Click on any of the images to open the full-sized version – the full-sized version will have a black background to the page. Right-click to download them.

• Double check your order’s whereabouts and make sure you received all of your supplies. If you are missing an item, please contact 800-845-0787. Offices close Friday at 5 pm and will not reopen until 8:30 am on Monday.

• Review the activity plans and DVD prior to the Sleepover. During the DVD, there is time set aside to complete optional goal setting activity worksheets. If you wish to create your own worksheets, please feel free to do so.

• Make sure your DVD player and DVD works. If for any reason your DVD player or DVD does not work, you can watch a live stream of the video on Little Brownie Bakers’ website at 8 pm, central standard time.

• Share all of the fun you’re having by posting photos of your Sleepover on Girl Scouts River Valleys’ Facebook page or on Twitter.

• Remind girls about Girl Scout Spirit Day, Thursday, January 17. All girls are encouraged to submit a photo that day and enter to win special VIP seating for their troop at the May 4 Cookie Concert.

Still need to pick up your Party in a Bag kit? Don’t forget to do so by Friday, January 11.

Have a great time!

Order a Party in a Bag For Each of Your Girl Scouts

Online registration has now closed. Please call 800-845-0787 to place an order by Friday, January 11.

What is the National Cookie Sleepover/Party in a Bag?

The National Cookie Sleepover is a unique opportunity to get your Girl Scouts ready for the upcoming Cookie Program at the same time as thousands of Girl Scouts around the country. The Party in a Bag is only $5 per girl and will give leaders the tools to help motivate their Girl Scouts to reach cookie goals. The Party in a Bag will also feature a comprehensive activity plan with step-by-step instructions to earn a Cookie Business badge/leaf based on your troop’s grade level.

Party in a Bag Kit Will Contain

• Grade-level specific activity plan to help prepare for your event which includes
  • Instructions on how to set up your sleepover
  • Easy to follow activities to take your girls through the steps to earn a Cookie Business badge/leaf
• Fun patch (one per girl)
• 3D glasses (one per girl; you can order additional 3D glasses for the adults)
• DVD of 3D video created by Little Brownie Bakers (one per troop); the 3D video will work on any TV or computer as long as the girls are wearing the 3D glasses
• Cookies! (one package for every four girls; packages will be randomly assigned (Thin Mints, Trefoils, Samoas or Tagalongs) if a Girl Scout in your troop has allergies to a particular variety, please alert River Valleys staff when you pick up your kit
• Angie’s Kettle Corn (7 oz. bags) generously donated by Angie’s Artisan Treats (available while supplies last)

Sample activity plan for Brownies

Cookie Concert

Celebrate a successful Cookie Program by coming to a concert on May 4, 2013.

Great news! Due to the overwhelming number of girls signing up for the National Cookie Sleepover, we have added a second concert. Both concerts will be on May 4, 2013, at the Minnesota State Fair Grandstand. Troops will be placed in either the first or second concert based on the order in which they signed up for a Party in a Bag.

We can’t announce the artist yet, but we will release the name in January.

Each troop will also be provided with enough adult passes to cover the appropriate adult to girl ratio for events per GSUSA regulations.

Ordering Deadlines

Please order your Party in a Bag kits early! Please note the dates below.

*Due to the long lead-time required to order the patches, Party in a Bag kits ordered after December 10 may not include the fun patches if they are not in stock. However, an additional order of patches will be made, and the patches will be available starting February 4.

The final date to order Party in a Bag kits is Monday, January 7.

You will receive an email with more information about how to pick up your Party in a Bag kits the week prior to your scheduled pickup.

How to Order

Order your kit by selecting your pickup location or delivery option of choice from the list at the top of this page. The Party in a Bag kits are $5 per girl. In your ordering, you will need to include the number of girls and the Girl Scout grade level of your troop. If picking up the kit from one of the locations listed below is inconvenient, you may choose to have the kit shipped to your home address for an additional charge.

