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Friday, January 15, 2010
Get the scoop on this year’s Girl Scout cookies; which is your favorite?
What would winter be without Girl Scout cookies?
Fortunately, most of us have never had to answer that question.
Friendly neighborhood Girl Scouts have been fundraising with these delicious treats for more than 80 years. The first nationally franchised Girl Scout cookie sale was in 1936.
There have been some changes along the way — in cookie names, packaging, bakers, price and in cookies being sold — but the integrity, ambition and appeal of the cookie sales have remained constant.
What is your favorite Girl Scout cookie?(surveys)
About the cookies
“We always sell eight (varieties of) cookies,” said Ann MacDonald, communications manager of Girl Scouts of Western Ohio. “The size and recipe of the cookies have not changed in the last year, although the price is now $3.50 (up from $3).”
MacDonald cited the increase in production and transportation costs for the bump in price.
When asked whether the recession had impacted their sales, she said: “The preorder sales are a tad down, but the cookie booth sales are up, so it has pretty much evened out.”
As for questions about the cookies themselves, the newspaper enlisted 11 very willing taste-testers (some adults, some kids) to sample the specific varieties available this year.
(To vote for your favorite, scroll down in this post.)
Our tasters noted their favorites and rated each cookie on a scale of 1 to 5 (with 5 being the best).
Here are their findings, as well as other details about the cookies:
Caramel deLites: These cookies, once known as Samoas, are described by the Girl Scouts “as vanilla cookies drenched in caramel, sprinkled with toasted coconut and laced with cocoa stripes.”
These were a top choice among our taste-testers overall, although the coconut can make or break one’s opinion of the cookie.
As Brian put it, “Great mix of tastes. I love coconut, so these are a slam dunk (in milk).”
Rating: Three testers chose this as their favorite cookie, and it was in a three-way tie with Thin Mints and Peanut Butter Sandwiches for tops in the voting, averaging 3.8.
Peanut Butter Patties: The cookie formerly known as the Tagalong is described as “crispy vanilla cookies layered with real peanut butter and blanketed with chocolatey coating.”
Our taste-testers had little negative to say about this choice.
As MB summed it up: “I’m pretty sure there’s a Peanut Butter Patty Fan Club — if there isn’t, there should be! Addictive!”
Rating: Another three testers selected this as tops overall, but it averaged just 3.3 in the ratings.
Shortbreads: These old-fashioned favorites, once known as Trefoils, are described as “a traditional favorite with a buttery, light flavor.”
Opinions on this cookie ranged from Mark’s “dry and less flavorful than the previous version that had granulated sugar on top,” to Lou’s “a classic I could eat all day.”
Miles added: “Don’t underestimate it.”
Rating: No one on the panel picked the Shortbread as their favorite, and it averaged 3.3.
Thin Mints: These “thin chocolate wafers dipped in a rich chocolatey coating with a burst of pure peppermint” are reportedly one of the most popular cookies sold in the U.S., second only to Oreos.
That popularity was mostly matched among our taste-testers.
Carol put it succinctly when she said: “Still great. There is really nothing like it in a non-Scout cookie.”
Rating: This cookie only topped the list of one taster, but averaged 3.8 in the ratings.
Peanut Butter Sandwiches: Once known as Do-si-dos, these cookies are described as “smooth peanut butter sandwiched between crunchy oatmeal cookies.”
Although only one tester chose this as his favorite cookie, it got good grades from the group as a whole.
As Ozzie said: “Maybe I just like peanut butter a lot, but this one was very tasty, with a satisfying crunchiness.”
But the crunch was off-putting for others.
“They remind me of vending machine peanut butter crackers,” Melissa said. “Hard cookies.”
Rating: One vote for favorite, but it averaged 3.8 in the ratings.
Thanks-A-Lot: These more recent additions to the Girl Scout mix, and are a descendant of the All-Abouts. They are described as “shortbread cookies dipped in rich fudge and topped with an embossed thank you message in one of five languages.”
The scores of this cookie were greatly helped by the kids on our panel, as well one of the youngest adults.
After trying the Thanks-A-Lot, Kyle said: “No, thank you, Girl Scouts of America.”
Rating: One picked it as a favorite, and it averaged 3.6 in the voting.
Lemonades: Even newer than the Thanks-A-Lot is the Lemonade. It is described as “savory slices of shortbread with a refreshingly tangy lemon icing.”
While some welcomed the “lemony sunshine,” others called it “sickly sweet.”
Rating: It was the favorite of two tasters, and averaged 3.4 in voting.
Daisy Go Rounds: The newest cookie in the bunch, the Daisy Go Round was introduced last year. It is the latest reduced-fat option.
It is described as “crispy cinnamon flowers blooming with flavor in every bite.”
Unfortunately, most of our testers might prefer eating actual daisies.
Carol said: “Horrible; I’d rather not have a cookie.”
Ben added, “Not interested! Daisy Go Away!”
Rating: No one picked this cookie as their favorite, and it scored far worse than any of the others at 2.0. However, it is good to remember that it is a low-fat cookie competing against more decadent versions.
About the Scouts
For this year’s cookie sales and fundraising drive, the Girl Scouts of the USA adopted a new theme: “Every Cookie Has a Mission.”
MacDonald said the theme reflects the drive to help girls do great things.
“Girl Scouts provides leadership experience for girls, so they can learn and grow into great human beings,” she said.
