Girl Scout Cookies FAQs
Frequently Asked Questions
Buying Girl Scout Cookies
Product Information
- What are the sizes, quantities and prices of Girl Scout Cookies?
- Why is my Caramel DeLight now called a Samoa? (or) Why are my Trefoils® now called Shortbreads?
- How do I find out the ingredients, nutritional value and allergen information for one or more of the Girl Scout Cookie varieties?
- Who bakes Girl Scout Cookies?
- Who selects the cookie varieties?
- Are all Girl Scout Cookies kosher?
- What are the best-selling Girl Scout Cookies?
- Where can I find recipes using Girl Scout Cookies?
- What if I'm not satisfied with my cookies?
- Who are the girls on the Girl Scout Cookie boxes?
- Are any preservatives used in Girl Scout Cookies?
- What about partially hydrogenated oils (trans fats)?
- What about High Fructose Corn Syrup?
- Why is there palm oil in Girl Scout Cookies?
- Does the chocolate used in Girl Scout Cookies come from cacao beans picked by children?
- Should people with diabetes buy or consume Girl Scout Cookies?
- What about the concerns of those on low-carb diets?
- Don't Girl Scout Cookies contribute to the childhood obesity problem?
- Why don't you offer cookies that are whole-wheat, non-dairy, or vegan...?
- Is my cookie package recyclable?
Selling Girl Scout Cookies
- Who can sell Girl Scout Cookies?
- I moved and now have to pre-order my cookies. Why is selling and buying cookies so different from one community to the next?
- Do girls earn any Girl Scout awards from participating in the cookie program?
- Why didn't my Girl Scout receive a cookie patch for selling cookies this year?
- How do you ensure the safety of Girl Scouts who sell cookies?
- Does a Girl Scout group have to sell cookies if it doesn't want to?
- Can Girl Scouts who are not in troops participate in the Girl Scout Cookie Program?
- Can Girl Scouts donate cookies to military personnel serving overseas?
Cookie Revenue
- When I buy Girl Scout Cookies, where does my money go?
- How does the cookie revenue benefit girls?
- What portion of the cookie revenue is shared with the troop/group selling cookies?
- Is the purchase of Girl Scout Cookies tax-deductible?
- Does any part of the cookie revenue go to support organizations other than Girl Scouts?
- Girl Scout Cookies can be found in some popular ice cream treats. Can any business use Girl Scout cookies in their product?
- Does any of the money from cookie sales go to Girl Scouts of the USA (the national Girl Scouts organization)?
Buying Girl Scout Cookies
Q: When do Girl Scout Cookies go on sale and how do I find them?
A: Girl Scout Cookies can only be purchased from girls during cookie season. To find cookies and learn when cookie season starts in your community, contact your local Girl Scout council:
- Visit www.GirlScoutCookies.org and use the zip code locator to learn when cookies go on sale and where booth sales may be located.
- Call your local Girl Scout council. You can find their phone number (and toll-free 800 number if they have one) at www.girlscouts.org/councilfinder/. If you call the council, volunteers or staff there can help you find a cookie booth or a Girl Scout group near you.
- Try our new free mobile Cookie Finder app for your iPhone®. You can search for sales in your neighborhood, get details on your favorite Girl Scout cookies and find your Cookie Personality.
Selling Girl Scout Cookies is an important component of the Girl Scout Leadership Experience for girls. Each Girl Scout council develops the procedures and guidelines for its cookie activities, including the dates when you can order or purchase cookies and the price you will pay per box. A council conducts only one cookie sale per year. Most of these activities take place between January and April, but some occur as early as September.
Q: Can I buy Girl Scout Cookies online?
A: Girl Scouts of the USA does not currently allow online sales of Girl Scout Cookies, though we are presently researching a future state where it will be possible for girls to engage consumers in online sales, developing critical and relevant entrepreneurship skills in the process. Our cookie site www.GirlScoutCookies.org can help you locate girls selling in your community by Zip Code. Many councils post information on where to find Girl Scout Cookie Booths during the sale or can connect you to a group that is selling in your area.