Ingredients:

• 1 box Trefoils Girl Scout Cookies
• Instant cheesecake pudding mix (check the box for extra ingredients)
• 12 oz cream cheese (softened)
• Strawberries
• Chocolate syrup

Directions:

1. Crush half box of Trefoils.
2. Mix softened cream cheese and cheesecake pudding until smooth.
3. Layer crushed cookies and cheesecake pudding in a cup and repeat layering of ingredients.
4. Garnish with strawberries (or favorite berries) and 2 full Trefoil cookies. Drizzle with chocolate syrup.

Ingredients:

• 1 box of Samoas® Girl Scout Cookies
• 3 lbs. sweet potatoes
• 1/3 cup brown sugar
• 1 tsp. cinnamon
• 1 tsp. ginger
• 1 tsp. nutmeg
• 1/3 lb. of butter
• 1/3 cup of mini marshmallows (optional)
• Salt and pepper to taste

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.
2. Bake sweet potatoes for 1 hour. Then, remove to cool and peel.
3. Turn oven temperature down to 350 degrees F.
4. Mash potatoes and add rest of
   ingredients. Season to taste.
5. Place mixture in casserole dish and layer with Samoas®. Bake until cookies melt.
6. Top with mini marshmallows and bake
   until lightly brown.

Yields 4 servings.

Find this and other fun recipes at Little Brownie Bakers’s website.

What creative ways do you use your Girl Scout cookies?

Ingredients:

• 1/2 box of Tagalongs® Girl Scout Cookies
• 6 cups of vanilla ice cream
• 1 cup of milk
• 1 can of whipped cream

Directions:

1. Mix cookies, ice cream and milk in blender. Blend until desired thickness.
2. Serve in tall milk shake glass and top with whipped cream.
3. Garnish with crumbled cookies.

Yields 2 servings.

Find this and other fun recipes at Little Brownie Baker’s website.

What creative ways do you use your Girl Scout cookies?

Ingredients:

• 1/2 box of crushed Thin Mints Girl Scout Cookies
• 1 box of brownie mix
• 2 eggs (3 eggs for cake-like brownies)
• 1/4 cup of water
• 1/4 cup of vegetable oil

Directions:

1. Crush Thin Mints into medium size pieces.
2. Mix all ingredients into mixing bowl. Do not use electric mixer. Batter will be stiff.
3. Spread batter evenly in greased baking pan (13 x 9 x 2 inch).
4. Bake in center of oven at 350 degrees F for 30 to 35 minutes.
5. Remove from oven and allow to cool before cutting.

Serve with mint-flavored tea. Yields 6 servings.

Find this and other fun recipes at Little Brownie Bakers’s website.

What creative ways do you use your Girl Scout cookies?

Watch the girls’ segment on WCCO

Thank you to the River Valleys troops that shared their recipe for Cookies Now! success during our special contest. Congratulations to our grand prize winner, Troop 43110, earning a free troop camp experience at a River Valleys Camp in 2011. Three troops were also chosen as first-prize winners of special cookie fun items: Troop 13106, Troop 52512, and Troop 50371.

Troop 43110 Recipe for Cookies Now! success:

• 10 happy, energetic 2nd grade Brownies
• 2 cookie-crazy troop leaders
• 20 very supportive parents
• 1 extra-hard working, dedicated cookie mom
• 1 goal of helping kids that aren’t as lucky as us at The Ronald McDonald House.

Directions:

1. Hold family meeting. Get everyone really excited about selling cookies!
2. Distribute initial cookie order. Give each girl at least two cases of the most popular: Thin Mints, Tagalongs and Samoas. Give one case of Trefoils and Do Si Dos. Give 6 boxes of Thank You Berry Munch, Dulce de Leche and Lemon Chalet Cremes. (You can always get more…but you don’t want to get stuck with any.)
3. Sell like crazy for the first two weeks. Then take an inventory of what has been sold and what is still out there. Shuffle less popular varieties between girls instead of ordering more. Continue to get more of the best sellers. Plan to be almost done with door-to-door sales when booths start. Use extra cookies to stock booths.
4. Have parents stay in constant contact with you regarding their cookie inventory. Have them return unopened cases before council buy-back days. Offer to use open cases to stock cookie booths.
5. After the last cookie booth, go door-to-door one last time with a wagon of extras. Ask customers to help your troop sell the last of it’s cookie inventory. Almost everyone is willing to buy one or two more boxes to help you out.
6. Wear cookie costumes…it’s super cute and people can’t resist!
7. Cookie Moms: SET FIRM DEADLINES for cookie returns and turning in money. Have a schedule for trips to cookie cupboards…and stick to it!

