Support Human Rights with Girl Scout Cookies?

By Margaret Badore for DietsInReview.com

This past week I noticed a lot of friends posting on Facebook and Twitter about “Counter-Boycotting” the Girl Scouts by purchasing their signature cookies. Intrigued, I dug into the issue to discover that a Girl Scout troop in Colorado accepted a seven-year-old transgendered girl. This apparently outraged a number of conservative groups, who posted viral videos encouraging viewers to boycott the organization. Those who stand in solidarity with the Girl Scouts, and who generally want to promote the acceptance of trans-gendered people, have in turn launched the counter-boycott.

I think it’s awesome that Girl Scouts are supporting acceptance of a trans-gendered child, but I’m also not running out to buy cookies, not even just to taste the newly released Savannah Smiles. The Girl Scouts are an organization that teaches a lot of noble skills, but in a country that’s facing an unprecedented childhood obesity crisis, supporting them by purchasing unhealthy desserts no longer seems so wholesome.

It’s easy to criticize the nutritional value of Girl Scout cookies, because cookies are inherently high in sugar and fat. However, a look at the popcorn, kettle corn and trail mix sold by Trail’s End to support the Boy Scouts measures up little better. This is almost more disappointing because popcorn and trail mix could be healthy snacks, if it they’re not laden with other high-fat or high-sugar ingredients.

“What sticks out to me about the popcorn is the level of sodium in the product,” says Kati Mora, MS, RD, dietitian for DietsInReview.com and her practice Around the Plate. “At 320 milligrams per serving that is a little high and this could probably be reduced.” Popcorn is a whole grain and high in fiber, but a number of the products have artificial flavors and colors. The Classic Caramel Corn has three forms of sugar before the actual popcorn.

I am in no way staying that any child should be deprived of sweets, and even an occasional highly-processed sugar bomb won’t hurt. But let’s face it: these fundraisers are not about moderation. Troops and individual scouts get rewarded for selling more, and it’s not as if the scout who comes knocking at your door is going to point out that the 12 boxes of Thin Mints you just ordered should be consumed over a period of several months, not days or even weeks.

Part of being a scout is about having a healthy, active life, so shouldn’t their fundraisers send the same message? There are so many ways for organizations to raise money, that will teach kids the same valuable lessons about money management and promote good nutrition. What about taking the candy out of that trail mix, along with some of the sodium? What about selling dried fruit? They could even move away from food products altogether. Last year, we shared these ideas for healthier fundraisers, which include CSA memberships and sponsoring participants in fun runs and 5Ks.

I know that selling popcorn and cookies have long become part of the scouting tradition, but nostalgia isn’t a good enough reason to hang on to an unhealthy product. The event that sparked the counter-boycott campaign shows that the Girl Scouts are evolving, it’s time their fundraisers did too. If you want to support either scout organization, or even boycott a candy-fueled fundraiser at your child’s school, all of these organizations accept cash donations (and your money will go further, too!).

Disclaimer: The views expressed above are solely those of the author and may not reflect those of
Care2, Inc., its employees or advertisers.

Aileen P.

9:51AM PDT on May 9, 2013

There are so many more serious thing to be upset about. Cookies are good.:)

May 9
send a green star

Mary ann S.

12:40PM PDT on Apr 14, 2013

Gooooooo girl scouts!!!! Way to go. I want to buy cookies even tough I don't need them. Now for the boy scouts????

April 14
send a green star

Joanne A.

3:14PM PDT on Mar 28, 2013

Thanks for sharing.

March 28
send a green star

Danuta W.

12:18AM PDT on Sep 17, 2012

Thanks for sharing this article

September 17
send a green star

Past Member .

9:20PM PDT on Aug 21, 2012

I hate to disagree Alex, (thanks for the green star and for backing me up!) but overeating is not at all the only culprit for the over-eating problem we're seeing now. Also to blame is a lack of physical activity, growth hormones in our food, and stress from lives that are more mentally taxing than they should be. Just saying. :)

August 21
send a green star

alex l.

6:55PM PDT on Aug 21, 2012

Wlbe - and how did you decide it was the mother who encouraged it?
you basically made up a story there, and went with it.

any person can be transgendered, at any age. neuropsychologists have MRIs that show brain functions that are considered female, and those that are considered male. they have found men with brains that have predominantly female functions, and vise versa . when they say "a man in a woman's body" they are pretty much right on the money.
these people are no more wrong or terrible than a person who is born left handed or with red hair. and yes, you tend to know you have red hair right off the bat. it isn't any parent trying to convince you of it, or foisting their own problems onto you.

as to the "i haven't died yet" - did it ever occur to you that you are not the entire population of the world?
that 75% of people in the US are overweight? that the ONLY reason for that is eating too much, and eating the wrong thing?
see, it isn't all about you.

6:37PM PDT on Aug 21, 2012

The idea of a 7-year-old transgender child is no more "bs" than a 3-year-old who has a gender identity that happens to match their biology. That was an incredibly insulting thing to say and I am offended that you would come here just to insult people with your closed-mindedness.

Welbec H.

11:08AM PDT on Aug 21, 2012

7 year old transgeder child, who are you trying to BS here. Ths is not the childs choice but obviously and clearl the mothers manipulative miguided beavior problem. As for the cookies, I haven't died from eating them yet. More left wing BS.

Samantha H.

7:19AM PDT on Jun 30, 2012

I don't see why they can't sell healthy cookies that still taste great. They exist...

June 30
send a green star

Kisha B.

6:50PM PDT on Jun 10, 2012

If they sold healthy treats, they wouldn't raise money. It isn't up to the girl scouts to monitor an adult (and only adults have the money to buy lots of cookies...) and what they eat. If you are over weight due to eating too much junk, then just don't eat the junk. We got a few bags of the popcorn from the scouts here that were fundraising and we don't eat it, so we gave them to the homeless shelter instead.