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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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.
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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: 2012′s Savannah Smiles lemon cookie
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.
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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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