Girl Scout cookies

[pne]

Further on the theme of we_swap_snacks: can someone tell me about the availability of Girl Scout cookies?

They're an icon of American culture, and I'd be interested to try some, but am wondering whether they'd be available to my swap partner, since as I understand it, they're typically sold as part of fund-raisers, so might not be available year-round but only at selected dates.

Is that about right? Or are there places where you can get them at any time? (Or even order them off the web? Presumably not since that would not benefit a specific local unit.)

If they're only sold occasionally, about how often is this? Every couple of months, perhaps, so if the swap partner knew sufficiently far in advance that I'd like some, they could wait until the next sale? Or only once or twice a year? Or does this depend so much on the local unit that it's impossible to say in general?

Relatedly, what are your favourite Girl Scout cookies? Why those in particular?

Which ones would you recommend?

Oh, and in what kind of quantities do they get sold? I wouldn't want to buy entire boxes of cookies—something on the order of 200 g (7 oz) per type, perhaps. Is that possible?

Comments

[arthur-sc-king.livejournal.com]

I don't know what the schedule is here in the States (just moved here), but there are Girl Scouts selling cookies Right Now. (There were some just outside the grocery store I shopped at yesterday.)

The boxes are (IIRC) only about 12 oz/300 g each. $4 or $4.50, I think.

They also have Girl Guide cookies in Canada. My girls sold lots of them (many to me). They're all different, though, being completely different manufacturers. Can't remember exactly what the schedule is there, either. I remember doing it twice a year, so maybe Nov. and April, but I'm not sure.

Bonus points if you get the movie with these lines: "Do you wanna buy some Girl Scout cookies?" "Are they made from real Girl Scouts?"

[jpallan.livejournal.com]

The Addams Family, 1991.

[nyssa.livejournal.com]

Are Girl Scout cookies really $4.50 a box now?! :O I'm pretty sure they were $1.50-.75, maybe $2.00 when I was a Girl Scout. Crazy.

[sparkofcreation.livejournal.com]

$3.50 in New Mexico.

[leighbug]

I think it's $3.50 or $3.25 or something to that effect here in Colorado.

I like the Thin Mints, so I just buy Grasshoppers. Cheaper, available all year round, and sooooo good (especially when put in the freezer and eaten cold...mmm).

[jpallan.livejournal.com]

I'd warn you that they're a drug, but then again, a lot of food that's considered nearly narcotic in appeal in its native land is, in fact, disgusting to everyone outside of it.

That said, they're small amounts of cookies — about 15 per box in the case of the peanut butter and about 40 per box in the case of the mints — and extremely sweet. Perpetual favourites are Samoas (coconut and caramel), Tagalongs (peanut butter) and Thin Mints (obvious). These are all coated in chocolate, although they run a sugar cookie or two a year.

Among Americans, an entire box of Girl Scout cookies is considered "1 serving".

They are widely sold in the very early spring (February/March) of each year, and then they disappear for the rest of the year. Producing Girl Scout cookies in October is comparable to producing crystal methamphetamine in terms of its effect on dinner party guests.

[ubykhlives.livejournal.com]

I'd warn you that they're a drug, but then again, a lot of food that's considered nearly narcotic in appeal in its native land is, in fact, disgusting to everyone outside of it.

As an Australian, I can sum that up in a single word: Vegemite.

[quinctia]

If I remember correctly, distribution is different depending on the region. I think they probably stagger it so the manufacturers can produce a steady amount throughout the year, instead of being bombarded all at once. There are also two manufacturers, so cookies have different names. For instance, jpallan mentions Samoas and Tagalongs, which have never been sold in my area...though there are similar or identical cookies with different names. So I also recommend the coconut and caramel ones, but they have some boring name instead of Samoas. The shortbread ones are also kind of cute because they are in the shape of the logo. Also, Girl Scout cookies are generally sold around September in my area, which means producing them in October is...normal.

[psitticism.livejournal.com]

Oh, that's good to know. They're sold around this time of year in NJ/NY and MA, and I remembered a friend in CA mentioning they were selling them there now as well, so I thought it was pretty universal to sell them this time of year. I'm glad they're available at other times elsewhere. They should be fairly easy to locate, then.

[sparkofcreation.livejournal.com]

They are on sale now in New Mexico, and when I went to college in Virginia, they were on sale in March then too, because it was always around midterms that tables were set up outside the dining halls.

[nyssa.livejournal.com]

In the Southeast (Georgia and Florida for sure), they're being sold right now as well.

[pne.livejournal.com]

They should be fairly easy to locate, then.