Troop 13106 Recipe for Cookies Now! Success:

Our recipe for cookie success began with our enthusiasm for Girl Scout Cookies Now! We were contagious! This year our recipe for cookie success was; one part cookies, one part preparation, one part goal, two parts entertainment, and seven heaping parts of smiles.

We planned to sell 120% more than our troop sold last year and we surpassed that by another 108 packages. When we sold cookies at booth hotspots we offered entertainment. We created a fun cookie rap that we sang and a cookie dance. We believe we gave people an opportunity to see how excited our troop was to be together and to see how exciting it is to be a girl scout. Our troop even made signs telling people our goal was to go to camp together.

Each Girl Scout had a job and we all took turns with different tasks. Our leaders provided guidance and hot chocolate breaks on the really cold Minnesota days. Our troop learned so much about doing business and setting goals that we are already looking forward to next year when we can improve our recipe and make it even bigger and better. One goal we have for next season is to work with a younger troop and teach them what we learned.

Troop 50371 Recipe for Cookies Now! Success:

Our Cadette Girl Scout Troop loves to have fun together. Their exuberance and energy is our recipe for success.

Their zest for life fills the room, even in the beginning of the cookie season, when they set their goals, played cookie-themed games, and made cookie catchers and concession boxes.

We ordered the same amount as the previous year, but ended up selling almost 500 extra boxes! We did four booth sales the first weekend and every girl in the troop was involved. What these girls like to do is “wear” the empty cases (usually 4-5 per girl). Weather permitting (it’s been cold here!), two or three of the girls stood near the road in their box outfits, (with an adult nearby) directing traffic in, and encouraging drivers to sample and buy.

At the booth, they created an assembly line, with one girl in charge of putting together the order, another handling the money, and yet another replenishing the table, so it always looked orderly.

Door-to-door sales seemed easier this year, with customers happy about getting their cookies right away. I think the media covered it well – most knew about the new way we were selling.

The Roseville Cookie Cupboard played its part, always being ready to have us pick up extra boxes.

I had the girls turn in any extra boxes they weren’t sure they’d sell at booth sale time. After booth sales, the girls then got and gave back boxes as needed. The receipt packs worked great for keeping track of who had what and for payments as well. When they turned in boxes, I gave them a minus receipt.

I like the new way of selling. It sure worked for us!Troop 52512 Recipe for Cookies Now! Success:

Take 11 goal-oriented Girl Scouts with knowledge of previous fanatical buyers and an ambitious initial order.

Add:

• 1 gallon of golden goals
• 2 Tablespoons of comedy performed in silly superbishly awesome skits
• 1 pound of smiles
• 1 cup of charisma
• 2 tons of temptation (it’s easier to sell what the customer can see in front of them!), A dash of posters, A sprinkle of internet and e-promises, A variety of movable devices (sleds, carts, wagons), A pinch of black market school hallway business, A plethora of parent workplaces
• 1 aunt’s apartment building
• 4 sensational cookie booths
• 1 quart of cookie-craving college students

Mix together adding persuasion and charm as needed. Wrap up warmly for freakishly freezing weather and then simmer for 7 selling weeks. Pick up extra cookies at the cupboard as needed. And don’t forget to return to your biggest cookie fans for maximum impact in the final days.

Troop 43110 Recipe for Cookies Now! success:

10 happy, energetic 2nd grade Brownies
2 cookie-crazy troop leaders
20 very supportive parents
1 extra-hard working, dedicated cookie mom
1 goal of helping kids that aren’t as lucky as us at The Ronald McDonald House.

