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http://www.omniture.com --> Sections Home Page Local News AP News Archives Business Classifieds Event Calendar Forums Life Opinion Obituaries Photo Gallery Readers Photo Gallery Sports Tempo Weather Special Coverage 2006 Britt Festivals --> Shop Our Valley AutoFinder HomeFinder JobFinder Search Our Valley Special Sections Distinctly Northwest Readers' Choice Homelife Magazine Joy Magazine Holiday Guide Oregon Golf Info Oregon Wine Info Other Publications Local Links Ashland News eSouthernOregon Newspapers In Education Personals Moving Here Movie Listings TV Listings Volunteer Customer Service Advertise With Us Media Kit Place Classified Ad Contact Us FAQ's Home Delivery Site Map --> Email Story to a Friend January 14, 2007 Girl Scout cookies — improved By Buffy Pollock for the Mail Tribune When Rogue Valley Girl Scouts begin knocking on doors this weekend, don't expect the old I-can't-have-sugar ruse to work on those tough little sales gals. Girl Scout cookie sales kicked off Saturday with two major firsts for the near-century-old organization. In a nod to national restaurant and grocery trends, all eight varieties of Girl Scout cookies are allowed to advertise that they have "no trans fat," and a sugar-free cookie is available for the first time in decades. "I think Girl Scouts always works to be healthy and do what is right by the girls; this is just an example of that," said Candace Bartow, executive director for the Girl Scouts of Winema Council. "Also having a sugar-free cookie this year, we expect, will fill a need." Bartow said she encouraged Council board members recently to taste-test the sugar free cookies, and they got decent reviews. Advertisement The sugar-free Brownie Bites are made with a Splenda blend. Cookies for Girl Scouts in the United States are produced by two bakeries. In Oregon, Little Brownie Bakers, based in Louisville, Ky., has provided cookies for the Pacific Northwest for more than 25 years. The company Web site credits the changes to consumer demand. Former troop leader and doctor, Natalie Kather, was pleased to hear the national organization, which she was heavily involved with until last year, would offer a somewhat healthier alternative to sugar-loaded cookies with unhealthy fats. A scout troop led by Kather last year actively protested the ingredients long used to make the cookies. "It's good to hear that the bill that was presented did not fall on deaf ears, at least to some degree," Kather said. "Last year my troop presented a bill about having a healthier cookie. Their stand at the time was, 'Well, it's a treat. At least this year it will be a little healthier treat." All of the cookies still list partially hydrogenated vegetable oils as an ingredient, which means they still have trans fat. But federal rules allow manufacturers to claim "zero trans fats" if the level is less than a half-gram per serving. A "serving" is 2 Samoas, Tagalongs, All Abouts or Do-Si-Dos; 4 Thin Mints and Little Brownies Sugar Free; and 5 Cafe Cookies or Trefoils. Calories per serving range from 110 for Do-Si-Dos to 150 for Samoas, Cafe Cookies, Tagalongs, Trefoils and Thin Mints. Long-time Girl Scout leader Michelle Payne said the cookies offered this year would set a better example for scouts, especially with rising health concerns over diabetes and obesity in today's youth. "It's a good example for the girls that we can have a treat that's a little healthier than it's been in the past," Payne said. "As far as the trans fat, I've tasted them all and they taste the same as they did I have no doubt they'll sell just as well. We've sold sugar-free before and it didn't sell well, so were making another stab at it. We'll see what happens." Sales officially began Saturday with cookies set to arrive around Feb. 20-22. Booth sales begin Feb. 23. Buffy Pollock is a freelance writer living in Medford. E-mail her at [email protected]. On the Web: www.littlebrowniebakers.com Would you like to respond to this story? If so Click Here to visit our forums. Advertisement Copyright © 1997-2007 Mail Tribune, Inc. All rights reserved. Privacy Policy | Terms & Conditions | Website Feedback online casinos news Home Security Systems Online Casino Reviews Men's Clothing Fundraisers UK Homeowner Loans Discount Hotel Reservations Send Flowers Casinos Canada Texas Electric Choice Compare Electric rates in Texas Windermere Van Vleet Trunks, Footlocker Online poker at AbsolutePoker.com