Cookies found for sale online at auction and community list sites should not be purchased under any circumstances, as neither GSUSA, the local Girl Scout council, nor our licensed bakers can guarantee the freshness of these cookies. Further, purchasing cookies in this way does not support girls participating in the cookie program.
Product Information
Q: What are the sizes, quantities and prices of Girl Scout Cookies?
A: Girl Scout Cookies are sold by weight, not by size or number. The number and size of cookies may vary by variety. The national Girl Scout organization, Girl Scouts of the USA, monitors the weights of the cookies, which are set by contract.
Girl Scout Cookies sell for different prices in different areas of the country. Each of the 112 local Girl Scout councils has the right to set its own price based on its needs and knowledge of the local market. Today's prices reflect both the current cost of cookies and the realities of providing Girl Scout activities in an ever-changing economic environment. To find out which local council serves your area check www.GirlScoutCookies.org.
Q: Why is my Caramel DeLight now called a Samoa? (or) Why are my Trefoils® now called Shortbreads?
A: Girl Scout Councils choose their licensed baker, either Little Brownie Bakers or ABC Bakers. Each of the bakers owns its cookie names, except THIN MINTS® and TREFOILS®, which GSUSA owns. So a cookie like the Trefoil / Shortbread may look and taste similar, but your local Girl Scout council determines which one will be on the market when they select their baker.
Q: How do I find out the ingredients, nutritional value and allergen information for one or more of the Girl Scout Cookie varieties?
A: So that consumers can make an informed choice, the ingredients, nutritional profile and allergen information of each variety are clearly listed on both the cookie box and the cookie order form. Additionally, this information is available on the Web at www.GirlScoutCookies.org.
With special regard to allergen concerns, our bakers bake Girl Scout cookies in state of the art facilities, and the consumer can be assured that every required safety protocol is adhered to in order to prevent cross contamination of ingredients. The bakers stand behind the allergen notifications listed on each box of cookies. Consumers with additional concerns may contact the bakers directly at www.abcsmartcookies.com or www.littlebrownie.com.
Q: Who bakes Girl Scout Cookies?
A: Currently, two commercial bakers are licensed by the national Girl Scout organization, Girl Scouts of the USA, to produce Girl Scout Cookies: ABC Bakers and Little Brownie Bakers.
Q: Who selects the cookie varieties?
A: Licensed bakers can offer up to eight varieties of Girl Scout Cookies; only three types are mandatory: Thin Mints®, Peanut Butter Sandwich/Do-si-dos® and Shortbread/Trefoils®. The national Girl Scout organization reviews and approves all varieties proposed by the bakers. Any of the five optional cookies can be changed every year. Each bakery names its own cookies, so Girl Scout Cookies that are quite similar may have different names. Suggestions for new cookies are welcome, but the national Girl Scout organization can make no promise to use them.
To see a listing of all current varieties of Girl Scout Cookies along with pictures and descriptions, go to www.GirlScoutCookies.org.
Q: Are all Girl Scout Cookies kosher?
A: Yes. All Girl Scout Cookies are kosher.
Q: What are the best-selling Girl Scout Cookies?
A: The biggest sellers are:
- 25% Thin Mints®
- 19% Samoas®/Caramel deLites®
- 13% Peanut Butter Patties®/Tagalongs®
- 11% Peanut Butter Sandwich/Do-si-dos®
- 9% Shortbread/Trefoils®
The other varieties combined account for the remaining 23%.
Q: Where can I find recipes using Girl Scout Cookies?
A: Check out the Web sites of these two licensed bakers: ABC Bakers and Little Brownie Bakers.
Q: What if I'm not satisfied with my cookies?
A: Contact your local Girl Scout council if for any reason you are not satisfied with a box of Girl Scout Cookies you purchased. Volunteers or staff at the council will be glad to help you.
