People can't stop being jerks to Girl Scouts

How to protect kids during cookie season

Want to hear an embarrassing story? The first time I wrote about the harms of Girl Scout cookie hecklers, I naively thought my little article might help move the needle. I mean, Parents magazine!

I should have had more realistic expectations, especially given that the piece was published only online, right as they ended the print edition in February 2022. But it still felt huge to me, and I imagined the message would spread, especially as other news outlets starting covering this problem.

Yet every year, more and more people share disturbing stories about what their kids are subjected to while selling cookies, eating cookies, or even just talking about cookies.

And here we are, at the start of another cookie season, and parents everywhere are bracing for the seemingly inevitable onslaught of diet culture comments (not to mention other verbal attacks) their young scouts will be exposed to while selling cookies.

We can count on hearing the same tired jokes—“Will these Thin Mints make me thin?”—and classic disordered eating lines—”Oh, I can’t have those in the house, or I’ll devour the whole box in five minutes!”

Thanks to the vociferous fear-mongering about ultra-processed foods over the past year, I bet we can expect UPFs to feature heavily in some angry or preachy monologues.

If you want to learn more about what scouts face during cookie season, you’ll find some powerful examples here, starting with the Parents piece and followed by some articles I contributed to as a source:

As you can see, a lot of ink has been spilled on this topic (and there are many similar articles out there). It clearly touches a nerve.

Kids hear diet talk all the time, of course. But there is something especially pernicious about the way people seem comfortable voicing their fat phobia to young girls or scolding them for “poisoning America.”

Because these kinds of remarks are repeated and concentrated into a short period of time, they can really do a number on a child’s perceptions of food and bodies.

And the comments don’t have to be menacing or self-righteous to cause harm. Even the seemingly innocuous self-deprecating humor can worm its way into a child’s sense of how they should relate to their own body.

Since it turns out I can’t single-handedly make people wise up (or at least shut up) when they walk past the cookie booth, I thought I would share some ways caring adults can respond to these awkward or painful comments, whether in the moment or in conversations after the sales shift has ended.

Because as much as we want to keep kids from hearing harmful food and body talk, the reality is that they will continue to hear these types of messages throughout their lives.

Cookie sales happen once a year, but diet culture is forever.

So here are some sample scripts you might use as a template, choosing your own language that feels authentic and fits the moment:

If you’re a bystander who overhears a diet culture comment:

“Ooh, I think that guy sounded a little hangry!”

“I, for one, think it’s important to eat food that bring you joy. I’ll take two boxes of Tagalongs, please!”

“I’d say eating a variety of foods is much healthier than being afraid of food.”

“Well, she’s really missing out. I’m so excited to enjoy these with my family.”

If you were expecting some witty barbs to shout at the low-carb lecturer, I’m sorry to disappoint.

In my experience, engaging with someone who is willing to spew mean things to kids isn’t worth your time. It’s also probably not the right moment to start busting diet culture myths with a stranger. And then there’s the risk of escalating conflict, which isn’t helpful for anyone involved. Instead, you have an opportunity to add a counterpoint, to break the tension, and maybe even do it with a bit of humor and warmth.

If you’re a troop leader or other parent volunteer who wants to debrief with the girls:

“I heard a few people say some odd things about our cookies. What did you notice?”

“What were you feeling when people criticized what we’re doing?”

“Where do you think they got their ‘rules’ about food?”

“Why do you think some people say mean things about their bodies?”

Instead of launching into a lecture on body positivity or food neutrality, asking open-ended questions invites a conversation and lets the girls know they aren’t alone with this ickiness—and that even though this kind of diet talk is pervasive, it’s not something they have to accept as normal or natural.

I like keeping the focus on the girls’ inner experience and how they’re processing what they observed. By letting them do most of the talking, you’re helping them build their emotional literacy and critical thinking skills—and you’re getting an understanding of what additional support or education they may need.

If the girls seem to hold some misconceptions (say, believing that “sugar causes diabetes”) or start talking about which cookies are the “least fattening,” it might be a topic the troop can learn about together.

When it comes to body image, the Girl Scouts organization provides prepared activities, such as a body positivity and self-esteem module that can earn you a “Free Being Me” badge. Note that they also offer well-meaning but highly problematic lessons on nutrition and weight, so I recommend proceeding with caution when using their existing curriculum on those topics.

In our house, we’re looking forward to the favorites we ordered online: Thin Mints, Tagalongs, and Samoas. And I’m so grateful they can be enjoyed without shame, guilt, or fear.

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In case you missed it

If the topic of “picky eating” interests you, check out my recent article for Romper.

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Hey, we got to the end of January! This has been a long stressful month here. Thanks again for all the kind messages and for your donations to World Central Kitchen.

Looking forward to hearing your thoughts and questions about Girl Scout cookie discourse, “picky eating,” and any requests for future newsletter topics.