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Michelle Dishes on Gossip Girl Romance, Oprah Sued For $1 Trillion, and a Cookie War Heats Up!

PopSugar — Thu, 06 Aug 2009 18:30:00 -0700

We got a chance to chat with Michelle Trachtenberg at last night's TCA party - check out the exclusive video below. Also, Wal-Mart takes on the Girl Scouts and Oprah's ridiculous $1 trillion lawsuit! We're also gearing up for Britney's big show on Sunday and have the latest breaking news on Paula's replacements. Watch it now!

Michelle Dishes on Gossip Girl Romance, Oprah Sued For $1 Trillion, and a Cookie War Heats Up!

Molly — Thu, 06 Aug 2009 13:24:35 -0700

Will Wal-Mart's New Cookies Hurt the Girl Scouts?

YumSugar — Tue, 04 Aug 2009 10:30:00 -0700

Over the years, world's biggest retailer Wal-Mart has been the source of heated scrutiny for many organizations, from labor unions to environmental groups. The grocery giant's latest purported victim? The Girl Scouts.

According to Ad Age, the corporation, which has focused on expanding its Great Value private label, handed out test versions of its cookies at Chicago's recent BlogHer conference. One Ohio mommy blogger - and former Girl Scout cookie mom - took immediate notice of the cookies' resemblance to Girl Scout varieties.

"Wal-Mart has copied the Girl Scouts' two best selling cookie types, Thin Mints and Tagalongs," wrote C.V. Harquail on her blog, Authentic Organizations. "There goes the Girl Scout cookies' special allure, and there go the profits that fund the Girl Scouts' programs."

The issue, which has already garnered a reasonable amount of attention, once again raises the question of the corporation's concern for its community. Do you think the new cookies will cannibalize sales of Girl Scout cookies? Is Wal-Mart responsible for considering the impact of its sales on its surroundings - or is it up to the Girl Scouts to evolve with the times?

Source: Flickr User zaui

Yummy Links: From Chiles to Girl Scout Cookies

partysugar — Fri, 13 Mar 2009 06:50:32 -0700

Tips for taming the fiery heat of chilies. - Serious Eats
Anthony Bourdain on food television. - Eat Me Daily
The beers and wines that pair perfectly with stir-fry. - The Kitchn
An insider look at Barbie's 50th birthday bash. - Hostess With the Mostess
Use one bag of beans to make a week's worth of lunches. - Chow
Should Girl Scouts be allowed to sell cookies online? - The Epi-Log

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Girl Scouts Deal With Declining Sales, Counterfeit Cash

partysugar — Tue, 03 Mar 2009 10:15:53 -0800

Despite attempts to maintain high profits through downsizing cookie boxes, the Girl Scouts of America are not immune to the poor economy. MSNBC reports a dramatic decline in cookie sales with some troops selling 35 percent less cookies than they did last year. Although the institution lowered its cookie-selling goal in anticipation of the recession, Girl Scouts is nowhere near its goal.

Not only are the Girl Scouts having a hard time getting people to purchase cookies, it's also being plagued by counterfeit currency. Fake $20 bills were use to buy cookies from several troops in the Bremerton, WA, area. No suspects have been named, but many troops now employ a special pen that detects fake bills.

While I'm not shocked by the decline in sales, I was surprised to hear about the fake money. I don't understand how anyone could cheat young girls who are raising money for a good cause. How do you feel about the matter? Has the recession changed your Girl Scout cookie purchasing habits?

The Official Girl Scout Cookies Flickr Group

Girl Scout Cookie Quiz

FitSugar — Wed, 18 Feb 2009 05:30:00 -0800

A while back we learned that the Girl Scouts were downsizing their boxes and in some cases decreasing the girth of a few cookies due to the rising cost of flour.

Even though some boxes contain fewer cookies, and some cookies lost some heft in the redesign, it is still a good idea to know the caloric content and serving size of your favorite cookie. Take this little quiz and see if you know what you're dealing with when you bite into another Thin Mint.

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Question 1 of 6

How many cookies are considered a serving of Samoas (aka Carmel deLites)?

Appropriate to Sell Kid's Girl Scout Cookies at Work?

LilSugar — Thu, 05 Feb 2009 10:00:37 -0800

School aged kids always have something to sell from Girl Scout cookies to World's Finest chocolate bars and wrapping paper to magazine subscriptions. While fundraisers often offset education or activity costs, is it appropriate for parents to peddle their child's wares to co-workers at the office?

Facing Increased Costs, Girl Scouts Downsize Cookie Boxes

YumSugar — Fri, 23 Jan 2009 13:00:08 -0800

It's always seemed a little too effortless to finish off a box of Girl Scout cookies, but if they are a little easier to dust off this year, it's not just in your head. To offset the cost increases of cookie ingredients, Girl Scouts of the USA made the decision to shrink its cookie boxes by a centimeter, package fewer cookies into boxes of Thin Mints, Do-si-dos, and Tagalongs, and reduce the size of its Lemon Chalet Crèmes. According to the organization, the cost of flour rose by 30 percent, assorted cooking oils by 40 percent, and cocoa by at least 20 percent. The company felt this was the best method of dealing with increasing raw material prices. Alternatively, Girl Scouts could have used cheaper ingredients, or raised cookie prices from their current price of $3.50 per box.

This doesn't come as a surprise to me, since last year producers began rolling out shrunken products in reaction to the price of food on the rise. I'm secretly a bit excited - for once, the downsized box may be enough for me to stop short of a stomachache.

How do you feel about this news? Does it affect your decision to buy the cookies?

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Girl Scout Cookies: On Their Way Out?

YumSugar — Tue, 02 Dec 2008 09:42:57 -0800

Every year girls of many ages partake in a time-honored tradition: Girl Scout cookie sales. But this year, the joy that Girl Scout cookie season brings may be, well, a little bittersweet.

In the last half a decade, the Girl Scouts of the USA has faced membership decline, and the organization has brought in a consulting team for an image overhaul. The conclusion? Focus less on selling cookies.

Membership in the Girl Scouts fell by 250,000 in the last five years, according to a Time report, and cookie sales have been down as well. In a struggle to retain importance, the organization will shift its focus to areas such as technology and community service.

So if you see a cookie-buying opportunity, jump on it, for fear of fewer chances down the line. Personally, I will be creating a stash of Thin Mints and Caramel DeLites to last me through the year. Do you plan to stock up now? Are the Girl Scouts are making a wise move?

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Girl Scout Sells 17,328 Boxes of Delicious Cookies

SavvySugar — Fri, 16 May 2008 14:03:41 -0700

Anyone who has ever spent time as a Girl Scout knows what a big deal cookie season is for the troops and also understands that selling 17,328 boxes of cookies is an impressive feat for one girl. Fifteen year-old Jennifer Sharpe sold this many boxes by setting up shop on a street corner with her mother, every day. My first thought: How many badges did she get for selling so many boxes?! Badges are for Brownies, baby - this girl and her troop get to go on a 10-day European vacation! The trip will be paid for with the $21,000 the troop raised in cookie sales.

European vacation aside, this girl is a great example of perseverance and work ethic. How many of us had our parents take boxes of cookies to work and have their hungry colleagues buy out your stash of Peanut Butter Patties? The best part is that Jennifer has grown as a person because of her experience. Her mother said,"It's made her really confident. I remember when she first started selling, she was very shy and quiet and you had to push her out to talk to customers, but now she's right out there, first to the door." I see a savvy businesswoman in the making!