Mt. Rainier and Lenticular Clouds - Dec. 2008 copyright: JMM

November 17, 2012

Surprise!!!

Kinder Surprise, that is!  I was unaware of these toy-inside-candy eggs until a few years ago when I saw something about them online.  They are illegal in the USA because of some stupid, archaic law from the 1930s about putting 'non-nutritive items' inside confections.  I'm not sure how Cracker Jack gets away with it, unless popcorn and peanuts aren't considered a 'confection'. There was a recall in 1997, from shops that sold imported food items.  The shops had also received threatening letters from the US Government, threatening legal action.  Over a chocolate egg with a toy inside?  Can I get a 'WTF?!?!?!'  One of my friends sent these to me recently.  


There are 3 eggs inside each box.

The eggs are made of white chocolate covered with regular chocolate, with a plastic case inside.  This case is, apparently, considered a 'choking hazard'.  As if some kid would be stupid enough to ingest it.  *rolls eyes*

Inside the case is a tiny toy!!

And directions to put it together.

Whee!!!!!!!!!!

My plan was to save these eggs as part of my ever-growing pop culture collection, but they are just so darn good, and the pull to see what kind of toy is inside is too great, that I've been scarfing them down nibbling them a bit faster than I thought I would.  So far I've gotten 2 helicopters, 2 3D type scenes, a fox with a magnifying glass and a lion with a magnifying glass, and an inflatable paper cat head. 

HERE is a link to a WordPress blog called "Free the Egg", which describes the ban in the USA.  THIS is a link to a Petition to allow them in the USA, and due to some issues with the signature part hanging up, THIS is a link to add your signature to the Petition.  When you think of all the things that are wrong with America, banning chocolate eggs with toys inside is beyond ridiculous.  I encourage my readers to please take the time to sign the Petition and FREE THE EGG!!!!!!

11 comments:

  1. In Canada, we can buy these, no problem. With items like these, one assumes that a parent would be watching the child, but it's not necessarily so. Someone must have made a case against it at one time for it to be banned.

    Watch out, you may be searched for Kinder Eggs at the border. Eat them in Canada and bring the toy home.

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  2. They're banned? Are you KIDDING me? Omg... the things that are allowed in comparison... how stupid. Kinder eggs are a kid-staple up here. They go in my kids' Christmas stockings every year. I'm glad you're enjoying them!
    (Stupid laws. FREE THE EGGS!)

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  3. Well, they are widely on sale here, and there have been - guess how many choking incidents, parents watching or not? Yup. Zero.

    Don't think I can sign the petition though - asks for a zip code, and our post codes don't usually count.

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  4. If I had known to look for them when I went to BC I would have tried to sneak them home, instead of the Cuban cigar I always brought back.

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  5. Ha! We have boxes of these... of course I kept them for daughter. At Easter, they come out with HUGE eggs and larger toys. The yellow eggs are older; newer ones are orange.

    They are terrific; each Easter we would get dozens for her - while I ended up eating way too much chocolate as she played with the toys ;)

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  6. I have never seen anything like this! How cool!

    Kathy
    http://gigglingtruckerswife.blogspot.com

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  7. Anonymous12:40 PM

    I think these originated in Germany (?) but even Nanny-State Britain lets you buy them here!

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  8. Anonymous9:51 PM

    We used to get these all the time when I lived in Germany! Delicious. In the states we can get Kinderbars, kind of like a kit kat bar only with that kind of chocolate...yummy!

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  9. I have never seen or heard of these candy eggs. They look like they would be fun. It seems strange to ban them, the toy is pretty big for little mouths. Well hopefully the petition will help bring them to the US.
    Valerie
    Everyday Inspired

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  10. Never heard of them but the toy is more decent than I expected. The helicopter is adorable.

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  11. The EGG is a choking hazard??? I don't think I could swallow one, let alone a child! Most of the toys are pretty crappy so you did well! When I lived in France, over 10 years ago, M&Ms did a version with a cool M&M shaped plastic case and little M&M figures, I loved those. The US government would have a fit!!

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