Marking the 90th Anniversary of the cookie selling tradition, the Girl Scouts say the trans fat-free cookies still taste great, and the switch to healthier alternatives hasn't hurt the shelf life of the sweets either.
According to reports, cookies prepared by Girl Scouts were under attack by health-focused consumer groups and the decision to go trans free reflects a movement by the Scouts in recent years to promote a healthier lifestyle in their annual bake sale.
Starting 2007, about half of all Girl Scout troops are offering a sugar-free cookie called the Little Brownie. Last year, a cookie with reduced saturated fat, the Cartwheel, was also introduced to participating troops.
Recent research has linked trans fats to heart disease and last year, New York City sparked a wave of towns banning the substance from food at restaurants, including franchise chains.
The Girl Scouts' top selling cookie, the Thin Mint, went trans fat-free in 2005 and the remaining varieties had most trans fats phased out by last October. Anna Ho, who organizes sales for Troop 805 in Parsippany, New Jersey says the girls of her troop "know that at the high school, they started mandating healthier eating. The snacks changed. The vending machines changed. They are very aware that there is a kick on for a healthier lifestyle."
However, though many cookies have a sugar-free variety, rest still have lots of sugar, plus saturated fats. One Girl Scout official says, "Like any snack food, you talk about moderation," adding, "We know we aren't selling broccoli."