Directions:

1. Hold family meeting. Get everyone really excited about selling cookies!
2. Distribute initial cookie order. Give each girl at least two cases of the most popular: Thin Mints, Tagalongs and Samoas. Give one case of Trefoils and Do Si Dos. Give 6 boxes of Thank You Berry Munch, Dulce de Leche and Lemon Chalet Cremes. (You can always get more…but you don’t want to get stuck with any.)
3. Sell like crazy for the first two weeks. Then take an inventory of what has been sold and what is still out there. Shuffle less popular varieties between girls instead of ordering more. Continue to get more of the best sellers.  Plan to be almost done with door-to-door sales when booths start. Use extra cookies to stock booths.
4. Have parents stay in constant contact with you regarding their cookie inventory. Have them return unopened cases before council buy-back days. Offer to use open cases to stock cookie booths.
5. After the last cookie booth, go door-to-door one last time with a wagon of extras. Ask customers to help your troop sell the last of it’s cookie inventory. Almost everyone is willing to buy one or two more boxes to help you out.
6. Wear cookie costumes…it’s super cute and people can’t resist!
7. Cookie Moms: SET FIRM DEADLINES for cookie returns and turning in money. Have a schedule for trips to cookie cupboards…and stick to it!

Troop 13106 Recipe for Cookies Now! Success:

Our recipe for cookie success began with our enthusiasm for Girl Scout Cookies Now! We were contagious! This year our recipe for cookie success was; one part cookies, one part preparation, one part goal, two parts entertainment, and seven heaping parts of smiles.

We planned to sell 120% more than our troop sold last year and we surpassed that by another 108 packages. When we sold cookies at booth hotspots we offered entertainment. We created a fun cookie rap that we sang and a cookie dance. We believe we gave people an opportunity to see how excited our troop was to be together and to see how exciting it is to be a girl scout. Our troop even made signs telling people our goal was to go to camp together.

Each Girl Scout had a job and we all took turns with different tasks. Our leaders provided guidance and hot chocolate breaks on the really cold Minnesota days. Our troop learned so much about doing business and setting goals that we are already looking forward to next year when we can improve our recipe and make it even bigger and better. One goal we have for next season is to work with a younger troop and teach them what we learned.

Troop 50371 Recipe for Cookies Now! Success:

Our Cadette Girl Scout Troop loves to have fun together. Their exuberance and energy is our recipe for success.

Their zest for life fills the room, even in the beginning of the cookie season, when they set their goals, played cookie-themed games, and made cookie catchers and concession boxes.

We ordered the same amount as the previous year, but ended up selling almost 500 extra boxes! We did four booth sales the first weekend and every girl in the troop was involved. What these girls like to do is “wear” the empty cases (usually 4-5 per girl). Weather permitting (it’s been cold here!), two or three of the girls stood near the road in their box outfits, (with an adult nearby) directing traffic in, and encouraging drivers to sample and buy.

At the booth, they created an assembly line, with one girl in charge of putting together the order, another handling the money, and yet another replenishing the table, so it always looked orderly.

Door-to-door sales seemed easier this year, with customers happy about getting their cookies right away. I think the media covered it well – most knew about the new way we were selling.

The Roseville Cookie Cupboard played its part, always being ready to have us pick up extra boxes.

I had the girls turn in any extra boxes they weren’t sure they’d sell at booth sale time. After booth sales, the girls then got and gave back boxes as needed. The receipt packs worked great for keeping track of who had what and for payments as well. When they turned in boxes, I gave them a minus receipt.

I like the new way of selling. It sure worked for us!Troop 52512 Recipe for Cookies Now! Success

Take 11 goal-oriented Girl Scouts with knowledge of previous fanatical buyers and an ambitious initial order.

Add:
1 gallon of golden goals,
2 Tablespoons of comedy performed in silly superbishly awesome skits,
1 pound of smiles,
1 cup of charisma,
2 tons of temptation (it’s easier to sell what the customer can see in front of them!), A dash of posters, A sprinkle of internet and e-promises, A variety of movable devices (sleds, carts, wagons), A pinch of black market school hallway business, A plethora of parent workplaces,
1 aunt’s apartment building,
4 sensational cookie booths,
1 quart of cookie-craving college students.

Mix together adding persuasion and charm as needed. Wrap up warmly for freakishly freezing weather and then simmer for 7 selling weeks. Pick up extra cookies at the cupboard as needed. And don’t forget to return to your biggest cookie fans for maximum impact in the final days.