The cookie sale is part of this mission in that it raises money for the troops to take part in camps, trips and other educational opportunities, she said.
The Girl Scouts note that all proceeds from cookie sales stay in the local community. The sales also provide lessons in responsibility and community service.
“The focus (of the sales) is really for girls to learn communication skills, and have one-on-one contact with people,” she said.
This is the reason for the sales not being held online.
“We encourage people to order through families, or girls at their church, temple, mosque, (etc.),” MacDonald added.
How to get cookies
Preorders are under way from individual Girl Scouts through Jan. 26.
After that, from Feb. 19 through March 21, there will be cookie booth sales at a variety of businesses, including many area Kroger stores, according to MacDonald.
For more information on where and when to get your cookies, visit www.girlscoutcookies.org.
Enter your ZIP code on that site, and you will be contacted about a troop to buy from near you.
For more information, customers also can call (800) 233-4845 or (800) 537-6241.
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TweetUp to 85% off at Macy’s through Monday
When cashmere and lambswool sweaters can be purchased for as low as $12, that is newsworthy.
Those sweaters are 70 percent off at Macy’s during the store’s super weekend sale and clearance. The sale also has 50 percent to 85 percent off other merchandise storewide.
Also, if you use your Macy’s card or savings pass, you can get an extra 10 percent to 15 percent off.
Included in this sale are juniors’ tops, dresses and jeans marked down up to 65 percent; young men’s clothes discounted 75 percent; and misses and petites’ clothes on sale for up to the aforementioned 85 percent off.
The sale goes through Martin Luther King Jr. Day on Monday.
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TweetHoodies, activewear $12 at Old Navy
The Deal Seeking Mom has our Old Navy bases covered again this week, noting that the store is offering men’s striped and solid hoodies for $12 starting today, Jan. 15, through Thursday.
After calling the local Old Navy stores in the Dayton Mall and across the street from The Mall at Fairfield Commons, it appears that the vast majority of activewear at those stores is on sale — both for men and women — for $12 through Thursday. (Dayton said “all”; Beavercreek said “most,” but these stores don’t always offer the exact same deals.)
The DSM also offers info and links to tips on how to score more Old Navy deals and coupons on her site.
Also, if you are shopping online, DealHack highlighted a discount Thursday that you can get you up to 25 percent off at Old Navy, The Gap and Banana Republic online through Monday.
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TweetTylenol, Motrin, Benadryl recalled due to “moldy” smell
CNN Money is reporting today, Jan. 15, that some Tylenol, Motrin and Benadryl products have been recalled after there were complaints of an “unusual moldy, musty or mildew-like” odor.
The maker of these products, McNeil-PPC (a division of Johnson and Johnson), reported that “in a small number of cases, (this odor) was associated with temporary and non-serious gastrointestinal events. These include nausea, stomach pain, vomiting, or diarrhea.”
There was a similar recall late last month on Tylenol Arthritis Caplets.
The smell has been attributed to a chemical that is applied to wooden pallets used to transport and store packaging materials.
The recalled products include:
Junior strength Motrin
Children’s Tylenol grape meltaway tablets
Extra strength Tylenol
Extra strength Tylenol rapid release gelcap
Extra strength Tylenol PM geltab
Motrin caplets
Extra strength Rolaids fresh mint tablets
St. Joseph Aspirin chewable orange tablets
Consumers are advised to check their medication to see if it is one of the recalled lots. The lot number should be on the side of the bottle.
If your medication has been recalled, contact McNeil Consumer Health care for a refund or replacement at (888) 222-6036 or www.mcneilproductrecall.com.
Consumers with medical concerns should contact their health-care provider.
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TweetChanges for Toll House cookie dough after more E.coli found
Nestle Toll House Cookie Dough has hit another bump in the food safety road, but the company is responding to it and as a result is changing the way it makes the dough.
After finding another sample of Nestle Toll House Cookie Dough contaminated with E.coli, Nestle has decided to shut down it cookie dough production for a few weeks as it transitions to using heat-treated flour.
None of that contaminated dough left the factory, so there is no recall being issued.
Unfortunately, that was not the case in June, when more than 70 people in 31 states became sick after eating the dough raw.
After the June incident, as noted by Consumer Reports, “Nestle recalled all its prepackaged refrigerated dough, shut down the plant, and turned to new sources for its main ingredients. It also put new testing protocols in place, which is how the current E coli-tainted samples were found.”
Nestle noted that during this transition to using the new ingredient, consumers may notice some shortages on store shelves. The new batch of dough should be out in March.
So if you love the old stuff, you might want to run out and get some before they run out.
Nestle also reminded people that cookie dough should not be eaten raw.
For more information, call Nestle (800) 559-5025.
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TweetMargaritas and pint drafts for $1.99 today, Saturday
Tumbleweed Southwest Grill has had its daily specials for a while, but the restaurant has refreshed its offerings of late.
On Fridays and Saturdays, for a limited time, Tumbleweed is offering margaritas and pint drafts for $1.99.
There are better deals on those drinks during the week at Tumbleweed, with 99 cent Margarita Mondays and 99 cent domestic drafts on Thirsty Thursdays, but having them both discounted and on the weekend makes for a more enjoyable (and likely) date night.
There are Tumbleweed restaurants north and south of Dayton, at 9190 N. Main St. in Englewood, (937-836-6057) and 2030 E. Dorthy Lane in Kettering (937-395-0419).
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