Disclosure: I am also a Girl Scout Product Program volunteer.
It’s Girl Scout Cookie Season again. Girl Scout Cookies are the biggest Girl-Led Business. Through the program, the girls are learning important life skills as well as earning money for their troop. Ann Arbor area troops pick up their initial orders next week. Cookie Booths started in February and will run into mid-May.
While the 2022 season will not be back to where it was in February 2020, there will be many more booths in 2022 than in late 2020 or early 2021. Unfortunately, just like at the grocery store, Girl Scout cookies have been hit by supply chain issues. After cookie shortages in February and March, cookies are fully available in April (although individual booths may sell out)
Girl Scout Cookie Booths
We love holding Girl Scout Cookie Booths! The Girl Scout Cookie Finder will help you find the time and date of Cookie Booths near you. If you plan to shop at a cookie booth, please bring cash or even a check. Some troops have a credit card reader or can take payment via electronic payment app (Venmo, CashApp, etc), or the Girl Scout cookie app, but not all troops will. Even the troops that have a card reader prefer cash or check so they don’t lose the fees out of troop proceeds.
Thank you to the many stores and other locations that host Girl Scout Cookie Booths. In the Ann Arbor area, traditionally Busch’s, Kroger, Lowe’s, Walmart, Tractor Supply Company, Discount Tire, Sam’s Club, and more have made their locations available on select days and times through a signup process open to all troops. This year, only Kroger is working with council plus their own location on Plymouth Rd in the Courtyard Shops. Other venues work directly with individual troops.
If you have a venue and would like to host a cookie booth, send me an email. As both a volunteer as an Area Product Manager and a troop cookie parent, I can connect you to a troop or put you in touch with council to establish a council booth.
Ann Arbor Girl Scout Cookie Benefits
In addition to tasting great, Girl Scout Cookies benefit local Girl Scouts in our area. All of the profits from the sale remain within our local council, Girl Scouts Heart of Michigan (GSHOM). GSHOM includes Ann Arbor, Lansing, Jackson, Kalamazoo, and Saginaw. The proceeds are split between GSHOM and the individual troop. Council proceeds help to support camps (both resident and day camps) and other programming. It also funds financial aid to allow all girls to join Girl Scouts.

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Troop Proceeds
Troop proceeds are used for troop activities. This year as Cadettes & Seniors my daughter’s troop is planning a trip to western Pennsylvania for outdoor adventures that was originally planned for 2020. They are planning to go White Water Rafting and Cave Spelunking. They are planning to visit Frank Lloyd Wright’s Falling Water House (with a tour if they have enough funds). We are definitely planning on several cookie booths to help pay for the trip. Beyond that, they are looking to plan an international trip before graduating (currently 7th, 9th and 10th graders).
This will be their third big trip. In 2019, they went to Washington, D.C. They toured the capital, museums, and the monuments. In 2018 they went to the Smoky Mountains. They visited Cumberland Gap, Dollywood, and Clingman’s Dome. My daughter was also intrigued to stop at the Colonel Sanders Museum on the way down and get fresh hot Krispy Kreme donuts.

In past years, my daughter’s troop has had a pool party, gone to the Adventure Park in West Bloomfield, and spent a weekend in Mackinac. They stayed at a campground in Mackinaw City, visited a Dark Park and spent all day Saturday on Mackinac Island.

Council Proceeds
Girl Scouts Heart of Michigan has amazing facilities. While many councils are downsizing, our facilities have been improving over the years. The funds from Girl Scout cookies are a big component of their upkeep and improvements. Council proceeds also help fund amazing programs.

My daughter’s troop typically camps a few times a year. Plus, she has attended both Girl Scout Day camp and resident summer camp. Camp activities include swimming, boating, archery, climbing, and more. Several years ago she stayed in the Adventure Cabins at Camp Merrie Woode and complained about the distance to bathroom facilities. Since that time, bathrooms have been added to the area.
Educational Benefits
Not only do the girls benefit financially from selling Girl Scout cookies, they also learn important life skills like money management, goal-setting, and marketing. As the adult guiding girls at Cookie Booths, I have seen shy girls come out of their shell as they approach people about buying Girl Scout Cookies. This year with cookie shortages, they have worked even harder on their selling skills.
Locally, Girl Scout Cookies have also inspired activism. As of 2012, only sustainable Palm Oil is used in Girl Scout Cookies. Local Ann Arbor Girl Scouts were the driving force for the switch.

