Cookie lovers, rejoice! With this year’s batch of Girl Scout cookies, officially out this February 7, Girl Scouts of America are joining the ranks of the billion-dollar gluten-free food industry with their new Chocolate Chip Shortbread Cookies.
These tasty offerings are a combination of rice flour, tapioca flour, cornstarch, potato starch, xanthan gum and guar gum. They also tout NO artificial flavors or colors, and no high fructose corn syrup. Although they are gluten-free, for those suffering other food allergens, they do contain dairy, eggs, and corn ingredients.
Before you go running to your nearest store, be aware that this year is only a pilot program and the Chocolate Chip Shortbread Cookies are only being offered in a select 20-town test area in 9 states. Those wishing to support the Girl Scouts by munching on the new gluten-free cookies can search for the locations on the Official Girl Scout Cookie Finder App or go to: www.abcsmartcookies.com/GF-cookie-counsels.
Just a caveat – these are still highly refined, sugar cookies. This is not a recommendation to eat Girl Scout Cookies, but an interesting sign of the times that even Girl Scouts of America are acknowledging people that are eating gluten-free. It’s nice to observe the increasing number of gluten-free foods on the market. Ultimately, the choice of what to eat is yours. So many options to sabotage our best intentions of healthy eating.
Here’s to healthy choices!