Q: Who are the girls on the Girl Scout Cookie boxes?
A: All of the girls pictured on the boxes are registered Girl Scouts. Every box shows Girl Scouts—in action—having fun and growing strong.
Q: Are any preservatives used in Girl Scout Cookies?
A: No. Girl Scout Cookies do not contain any added preservatives.
Q: What about partially hydrogenated oils (trans fats)?
A: Girl Scouts of the USA is proud that all Girl Scout cookies are "zero trans fat per serving" with the same great taste that has made them one of America's favorite treats over the years. All varieties contain less than 0.5 grams trans fat per serving, which meets or exceeds the FDA guidelines for the "zero trans fat" designation, and selected varieties can claim 100% trans-fat free status, meaning there's not a speck of trans fats in the whole box. For a list of specific cookie ingredients, please visit www.GirlScoutCookies.org.
Q: Why is there palm oil in Girl Scout Cookies?
A: Palm oil is an ingredient that is prevalent in many foods and the majority of baked snacks sold in the United States. GSUSA's licensed bakers tell us it continues to be necessary to use palm oil in our cookies to ensure shelf life, quality, and to serve as an alternative to trans-fats. One of the primary goals of our Girl Scout cookie bakers is to create the best tasting cookies possible using the healthiest ingredients available. While we continue to explore other alternatives, at this time, there are no viable or readily available alternatives on the market today.
The world's food supply is intricately tied to the use of palm oil, so we believe promoting sustainable manufacturing principles is the most responsible approach for Girl Scouts and Girl Scout cookies. Girl Scouts has an opportunity to use our strong voice to bring about positive change on this very important issue, and GSUSA and our bakers have made the following commitments:
- Our licensed bakers are members of the RSPO and exclusively source palm oil from members of the Roundtable on Sustainable Palm Oil (RSPO), an organization of growers, buyers, manufacturers, conservationists and interested parties who are striving to develop and follow best practices to ensure sustainability. In 2012, GSUSA will become an affiliate member of the (RSPO).
- Our licensed bakers will purchase GreenPalm certificates covering 100% of the palm oil used in Girl Scout cookies. Additionally, GSUSA will purchase GreenPalm certificates to support programmatic objectives. The certificates offer a premium price to palm oil producers who are operating within the guidelines for social, environmental and economic responsibility set by the Roundtable for Sustainable Palm Oil.
- GSUSA and our licensed bakers will join other industry leaders in making a pledge to move to a segregated, certified sustainable palm oil source by 2015, based on market availability.
- GSUSA and our licensed bakers are committed to using as little palm oil as possible in Girl Scout cookies and have committed to continued research into viable alternatives. Please visit www.littlebrownie.com or www.abcsmartcookies.com to read more on the bakers' published statements and position on palm oil.
American palm oil use represents less than 2% of total global consumption, and palm oil used in Girl Scout cookies represents a tiny fraction of that. Thanks to the encouragement and partnership from Girl Scout members, GSUSA and our bakers have realized the power of the Girl Scout brand to make a positive difference in the movement toward sustainably produced palm oil.
Q: What about High Fructose Corn Syrup?
A: Our licensed vendors use a variety of ingredients in the production of Girl Scout Cookies, including, in some cookies, High Fructose Corn Syrup (HFCS). Our bakers have indicated that HCFS is a specifically helpful ingredient in the browning process, and helps cookies retain freshness. For those cookies where HFCS is used, our bakers indicate that it is a key ingredient in ensuring the quality of the cookie.
As leaders in the baking industry, we trust our bakers to develop recipes using ingredients that will produce the best quality, best tasting cookies, and simultaneously address industry and scientific trends, and of course, consumer preference. For a list of specific cookie ingredients, please visit www.GirlScoutCookies.org.
Q: Does the chocolate used in Girl Scout Cookies come from cacao beans picked by children?
