Do girl scout cookies taste different?

[Tiggeroo]

I usually buy maybe two boxes of gs cookies each season. One will be thin mints and the other is their peanut butter sandwich cookies. The thin mints were the same. The pb cookies just don't taste the same. They are too crunchy and kind of taste like somebody removed some of the fat and sugar. I mostly eat only healthy food but I don't expect them to change gs cookies. Did anybody else have this experience?

 

[tvguy]

They can be made by different bakeries from year to year.

Too me, the Thin Mints have lost a lot of their mint flavor in recent years.

 

[usnuzuloose]

Last time I bought the Thin Mints they tasted funny. But I no longer buy from them.

 

[NHdisneylover]

Did your council switch bakeries? There are two, ABC and Little Brownie Bakers.

I think there is a pretty big difference in taste and quality between the two (personally, I prefer Little Brownie, but I think most people prefer whichever they grew up with).

 

[bcla]

Thin Mints are the only ones that have the same name between the two suppliers. I believe the other varieties all have trademarked names owned by the bakeries. The particular bakery used is chosen by each Girl Scout Council and it can change from year to year even with the same council.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Girl_Scout_Cookies#Varieties

And yeah I think they probably adjust their recipes periodically. Some use natural ingredients, which may change from time to time. However, they haven't scrapped the palm oil yet.

 

[iheartdisney]

I know the PB patties (or tagalongs, depending on where you live) see to get thinner and thinner every year.

 

[Shanna-like-Banana]

BCLA is correct

Councils choose which baker they are going to make contract with for that year.

There are two bakers ABC and Little Brownie Bakers.

ABC under contract is only required to produce three cookies (Mint, PB Sammies and Shortbread) and the rest of the product line up is up to their descretion.

GS have VERY little say in any of it, and the say that is had is done by the "big wigs" NOT the girls at all.

 

[Disney Ella]

The council here changed bakers are few years ago and the change was very obvious in the peanut butter cookies. Before, they were Tagalongs. Now they're peanut butter patties, and they're thinner and not as tasty, IMO.

 

[HM]

Our council switched bakeries, I'm told. I did not buy any cookies this year as someone I know told us that they thought the cookies were terrible. Thank goodness no kids in my neighborhood did sales this year.

I think that the GS organization better be very careful or they're not going to have many sales in the future if this keeps up.

 

[deedeetoo]

We live right on the border of two different councils. Our town belongs to one and next town over belongs to the other. The names of the cookies are different, the packaging is different, and the price is different. I don't actually eat cookies much but it wouldn't surprise me if the taste is different too.

 

[bcla]

We live right on the border of two different councils. Our town belongs to one and next town over belongs to the other. The names of the cookies are different, the packaging is different, and the price is different. I don't actually eat cookies much but it wouldn't surprise me if the taste is different too.

I understand that each council sets it's own sale price. I've heard that some allow the girls to set their own prices. The wholesale cost is the same.

And I've heard that Internet sales are either discouraged or outright banned.

 

[JanaDee]

The last time we bought cookies, they all tasted terrible. Quality has definitely changed.

We haven't bought any in a few years because of our last experience.

 

[wiigirl]

Last time I bought thin mints the only difference I noticed was that they seemed smaller.

 

[PrincessShmoo]

Did your council switch bakeries? There are two, ABC and Little Brownie Bakers.

I think there is a pretty big difference in taste and quality between the two (personally, I prefer Little Brownie, but I think most people prefer whichever they grew up with).

Another vote for Little Brownie Bakers. The council my sister's daughter was in changed to ABC, so she wound up buying (a lot) her cookies from us as we were Little Brownie Bakers. Then, a few years later, our council changed to ABC. Our daughter had several friends in a neighboring council that still used Little Brownie Bakers, so we all bought from them.

Once our daughter was out of GS, and I'd be approached at the booth sales girls at the grocery store, I always check and see what bakery they were using. If it was ABC, I wouldn't buy, and I'd tell the adult supervising the booth why.

