a young girl selling cookies, she isn't just selling HF Corn Syrup, Chocolate and sugar, she is selling her hopes, dreams and her achievements.

GS Leader - 1/2 of the cost of the cookies will go back to the baker, .55 cents per box directly to the troop who sold them, and the rest to support the girls council and organization.

I have not eaten a girl scout cookie in years upon years. I've survived just fine. We do not bring boxes of cookies, packages of candy, or tubs of ice cream into the house. Period.

Treating yourself is fine, but it's so much more special when you can sit with your kid and a dish of ice cream at the cute little shop.

I already ordered my THIN MINTS; if I eat them all I'll be anything but THIN.....................

As a lifetime member & a Gold Awardee, I can tell you the cookie sale is a HUGE troop fundraiser. The exact amount a troop earns per box depends on which council you are in. I know my last years in the St. Louis area, boxes sold $3.50 & your troop received $0.60 per box. While this doesn't sound like much it adds up. Most troops easily sell over a thousand boxes, equaling $600 for the troop. I regularly sold over 300 boxes each year just by myself. Also, what no one else has mentioned is another large portions goes towards funding district, council, national, & worldwide opportunities. This includes reduced/no cost membership, badges, workshops for those who need it. No girl is turned away because they can't afford to join. There are scholarships set up to help support workshops, days, programs, summer camps, & wider-ops. I never begrudged the portion of my cookie sales that went to supporting the GS as a whole, because my family had to make use of such funding during one very rough year when I was a Junior GS. As a little girl, it meant some of my favorite activities remained stable despite financial difficulties.
Personally, I buy my cookies & keep them in the freezer. I just take a few out at a time. If I plan well, I run out about when its time to reorder. I just ate my last trefoils (the shortbread) today. Also, some councils this year are offering the option of buying a box (or more) for our troops serving overseas & the Girl Scouts will be arranging shipping.

You can choose to "buy" a box that will automatically be donated to troops overseas (soldiers love Thin Mints!). Otherwise,money is typically used to fund trips or activities that greatly benefit the girls (being a Scout myself, our trip to Washington D.C. and Savannah, GA relied heavily on cookie sales.) See what your troop is up to, your money may be going to amazing places you wouldn't be able to send it yourself!

Thanks, and order a box or two today -- you never know where a cookie may lead :)