A: Our licensed bakers continue to work with their main suppliers of chocolate and with the Chocolate Manufacturer's Association (CMA), of which both licensed bakers are members, on the issues of slavery and abusive child labor as it relates to the production and purchase of chocolate. The chocolate suppliers and the CMA strongly condemn the use of slavery and abusive labor practices. Their goal is to support the governments and advocacy groups that will make a difference in the lives of the cacao farmers as well as to give assurances to consumers that the cocoa has been farmed under appropriate working conditions.
Q: Should people with diabetes buy or consume Girl Scout Cookies?
A: Our licensed bakers currently do not have a sugar free cookie offering. According to the American Dietetic Association, most people with diabetes can enjoy sugars in moderation as a part of their meal plans, depending on blood glucose control and body weight. We encourage you to discuss the use of sugar in your diet with your doctor or registered dietitian.
For consumer convenience, each of our licensed bakers lists dietary exchanges on the cookie box and cookie order form so people with diabetes and adults with children with diabetes can make informed choices. The amount of sugar and carbohydrates is also listed. Dietary exchanges should always be consulted, even if a product is labeled "sugarless." "Sugar free cookies" or "sugarless" are not synonymous with a "diabetic cookie" labeling because of the carbohydrates.
Q: What about the concerns of those on low-carb diets?
A: The ingredients and nutritional elements of all cookies are listed on the cookie order forms and the side of the cookie box so those concerned about carbohydrates can make informed choices. The information can also be found on the Web at www.GirlScoutCookies.org.
Q: Don't Girl Scout Cookies contribute to the childhood obesity problem?
A: Girl Scout cookies are sold for a short time every year, and are considered a snack treat. As with all treats, they should be enjoyed in moderation.
Starting with our youngest members, the Girl Scout organization promotes a healthy lifestyle for its girl members, which includes a well-balanced diet and plenty of exercise. Our health and fitness programs encourage girls to adopt healthy fitness and eating habits early in life and continue them into adulthood. Girls are also taught to consider ingredient contribution to their overall diet and portion size when choosing snacks.
In addition, the Girl Scout Research Institute (GSRI) released a research review entitled Weighing In: Helping Girls Be Healthy Today, Healthy Tomorrow. Weighing In addresses various underlying causes leading to the epidemic of obesity and of being overweight among children and adolescents and the lifestyles, culture, and behavior that have contributed to this condition. Read more about this research review.
Q: Why don't you offer cookies that are whole-wheat, wheat-free, non-dairy, dairy-free, vegan, sugar-free, gluten-free, casein-free, organic, low-carbohydrate, low-calorie, low-fat, non-fat, fat-free, etc.?
A: Because Girl Scout cookies are produced just once a year and for a limited time, our bakers never achieve the volume required to support the specific production of specialty cookies. The demand has not been great enough to make it economically feasible, however our bakers continue to experiment and have a commitment to ensuring there is always a "healthful" cookie in their line-up.
Each of our bakers strives to use the most healthful ingredients available in the production of one of America's most treasured sweet treats. Consumers should check the labels of all of the products they eat, including Girl Scout cookies. You may just find a variety that fits within your dietary restrictions or goals.
Q: Is my cookie package recyclable?
A: Your cookie package is intended to be recyclable, but it may depend on your local recycling service whether the packaging can be accepted. The cookie boxes can be recycled with paper products, and the inside trays are #6 and should be accepted with your other plastic recycling.
Lemonade Girl Scout Cookies are available in soft-pack only and without a paperboard box cover. The plastic soft-pack cover on Lemonades is similar to the protective wrapping found inside of all cookie varieties. Soft-pack packaging is currently the "greenest" packaging available for Girl Scout Cookies, eliminating thousands of pounds of paperboard from the waste stream.
Selling Girl Scout Cookies
Q: Who can sell Girl Scout Cookies?
A: All girl members may participate in the Girl Scout Cookie Program. Although parents and Girl Scout adults may assist girls, it is the girl who makes the sale, sets learning and sales goals, and learns the entrepreneurial skills that are part of the program. Participation in this Girl Scout program activity is voluntary.