 

[Handbag Lady]

Someone in the know should set up a poll here so we can see which bakery is DISapproved.

And I haven't FOUND any yet! My three regular Girl Scouts have grown up and stopped selling.

 

[PattnFmly]

I agree, GS should watch out, because that company that makes cookies in the tree by elves makes a really awesome peanut butter patty cookie that is available year round! Why should I wait for a once a year sale to spend so much more $ for cookies when I can get a delicious product at the grocery store any time I want?

 

[bcla]

I agree, GS should watch out, because that company that makes cookies in the tree by elves makes a really awesome peanut butter patty cookie that is available year round! Why should I wait for a once a year sale to spend so much more $ for cookies when I can get a delicious product at the grocery store any time I want?

That's technically Kellogg's now through a purchase quite a while ago. BTW - Keebler bought Sunshine in the 90s, and Kellogg's then bought out Keebler. Just an aside.

 

[Shanna-like-Banana]

I agree, GS should watch out, because that company that makes cookies in the tree by elves makes a really awesome peanut butter patty cookie that is available year round! Why should I wait for a once a year sale to spend so much more $ for cookies when I can get a delicious product at the grocery store any time I want?

PattnFmly, your exactly right ! And I am a Girl Scout leader, we ask the same questions.

ABC is owned by Keebler whom is the parent company is Kimberly Clark or maybe vice versa ?

Keebler has pretty much out right under sold GS by producing thier own version of popular treats, think Grass Hoppers, Coconut Dreams, etc.

There are many reasons why consumers should continue to support Girl Scouts. Girls learn very important life lessons from the cookie program. It supports the program. The proceeds allow girls to branch out and make a personal individual impact in her community through service projects.

When was the last time you saw big coorporations doing service projects ? They may seem like trivial projects, but it teaches many "morals" and good character traits ( doing for others, caring for your community, providing for others, etc) And I'm pretty sure we for the most part can agree those are favorable actions.

Girls scouts has a program called Cookie Share, it has various names in different regions ( Cookies for Soldiers, Cookie for Troops) Customers may donate purchases to be sent to service members. Our area teams up with Blue Star Mothers. Other areas team up with other service organizations.

Personally, the cookie program has taught my girls that life is work. If they want something hard enough / bad enough/ long enough they are going to have to work for it. They can do anything they want to do and they have learned they can do it for themselves. They have become empowered young women. They see that if they put in the time for something that is important to them, that they can make it happen.

 

[rainydayplay]

I understand that each council sets it's own sale price. I've heard that some allow the girls to set their own prices. The wholesale cost is the same.

And I've heard that Internet sales are either discouraged or outright banned.

Our council has a badge that is specifically for internet sales. Used to, it was sending out, like 12 emails. This year, it is for selling X number of boxes online. Now, with online sales, if someone orders from you online, you are responsible for making sure you deliver the product to that person and that you collect from them, too.

Someone in the know should set up a poll here so we can see which bakery is DISapproved.

And I haven't FOUND any yet! My three regular Girl Scouts have grown up and stopped selling.

My aunt has had trouble finding someone to sell her cookies. She's even called her local council, and couldn't get an answer. I offered to ship her some, but she's holding out for locals (which I totally support.)

 

[PrincessShmoo]

Our council has a badge that is specifically for internet sales. Used to, it was sending out, like 12 emails. This year, it is for selling X number of boxes online. Now, with online sales, if someone orders from you online, you are responsible for making sure you deliver the product to that person and that you collect from them, too.



My aunt has had trouble finding someone to sell her cookies. She's even called her local council, and couldn't get an answer. I offered to ship her some, but she's holding out for locals (which I totally support.)

I'm surprised her local council couldn't help her. We've always been able to purchase cookies directly from council. If nothing else, they should be able to tell her where the booth sales are. In our council the troops have to register where/when they are doing booth sales.