If I can ask anyone at all, then yes. For any given person, though, I'd probably only be in luck during the local "cookie season" - some people might have March, others September, others in between.

[dampscribbler.livejournal.com]

It seems they're being sold on both coasts and in between right now, what area are you in that you don't have Girl Scout cookies right now? We're in Oregon and have already finished our three boxes.

[quinctia]

I live near Chicago.

I didn't buy any last year, but the year before, I think I got some in August/September. A friend of mine's aunt dropped him off some in September this past fall.

And I saw some scouts with a table set up in the local grocery store in about October/November, though I'm not sure where they procured theirs...whether it was overstock from the local council or they'd purposefully bought a lot of boxes to sell later, I have no idea.

[psitticism.livejournal.com]

Oh, Girl Scout cookies! Here, I actually have some expertise! They are sold as a fund-raiser. To my knowledge, this only happens once a year, right around...now. Different Girl Scout councils decide locally the exact dates of the sale, which of the two licensed bakers they will use (this is a Big Deal), whether the girls should collect money at the time of sale or upon delivery, etc. Generally speaking, you would buy cookies from a Girl Scout you knew. This is not hard, as there is always someone at work whose daughter is a Girl Scout. The order forms float around offices every year. You place your orders around February-ish and get the cookies around March-ish. Again, the dates can very from council to council, but that is the norm around here. I am sure some councils are selling even as we speak. The other method of buying GS cookies, one that is becoming more and more popular due to safety concerns (girls used to sell the cookies door-to-door), is to find a booth sale. Some GS troops only sell cookies this way now. They set up a table in front of a supermarket or on a busy block, in front of a church, etc. and sell the cookies on the spot. This is nice, because you get your cookies right away, but it means the girls cannot compete for prizes, as we used to when I was little, since everybody sells the same amount and all proceeds are shared. This may be for the best, though!

Back to the bakers. There are two licensed bakers. Each council decides which baker's cookies they will sell. I do not know how this decision is made. The boxes look the same, and the most popular cookie types are sold by both bakers, but they are not exactly the same, and some of the cookies have different names. The most famous Girl Scout cookies are Thin Mints. These are thin chocolate wafer cookies flavored with mint and covered in milk chocolate. Both ABC and Little Brownie bakers make these and call them the same thing. They taste about the same no matter which baker they come from. Then there are Samoas. Samoas are wonderful concoctions of caramel, cocounut, and chocolate. They taste wonderful frozen. Little Brownie bakers makes Samoas. ABC bakers makes Caramel De-lites, which are about the same as Samoas, but I don't like them quite as much. Tagalongs are chocolate covered, peanut-butter filled shortbread cookies. They are the most wonderful thing in the world. They are from Little Brownie bakers. ABC calls them Peanut Butter patties. There is a noticeable difference in quality there. Peanut Butter patties may look like Tagalongs, but they just do not taste as good. The other two staples are Do-si-dos (LBB) or Peanut Butter Sandwiches (ABC) and Trefoils (LBB) or Shortbreads (ABC). The Girl Scouts of the US only actually requires the sale of three types of cookies (Do-Si-Dos/Peanut Butter Sandwiches, Thin Mints, and Trefoils/Shortbreads), and the other flavors (there can be up to 28) may vary from year to year. But Samoas and Tagalongs are so popular, they are always offered.

So basically, you'll want to find someone who can locate a booth sale for you, as these are happening right now and will soon be over, and you'll most likely want to try Thin Mints, Samoas/Caramel De-Lites, and maybe Tagalongs (but I do not recommend Peanut Butter Patties). The boxes are small, about 6-10 oz. They usually cost about $3 a box.

Why yes, I do know more about Girl Scout cookies than anybody ever should. :-)

[dampscribbler.livejournal.com]

I love all the info, thanks!

Back in the '70s when I was selling them there was an oatmeal cream cookie available that was absolutely to die for. Every year when I hear the Scouts are selling, I wish for those cookies back. Somoas are great, but oh those oatmeal creams....

Also, for one or two years, Thin Mints actually had a layer of mint cream on top of a chocolate cookie, covered in a chocolate coating. Those were far and away the best Thin Mints ever.

[pne.livejournal.com]

So basically, you'll want to find someone who can locate a booth sale for you, as these are happening right now and will soon be over

Oh eep; signups for <lj user="we_swap_snacks" aren't until the 13th and assignments are due to be returned to interested people by the 20th (at the latest), so that might be too late. Ah well, still good to know for future reference. I think I'll just try my luck with my swap partner and if it doesn't work out, ask in my journal next spring for a private swap or something. Thank you for your descriptions and recommendations, too!

