How Much Do Girl Scout Cookies Cost?

After all of the cheer and madness of the winter holidays, it’s easy to feel sort of… bereft in January. But fear not the long, gray winter! The most glorious season of all is here: Girl Scout Cookie Season. What is the cost of Girl Scout Cookies in 2017? That’s a little bit tricky to answer, as it depends on where you live and what you buy, but it’ll probably be somewhere around $4 to $5 per box.

The reason that I can’t give you a definitive answer is that the prices of Girl Scout Cookies are set by local Girl Scout Councils. These 112 councils decide on prices based on the market in their regions, availability, ingredients, and costs of shipping. In February of 2015, most councils raised their prices from $3.50 to $4.00, according to MONEY, but some groups went further that year, with Girl Scout councils in California and Eastern Massachusetts causing a stir when they raised their prices to $5 per box, a 25 percent increase. MONEY reports that other regions may follow suit this year; the council in Southern Arizona, for example, has recently announced a price increase to $5.

You may be able find out the exact price of Girl Scout Cookies in your area by checking out the “Find Cookies!” feature on the Girl Scouts website. Type in your zip code to identify your local council and learn more about its plans for cookie sales this year. For example, I was able to look up my local council — Girl Scouts of Eastern Pennsylvania — and found out from its 2017 Cookie Manual that, in my area, cookies will be $4.00 per box, with the exception of Gluten Free Trios, which will be $5.00. (Did you know there are gluten-free Girl Scout Cookies? There are! There are also vegan Girl Scout Cookies available. Cookies for all!)

Girl Scout Cookies might not be the most inexpensive cookies on the market, but it’s important to remember that purchasing them contributes to an important cause. As the Girl Scouts website explains, the cookie-selling process itself is intended to teach girls important skills, including “goal setting, decision making, money management, people skills, and business ethics.” The money earned by cookie sales then goes back to the troops to fund activities and outreach projects that benefit the Girl Scouts and their communities. Perhaps that’s why my beloved Tagalongs are so addictive: Chocolate, plus peanut butter, plus cookie, plus supporting education and adventure for young girls? I’m pretty sure that equals “YUM.”