Kinder Eggs Are Now Available in America, But There’s a Catch

Updated: Nov. 23, 2023

After decades of not having Kinder eggs on American shelves, they are finally available to purchase. But they aren't exactly what we thought...

kinder eggs Taste of Home / Kiersten Hickman

When describing the popularity of Kinder eggs to a huddle of co-workers, our social media intern put it nicely: “Kinder eggs are like the M&M’s of Germany.” These popular European chocolate eggs contain a small toy on the inside, bringing our staff back to the days of McDonald’s happy meal toys and cereal box treasures.

If you haven’t heard of Kinder, let me take some time to explain. Kinder is the second largest chocolate brand in the world, owned by the Italian candy maker Ferrero. Which, you guessed it, is the company that also owns Ferrero Rocher chocolates and recently acquired the famous brand Nestle. One of Kinder’s most popular items is the Kinder Surprise egg. It’s a chocolate egg with a creamy inner shell, which hides a plastic tube with a toy on the inside. Though uber-popular in Europe, these eggs have been banned from the United States due to a law stating that food products are not allowed to contain non-nutritive objects (i.e. something that doesn’t provide nutrition) inside of them. Sure, Americans can find Kinder’s delicious chocolate bars (like Kinder Bueno) in major stores like Walmart or Target, but Kinder eggs were never an option. Until recently, that is.

Kinder Eggs Arrive in America

Back in May, Ferrero announced that they would soon start selling Kinder eggs in the United States. And the day is finally here—with a slight catch. Kinder Surprise eggs are still not allowed in the United States, but Kinder Joy eggs are. Kinder Joy eggs aren’t new, however. They were launched in Italy in 2001, and are particularly popular in India and China.

Since arriving in the U.S, people have been giving the Kinder Joy eggs mixed reviews. I decided to go out to the pharmacy and grab some eggs for my coworkers to try.

Disagreement between a waiter and a customer in a coffee shop; Shutterstock ID 436100407

A Closer Look

When our 2 p.m, sugar craving started to hit, eight of us gathered around a table of eight Kinder Joy eggs. When you open up a Kinder Joy, the egg splits in two. Each side has a plastic cover, one that holds the toy and the other that holds the dessert. Unlike other popular candy bars or treat (like, ahem, the Kinder Surprise), this candy has to be eaten with a utensil. But a small utensil is actually attached inside the Kinder Joy, so no need to run and grab a spoon.

Although the concept of the Kinder Joy is very different than it’s brother Kinder Surprise, we were all a little bit shocked how much we actually enjoyed the dessert. Kinder Joy has a wonderful flavorful mix between Nutella and the inside of a Ferrero Rocher candy, topped with two chocolate-covered wafer balls. Eve though it was difficult to use the small spoon to balance the large wafer balls, it was still a delightful dessert to satisfy that afternoon sugar craving—just like these perfectly sweet snack recipes.

Even though the dessert was delicious, the packaging still threw us off a bit. Since these eggs are meant for children, we all felt a bit concerned that children may have a hard time trying to open up one of these on their own. But the little toys included may be enough of an enticement for kids to still enjoy this wonderful European treat.

In Conclusion…

Kiersten Hickman / Taste of Home

I admit, I probably wouldn’t buy one of these over another Kinder product. I absolutely love Kinder bars and found the Kinder Surprise eggs to be a fun treat while spending time over in Europe. This dessert is still delicious, and I wouldn’t say no if someone was offering. But I think I’ll stick to Kinder Bueno or the other amazing products that Kinder has to offer.

Or, maybe I’ll just stick to making one of these decadent chocolate desserts, because boy do they look good!

Try recipes for homemade chocolate candy.

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Saltine Toffee Bark Everyone loves these salty-sweet treasures—their flavor is simply irresistible. The bark is like brittle, but better. Get ready for a new family favorite! —Laura Cox, Brewster, Massachusetts Go to Recipe Also, treat your sweetie to one of these decadent Valentine’s Day desserts and you’ll capture their heart forever

TMB studio

Champagne TrufflesWho can resist champagne truffles? Especially when they are so very easy to make! Serve them in gold foil candy cups for an elegant look. —Deirdre Cox, Kansas City, Missouri