Girl Scout Cookies; Should They be Compared to Fruit?
The Center for Science in Public Interest questions the Girl Scouts' comparison of a cookie to a fruit.
The Girl Scouts of the USA caught quite a bit of heat over the past week after introducing its new Mango Creme, and suggesting that the cookie has the nutritional equivalent of fruit.
"It's bad enough that the Girl Scouts of the USA sells cookies to raise money, but it shouldn't pretend that its new 'Mango Crèmes with NutriFusion' are nutritionally equivalent to fruit, wrote the Center for Science in the Public Interest in a recent press release.
The Center said, "the cookies at issue are 98 percent white flour, sugar, palm oil, and dextrose (sugar made from corn). Yet marketing copy on the manufacturer's website claims that its filling has 'all the nutrient benefits of eating cranberries, pomegranates, oranges, grapes, and strawberries!'"
In a letter to Girl Scouts of America CEO Anna Maria Chávez, CSPI says that by marketing these new cookies as a "delicious new way to get your vitamins," the Girl Scouts is misleading its young members and undermining their health.
What do you think? Do you think the Scouts were out of line in trying to equate a cookie with an apple? Do you think it's no big deal? Have you tried the Mango Cremes!?
Shrewsbury Girl Scouts
7:09 am on Saturday, February 16, 2013
Please note that Shrewsbury Girl Scouts are not selling mango creme cookies as part of their sale. These are sold in the Eastern Council area.
Judy
7:21 am on Saturday, February 16, 2013
The Girl Scouts of Central and Western Massachusetts-Westborough, Northborough, Shrewsbury area -use another baker and do not have the Mango Cremes. In addition it is the Girl Scouts of the USA not Girl Scouts of America. Thanks!
Karianne S.
7:31 am on Saturday, February 16, 2013
I bought 5 boxes of cookies last month in Hudson and decided to try these new mango ones (not knowing they were supposedly healthy with vitamins). Anyway YUCK I hated them (the only girlscout cookie I don't like). Thankfully my other 4 boxes were my usual. My daughter did like them so at least they didn't go to waste.
Lisa Vasile
9:42 am on Saturday, February 16, 2013
Nope ~ as a person who spends hours with clients teaching people to read ingredients and NOT listen to marketing on commercials or labels; it is my experience that these messages are highly confusing for the consumer. How can anything that has 3 types of sugar prior to the 11th ingredient being that of "nutrients from natural whole food concentrate (none of those being mango but one of them being shitake mushrooms!) be compared to a whole nutrient rich food such as fruit? http://www.girlscouts.org/program/gs_cookies/assets/cookie_detail.asp?cookie=mtc_mango_abc
Happy the CSPI asked for them to revoke their claims.
Neighbor
1:15 pm on Saturday, February 16, 2013
No cookie filled with sugar should be compared to a fruit.
Bigmouth
6:29 pm on Saturday, February 16, 2013
Im sadden that I missed out on the girl scout cookies this yr . Does anyone know where i can order or buy a few boxes ?
Brenda Wheelock
6:55 pm on Saturday, February 16, 2013
Yes! Our troop will sell you cookies. Email me at brendawheelock@gmail.com and we'll connect with you. We are selling the eight varieties listed at littlebrowniebakers.com
Cookie lover
12:19 pm on Sunday, February 17, 2013
The mango cookies are delicious! I have bought four kinds - six boxes so far and I normally only eat healthy fruits and veggies, but made an exception for the girl scouts. However, no cookie, girl scout or otherwise, is healthy. They should not even be called food. They should only be a treat for the healthiest of people, if anything. I happen to be too weak to avoid cookies. Someday, maybe that will change, so maybe the girl scouts better start thinking about selling something real for the future.