Q: I moved and now have to pre-order my cookies. Why is selling and buying cookies different from one community to the next?
A: Each Girl Scout Council determines its precise method of getting cookies into the hands of customers. A customer will generally find themselves purchasing cookies in some version of the following types of sale, or hybrid thereof:
- Pre-Order: Most Girl Scout councils provide participating girls with an order card to collect orders from their potential customers, Girls turn in their order cards, the council orders the cookies, then the girls go back to the customer to deliver them a few weeks later.
- Direct Sale: Some councils provide girls with the cookies to sell directly to customers and eliminate the order card process.
- Booth Sales: The vast majority of councils allow girls to sell cookies at booths set up inside and outside various retail establishments. Booth sales usually occur during the last month or so of cookie season, and are usually combined with either a direct or pre-order sale.
Q: Do girls earn any Girl Scout awards from participating in the cookie program?
A: As part of their experience in any Girl Scout product activity, girls can earn official Girl Scout awards at every level of Girl Scouting, including cookie and financial literacy badges and the annual Cookie Activity Pin. Awards are based on completing established program activities. Separately, girls can also earn rewards based on their sales activity, such as recognition items and program credits.
Q: Why didn't my Girl Scout receive a cookie patch for selling cookies this year?
A: Each local Girl Scout council develops all of the procedures and guidelines for conducting its cookie activities. This includes decisions related to all of the rewards a girl might receive for program participation, such as participation patches, t-shirts, etc. Rewards vary greatly from council to council, both in terms of the items a girl might receive, and in terms of what level of participation qualifies a girl to receive rewards. Please contact your local Girl Scout council to learn more about the program established for girls in your community.
Q: How do you ensure the safety of Girl Scouts who sell cookies?
A: The safety and security of our members is always our chief concern. We have strict guidelines for safety. Girl Scouts, depending on their age, must be accompanied or supervised by an adult when selling Girl Scout cookies and must always use the buddy system. Girls that are participating in online marketing initiatives (not online sales) must read and discuss the Girl Scout Internet Safety Pledge. Girls print out the pledge and ask their parents (or guardians), to read and sign the pledge together. Additionally, we offer letmeknow.girlscouts.org (for adults) and lmk.girlscouts.org (for girls), sites for general help on staying safe online.
Q: Does a Girl Scout group have to sell cookies if they don't want to?
A: Girl Scout product activities offer girls a great way to finance their Girl Scout activities and special projects. Participation in product activities is voluntary and requires written permission by a parent or guardian. Annually, about 65% of registered Girl Scouts choose to participate in the Girl Scout cookie program.
Q: Can Girl Scouts who are not in troops participate in the Girl Scout Cookie Program?
A: Yes! To do so, registered Girl Scouts must abide by guidelines published by Girl Scouts of the USA and the local Girl Scout council and be supervised by a council trained adult. For more information about how Girl Scouts not in troops in your area can participate in this activity, please contact your local Girl Scout council.
Q: Can Girl Scouts donate cookies to military personnel serving overseas?
A: Girls may participate in a council approved "gift of caring" program that allows girls to collect donations of cookies for military personnel serving overseas.
Any gifts in quantity to military overseas should be coordinated through the military or related personnel at both the place of origin and the place of receipt. Large shipments should be coordinated by the local Girl Scout council to assure that the cookies arrive where intended. Gifts should not be sent to U.S. bases or bases overseas where there are Girl Scouts (USAGSO) involved in product sales. Girl Scouts should observe council jurisdiction when selling or marketing product for a gifting program.
Cookie Revenue
Q: When I buy Girl Scout Cookies, where does the money go?
A: With every purchase, approximately 70% of the proceeds stays in the local Girl Scout council to provide a portion of the resources needed to support Girl Scouting in that area, including the portion that goes directly to the group selling the cookies. The balance goes directly to the baker to pay for the cookies.