Hometown Heroes
In addition to buying cookies for yourself, you can donate cookies through the Hometown Heroes program. At the Council level, these cookie donations are split between Food Banks (Food Gatherers and Gleaners) and the Ladies Auxiliary of the VFW. Some troops select their own Hometown Hero for donations. Some examples are local fire stations or local police departments, teachers, and health care providers.
2022 Girl Scout Cookie News
Girl Scouts Heart of Michigan offers 8 varieties of cookies at booths this year. A box of cookies costs $5 ($6 for the S’mores and Gluten-Free Toffee-Tastic).
New for 2022 is the Adventureful – a “brownie” cookie with a caramel center. Personally, the cookies were not quite what I was expecting. The brownie part is still a crisp cookie and the caramel is hard and not gooey. Adventurefuls were in short supply nationally, but GSHOM has been restocked and should have them at booths in April and May.

If you have pre-ordered Girl Scout cookies from a local Girl Scout, they will be receiving them for delivery beginning February 16.
Nationally, Girl Scouts uses two bakers – Little Brownie Bakers and ABC. The Heart of Michigan Council uses Little Brownie Bakers.
Did you know that Girl Scout Cookies:
- have no High Fructose Corn Syrup
- have no Partially Hydrogenated Oils
- have no Trans Fat
- Use 100% real cocoa in Thin Mints, Samoas, Tagalongs, and S’mores
- Uses sustainable Palm Oil
The Big 3 – Thin Mint, Samoa, Tagalong
The top 3 cookie sellers are the Thin Mint, Samoa, and Tagalong. The Thin Mint leads the way with the Samoa and Tagalong roughly even. We’ve noticed that some families are Samoa families and some are Tagalong families. We’re a Samoa family, but my daughter used to get a decent number of Tagalong orders since my brother-in-law’s family is a Tagalong family (until her cousin joined Girl Scouts).

I felt sure the “Big 3” would be safe from shortages, but that was not the case. All 3 were hit by shortages in March. Fortunately, they are all back in stock for April and May booths.
S’mores – Get them Now!
The S’mores Cookie was introduced in our council in 2018. The cookie is made with specialty ingredients from small farms and natural flavors. This does make the cookie more expensive. They sell for $6/box in our council.
S’mores taste great if you microwave them for a few seconds first. The chocolate and marshmallow creams get a little melty. Delicious!

Because of their specialty ingredients and specialty manufacturing processes, Little Brownie Bakers has had trouble making a full run of S’mores. GSHOM will not be able to get more S’mores in 2022, so when they run out they are gone. I was still able to get some this week (April 8)
Toffee-Tastic Gluten Free Cookie
GSHOM first offered the Gluten Free Toffee-Tastic cookie in 2015. Toffee-Tastic sells for $6/box because of the increased cost of producing a gluten free cookie. In the past this has been a cookie that is sometimes limited, but this year they are one of the few not in short supply.
Other Cookies
The other GSHOM cookies this season are Trefoils. Lemon-Ups, and Do-Si-Dos. The Trefoils are a shortbread cookie in the shape of the Girl Scout Trefoil. Do-Si-Dos are an oatmeal sandwich cookie with peanut butter filling.
Allergen Friendliness
Girl Scout cookies offer a wide variety of cookies that can meet a number of dietary restrictions. (Note, please verify on the box if you have dietary issues). Note for 2021-2022 all cookies have a manufactured in a facility with all allergens – although Toffee Tastics are certified Gluten Free.
- Vegan – Thin Mints (since 2015)
- Gluten Free – Toffee-Tastics
- Nut Free – Thin Mints, Samoas, Trefoils, Girl Scout S’mores, Toffee Tastic
How Else to Support Girl Scouts
If you see girls at a cookie booth this weekend, please be understanding that they have no control over cookie outages. In the fall, they sell nuts and candy. They are hoping to have some available for booths. I can personally vouch for the Dark Chocolate Caramel Caps with Sea Salt as one of our favorites. The English Butter Toffee are also good.
Girl Scouts also collect donations to buy cookies for their Hometown Heroes. You can support the girls by making a donation to this fund. Locally, the council donates to Food Gatherers and the Ladies Auxiliary of the VFW. Troops can also choose to contribute to their own hometown heroes… school staff, first responders, and medical staff are all popular choices.
Girl Scout Cookies
Don’t forget to support your local Girl Scouts by shopping at their local booths. You can find booths using the Girl Scout Cookie Finder.
My favorite cookies are the Thin Mint and Samoas. Which Girl Scout Cookie is your favorite?
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