[sparkofcreation.livejournal.com]

I believe that booth sales are going on all month, at least here in NM. One of my friends at work is in charge of her daughters' troupe's cookie sales this year (every year, actually).

[sparkofcreation.livejournal.com]

The commenters above are quite thorough, but I wanted to add that here in New Mexico they are on sale now and cost $3.50 per box, and that Tagalongs/Peanut Butter Patties are exactly like British Jaffa cakes except with peanut butter instead of orange filling.

[pne.livejournal.com]

Tagalongs/Peanut Butter Patties are exactly like British Jaffa cakes except with peanut butter instead of orange filling.

Urk? That sounds... odd.

All depends on what you're used to, I suppose :)

(But that does help me visualise what they're like; we get Jaffa cakes here in Germany, too.)

[sparkofcreation.livejournal.com]

I know people outside the US aren't as fond of peanut butter as we are, but peanut butter/chocolate is an extremely common combination here (more than chocolate/orange, though we get that too).

mmaestro likes Reese's Peanut Butter Cups, but he won't touch my Tagalongs (which I refuse to call Peanut Butter Patties even though my local Girl Scouts switched distributors last year).

[nyssa.livejournal.com]

Here's how it works - around the end of the year (December-ish), Girl Scouts go around with order forms. People buy the cookies by filling out the forms, then the forms are shipped to the factories. The orders are then filled and shipped back to the Girl Scout troops, who then go around distributing the cookies to whoever ordered some from them. You can ONLY get them at this time of year (the ones my boyfriend ordered just came in today), and ONLY if you happen to catch the Girl Scouts when they're filling out their forms. Once the forms are shipped back, that's it, you've missed it. Occasionally, if a troop has extra cookies (ordered extra on purpose, couldn't get ahold of somebody, etc), they'll go sit outside of college campuses / grocery stores / shopping malls and sell the boxes that way...but it's not a guarantee so it's always better to find them when they've got the order forms.

You might be able to find boxes of them on eBay or something (I could check Craigslist if you wanted to Paypal me some money). That would pretty much be the only way to get them at this point (unless as I mentioned above, you get lucky and they're selling their extras).

Now, onto the cookies themselves!! I've had all of the older varieties, of which most are still around, BUT I haven't had any of the newer ones - anything they introduced after the lemon cookie is a bit after "my time" (I was a Girl Scout when I was a kid). My favorites are the Samoas, the Tagalongs, and the Thin Mints. To make your life more complicated, I regret to inform you that most of the cookies have different names on the West Coast. ;) I THINK the West Coast names for those are Caramal Delites (Samoas) and Peanut Butter Patties (Tagalongs), but I could be wrong. Thin Mints are definitely still called Thin Mints - they're kind of the icon of Girl Scout cookies.

Samoas (Caramel Delites) are the best - they're a circular/donut shaped cookie, covered in caramel, then coated in coconut shavings, then drizzled with chocolate. They're probably the most unhealthy of all the cookies, but they're delicious. They also have absolutely NO off-brand "copycat" substitute. There IS, however, an official Samoa ice cream (made by Edy's), which I have found pretty much year-round (spottily - it comes and goes).

Thin Mints and Tagalongs (Peanut Butter Patties) almost tie for second. Thin Mints barely edge Tagalongs out, though - they're crunchy and minty, and covered in a chocolate "shell". There's no creme or anything in them. Just chocolate/mint cookie and chocolate coating. They're delicious and addictive...and they're also the most imitated of the Girl Scout cookies. You can find an offbrand copycat pretty easily, and they're not bad. Not as good as the originals, of course, but they've got the best substitutes of any other Girl Scout cookie.

Tagalongs are a shortbread-ish cookie, topped with a layer of peanut butter, then dipped in the same kind of chocolate shell as the Thin Mints. They're also very delicious, but my attention span for peanut butter is limited.

The rest of the Girl Scout cookies, imo, are pretty bland - Trefoils ("Shortbreads") are just a shortbread cookie in the Girl Scout logo, and I have no idea why they're SO popular; Do-Si-Dos ("Peanut Butter Sandwiches") are just like Oreos but with plain (vanilla?) cookies and peanut butter in the middle; the lemon ones are gross (don't even remember their name), and all the rest are pretty forgettable. You'd do best to stick to at least Samoas and Thin Mints, which are typically the staples of the Girl Scout cookie family. I'm pretty sure those are the two most popular, with maybe Trefoils and Tagalongs tied for third.