Q: How does the cookie revenue benefit girls?
A: All of the revenue earned from cookie activities —every penny after paying the baker—stays with the local Girl Scout council that sponsors the sale. This includes the portion that goes directly to the group selling cookies. Councils use their cookie revenue to supply essential services to troops, groups, and individual girls, such as providing program resources and communication support, training adult volunteers, and conducting special events. The Girl Scout council's volunteer board of directors:
- Chooses the baker
- Determines the price per box
- Decides how this revenue will be used to provide vital services—such as adult recruitment and training and operation of camps and service centers—and other indirect expenses
- Decides how much money will be returned to groups selling cookies for their projects and activities
Q: What portion of the cookie revenue is shared with the group selling cookies?
A: This decision is made by each local Girl Scout council, so the portion varies from one council to another. Nationwide, girls receive an estimated 10 – 20% of the purchase price of each box of cookies sold. Cookie proceeds are held in a group or council account and allocated for activities based on the way a girl has joined Girl Scouts, e.g. as a member of a troop, as a special interest group, as a camper, or in a travel group. In many councils girls earn "cookie credit" after a certain number of boxes are sold, which may be used towards council programs, travel or Girl Scout related purchases in the council shop.
Q: Is the purchase of Girl Scout Cookies tax-deductible?
A: No and Yes.
- No, if the customer keeps the cookies. Individuals who buy Girl Scout Cookies and take the cookies home, or consume them, have purchased a product at a fair market value. For this reason, no part of the price of a box of Girl Scout Cookies used in this way is tax-deductible.
- Yes, if the customer leaves the cookies with Girl Scouts as a donation. Many Girl Scouts ask customers to pay for one or more boxes of cookies for use in their community service project or "gift of caring," for example, collecting for a food pantry. The customers not receiving any Girl Scout Cookies do not benefit directly from paying for them. Those individuals may treat the purchase price of the donated cookies as a charitable contribution. Additionally, customers may wish to donate cookies they have purchased from a Girl Scout to another qualified organization, which may qualify as a donation to the organization receiving the cookies and may therefore be tax-deductible.
Q: Does any part of the cookie revenue go to support organizations other than Girl Scouts?
A: None of the money earned from any Girl Scout council-sponsored cookie sale is given to any other group. This does not preclude girls from spending their money locally on program related activities, such as paying their own way to a community event or museum, or funding other legitimate programmatic outings. Girls may also choose to use money earned through product activities to purchase materials for a community action leadership project to benefit the community.
All of the revenue from all cookie sale activities supports the local Girl Scout council where the cookies are sold, including a portion that goes directly to the group selling cookies. The purpose of selling cookies is to help girls develop a wide range of skills and to generate revenue to support Girl Scouting locally.
Q: Girl Scout Cookies can be found in some popular ice cream treats. Can any business use Girl Scout cookies in their product?
A: Girl Scouts of the USA has national licensing agreements with selected companies to include Girl Scout cookies in their products. Girl Scouts of the USA is the only entity who may enter into such an agreement. At the point an agreement is reached, our licensed bakers have the opportunity to work directly with companies to provide cookies in bulk.
For further information about rules and regulations relating to the Girl Scout Brand, contact trademarks@girlscouts.org. Business inquiries regarding the use of Girl Scout cookies in products should be directed to businesscabinet@girlscouts.org.
Q: Does any of the money from cookie sales go to Girl Scouts of the USA (the national Girl Scouts organization)?
A: Girl Scouts of the USA is paid a royalty for use of the licensed trademarks by its licensed vendors based on gross annual sales volume. Girl Scout councils do not provide any portion of their cookie revenue to Girl Scouts of the USA. No other revenue from cookie sales goes to Girl Scouts of the USA. Girl Scouts of the USA provides contractual services and approves all educational materials developed by the bakers, as well as providing coordination and training for national media, safety standards, leadership programs and sale guidelines.
