Girl Scout Cookies: An American Icon

Girl Scout Cookies are an icon of American culture. For nearly 100 years, Girl Scouts have indulged in annual cookie sales. Girl Scout cookie sales started in the kitchens of girl members, with moms offering technical help (1917). These cookies were sold in the high school cafeteria as a service project. In the 1920s and 1930s, Girl Scouts in different parts of the country continued to bake their own simple sugar cookies, packaged in wax paper bags, sealed with a sticker, and sold door to door for 25 to 35 cents per dozen. In 1935, the Girl Scout of New York started selling commercial cookies in the shape of a trefoil, and used the words “Girl Scout Cookies” on the box. Sales grew until the 1940’s when World War II shortages of sugar, flour, and butter led Girl Scouts to sell calendars to raise money for activities. During the 1960s, Baby Boomers expanded Girl Scout membership, and cookie sales increased tremendously, and has been rolling ever since… wow what a long history.

Personally, I prefer Trefoil Shortbread cookies. I even keep them in the freezer long after the cookie sales are over, indulging one at a time throughout the year. My husband’s favorite was the Thin Mints. He could eat a box of cookies in short order and look for more. They didn’t stay around long enough to freeze.

I also have memories of the cookie sales. I was Neighborhood Cookie Chairman, which means all cookies came to my house for distribution. This meant hundreds of boxes of cookies were stored at my house for several weeks. Talk about chaos, we certainly experienced it during those weeks. When all was through… and sold, there were boxes and boxes of left overs that the girls did not sell. I ended up buying them and freezing them to help the troops out. We had Girl Scout Cookies for desert often during the year. I finally threw some of the boxes out, for fear of turning into a cookie myself.

And… I have sold my share of cookies, along with my daughter. She was often the winner of the most sales, getting rewards along the way. She was quiet a little salesman or saleslady. Today, I no longer have my personal Girl Scout cookie provider, but you can rest assured, I will be locating one to get my cookie fix!