Let me know if you have any more questions. :) Like I said, I was a Girl Scout, so I've had most of the flavors (pre-1997-ish). I could also maybe find you a box or two and send them to you, if you wanted to Paypal me some money.

[pne.livejournal.com]

Thanks for the explanations/descriptions, the recommendations, and the offer!

I think I'll try my luck with my swap partner first, but if that doesn't work out can I look at having you or someone else try to get me some off eBay/Craigslist, or wait until next winter to ask someone to sign up for me.

[bluewingedcat.livejournal.com]

Ex girl scout checking in. This is traditionally the time of year that they are sold. Pre-orders generally go out a month prior though scouts aren't allowed to go door to door anymore to ask people if they want to order them. (I sold 400 boxes 1 year myself that way... then delivered them all in my little Radio Flyer.)

Now, you can kind of cheat and get cookies *like* them year round. Keebler makes some fairly decent knock-offs in their fudgeshoppe line.

[lexabear.livejournal.com]

It looks like other people have pretty much answered all your questions, but I'll add that here in Baltimore the cookies seem to be sold in the early fall -- I think I got mine in October. My favorites are Trefoils (shortbread), Tagalongs (peanut butter, also mentioned above), and I like Thin Mints although not as much as most people. This year I also got some kind of Dulce de Leche flavor that was new this year - a sugar cookie with toffee pieces inside and drizzled with caramel. They were pretty good but not great.

[entirelysonja.livejournal.com]

It is fascinating that the cookies were sold in the fall in Baltimore. 50 miles away, in Washington DC, cookies were ordered perhaps six weeks ago and began being delivered about two weeks ago.

I ordered some from a friend's daughter and also bought some from Girl Scouts who had a table outside the craft store on Saturday.

[leora.livejournal.com]

Hmm, neat. Sounds like they're finally making a cookie I might actually like But I'm not selling them anymore... it would have been nice to have actually liked any of them when I was selling them as people always asked me which ones I liked best.

[leora.livejournal.com]

I did Girl Scouts. There are actually two ways the cookies get sold. The main way is orders. You trek house to house asking people if they want to order cookies. They order what they want, filling out a form. Then you go back around with the cookies delivering them and getting the money for them. Someone or other refuses to actually pay for the cookies they ordered and your family gets screwed and stuck with the cookies and needing to pay for them, or you may be able to pass the cost onto your troop, but it's a real problem.

The second way, if your troop decides to do it, is to order a bunch of cookies on spec. Then when you're done going house to house delivering cookies, you set up a table and try to sell all the extra cookies you ordered (and any that didn't properly get taken by those who ordered them).

Your troop can only sell them once a year. Each individual Girl Scout gets a badge based on how many cookies she sold and a small prize also based on how many cookies she sold. In New York, you go around getting orders while it's freezing cold and the ground is probably covered in snow.

Anyhow, the thin mints are pretty much always the number one seller and most loved cookies. They are chocolate + mint. It was awkward because people would always ask me when they're ordering, "Which do you like best?" And I'd have to say, "Actually, I don't like any of them. But people tend to love the thin mints." Of course, I don't like ~chocolate~ so I'm not representative. I'd eat the trefoils, basic shortbread cookies with the Girl Scout logo on them, but they are only okay and kind of dull. Most of the cookies are chocolate and the exact cookies sold will vary periodicly, but a few classics like Thin Mints are unlikely to be tampered with because why mess with what works so well?

The money made gets split between the individual troop and Girl Scout Council. Selling cookies is a big way that many troops manage to have various nifty activities like camping trips. While my experience with the Girl Scouts were mainly bad, I do respect that the Girl Scouts are generally okay. They are open to people of any religious belief, including atheism, and they are open to people of basically any orientation. The problems I had have to do with specific people I ran into who ran things badly, as an organization I don't know of problems with them. This is different from the Boy Scouts which has homophobia and a rejection of atheists built into the organization (currently, there are some people who would like to change this and some Boy Scouts who are quite different from this, but the system as a whole has the bigotry written into the rules, which makes it very different from Girl Scouts). Girl Scouts and Boy Scouts sound similar, but they are completely different organizations.

Oh and the price per box varies regionally, which is part of why no Girl Scout is allowed to sell to anyone outside her area. There were problems with Girl Scouts unable to sell because of competition from other Girl Scouts in areas selling the boxes cheaper and also difficulty with customers upset or confused by two prices for the same boxes floating around. So you generally need to get in touch with a local Girl Scout. But since they want to sell the cookies, it's usually not too hard to get them at the right time.

Ah, so many memories.