5 things to know about Girl Scout Cookies on their 100th birthday

On March 12, the Girl Scouts of America will celebrate the 100th anniversary of everyone’s favorite thing: Girl Scout Cookies.

The Girl Scout program began in 1912 with the mission of preparing girls to meet their world with courage, confidence and character, according to Girlscouts.org.

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Here are some things you might not have known about the famous cookies:

» RELATED: Make these fun recipes with your Girl Scout cookies

The first known cookie sale was in 1917. The Girl Scouts in Muskogee, Okla., hand-baked cookies in hopes of raising money to fund their different projects. Other troops noticed their success and baked their own cookies to sell.

Credit: Girl Scouts USA

Credit: Girl Scouts USA

It was in 1922 when cookie sales really took off. This was the year a special sugar cookie recipe was published in the American Girl magazine. In the publication there was also a cooking-selling business plan to help other troops improve their profits.

Credit: HANDOUT

Credit: HANDOUT

During the 1940s, calendars were sold instead of cookies due to wartime shortages. In 1944, World War II caused cooking ingredients like eggs, milk, sugar and chocolate to be in short supply, so the girls began to sell calendars for a short time. In addition to selling calendars, the Girl Scouts sold war bonds to help the war effort.

Online cookie sales went live in 2014 with Digital Cookie™, so Girl Scouts and their troops are now able to make cookie sales online and with mobile phones. The girls set up their websites and share the link with their consumers who are able to use their credit card to buy their selected cookies and have them shipped directly to their home.

Credit: HANDOUT

Credit: HANDOUT

There's an app for finding Girl Scout Cookies. Gone are the days where a person had to hope their local troop was set out in front of the grocery store. Now, with the Girl Scout Cookie Finder, anyone with a mobile phone can discover the time and place of local cookie booths. The app is free and available on both the Apple Store and Google Play.

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