Illegal Candy Sought!
November 5, 2017 11:18 AM Subscribe
So, I just came home from a trip to Germany - and while I was there, I picked up a pair of Kinder Surprise Eggs, one each for my niece and nephew - because, they are illegal in the US. However - one of them did not survive the trip, and crushed all over the inside of my bag. Is there any way to somehow get another one by Christmas without asking friends to run afoul of the law?
I only knew before taking the trip that the eggs were illegal for import, but thought that surely a couple tucked into a corner of one of my backpack pockets would be okay. I declared them on my customs form as "chocolate" and that was that (well, except for one getting crushed). So I was actually just on the verge of posting something on MeFi Jobs, asking someone to get one and mail it to me. However - I've also just had a look at some articles on Kinder Eggs, and learned that they're way more illegal than I thought (like, if anyone had caught me somehow, I'd be fined a grand per egg). So I'm reluctant to ask anyone to smuggle one on my behalf, or to mail one to me, if it could potentially carry hefty fines.
But on the other hand this means that I'm left with one Kinder Egg, and just the toy from inside the other one. And two children I wanted to treat; I don't think it would fly if I gave them one and said to share it. So - is there any possible way to get one somehow that is a little less dicey?
I have seen that there will be a product called "Kinder Joy" that you can get in America, but that looks more like a Nutella-to-go type of concept, where they have a double-welled package with a toy in one side and a pool of chocolate goo on the other. It's not the same as the chocolate-shell-surrounding-a-capsule-with-a-cheap-toy concept that I was going for.
Any ideas?....I suppose I could decide no one gets a Kinder Egg and just eat it myself, but that's no fun, so I really want to get a second.
I only knew before taking the trip that the eggs were illegal for import, but thought that surely a couple tucked into a corner of one of my backpack pockets would be okay. I declared them on my customs form as "chocolate" and that was that (well, except for one getting crushed). So I was actually just on the verge of posting something on MeFi Jobs, asking someone to get one and mail it to me. However - I've also just had a look at some articles on Kinder Eggs, and learned that they're way more illegal than I thought (like, if anyone had caught me somehow, I'd be fined a grand per egg). So I'm reluctant to ask anyone to smuggle one on my behalf, or to mail one to me, if it could potentially carry hefty fines.
But on the other hand this means that I'm left with one Kinder Egg, and just the toy from inside the other one. And two children I wanted to treat; I don't think it would fly if I gave them one and said to share it. So - is there any possible way to get one somehow that is a little less dicey?
I have seen that there will be a product called "Kinder Joy" that you can get in America, but that looks more like a Nutella-to-go type of concept, where they have a double-welled package with a toy in one side and a pool of chocolate goo on the other. It's not the same as the chocolate-shell-surrounding-a-capsule-with-a-cheap-toy concept that I was going for.
Any ideas?....I suppose I could decide no one gets a Kinder Egg and just eat it myself, but that's no fun, so I really want to get a second.
They're on eBay in the dozens.
posted by humboldt32 at 11:34 AM on November 5, 2017 [1 favorite]
posted by humboldt32 at 11:34 AM on November 5, 2017 [1 favorite]
Any Russian/Eastern European market carries them in the SF Bay Area, so I'd check at your local markets or delis of that nature.
posted by Wavelet at 11:38 AM on November 5, 2017 [1 favorite]
posted by Wavelet at 11:38 AM on November 5, 2017 [1 favorite]
I've also seen them at international stores near me - definitely the German gourmet one. If you list your location, maybe someone can recommend a place.
posted by bluefly at 11:42 AM on November 5, 2017 [1 favorite]
posted by bluefly at 11:42 AM on November 5, 2017 [1 favorite]
Response by poster: Humbolt, I'm looking on eBay and it looks like what's on there is the KInder Joy thing that's the nutella-in-a-well type of thing I talked about above. Or it's just the toys from eggs that other people have already eaten.
The rest of y'all - So there are stores in the US that do sell these things? Somehow I was afraid that it would just be, like, a chocolate egg. Are these definitely the eggs with the toys inside?
posted by EmpressCallipygos at 11:43 AM on November 5, 2017
The rest of y'all - So there are stores in the US that do sell these things? Somehow I was afraid that it would just be, like, a chocolate egg. Are these definitely the eggs with the toys inside?
posted by EmpressCallipygos at 11:43 AM on November 5, 2017
Response by poster: Oh, and I'm in NYC. If I can get one here, then fantastic (my niece and nephew live in a small town and I don't think these would be in shops there, and even if they are they'll get chocolate and won't care).
posted by EmpressCallipygos at 11:44 AM on November 5, 2017
posted by EmpressCallipygos at 11:44 AM on November 5, 2017
There's a similar product called Choco Treasure which seems to be legal in the US. I'm pretty sure I've seen them at World Market in the past.
posted by belladonna at 11:58 AM on November 5, 2017 [1 favorite]
posted by belladonna at 11:58 AM on November 5, 2017 [1 favorite]
Response by poster: Forgive my double-checking, but those of you who have reported sightings - are you sure you are not talking about the "Kinder Joy"? This is what the Kinder Joy egg is like - but I'm looking for this.
posted by EmpressCallipygos at 12:08 PM on November 5, 2017
posted by EmpressCallipygos at 12:08 PM on November 5, 2017
I bought a couple at the German store by me around Easter this year, and they had toys inside, just like any Kinder Sorpresa I've had in Europe. I assumed there was some kind of loophole for importing them in small quantities. I had no idea they were so illegal!
Alternatively, you could try your hand at making your own; egg molds are easy to find at cake decorating stores. Or try the choco treasure knock-offs (not really the same).
posted by bluefly at 12:12 PM on November 5, 2017 [1 favorite]
Alternatively, you could try your hand at making your own; egg molds are easy to find at cake decorating stores. Or try the choco treasure knock-offs (not really the same).
posted by bluefly at 12:12 PM on November 5, 2017 [1 favorite]
In south Florida we find the Surprise eggs at the middle eastern grocery.
posted by PorcineWithMe at 12:16 PM on November 5, 2017 [1 favorite]
posted by PorcineWithMe at 12:16 PM on November 5, 2017 [1 favorite]
Check your MeMail!
posted by rhythm and booze at 12:22 PM on November 5, 2017
posted by rhythm and booze at 12:22 PM on November 5, 2017
Yowies. Are an Australian spin on the product. The ones I know from home have little figures of Australian animals in them, though the ones I linked are a USA edition so might have different figures in. You can buy them individually at Walmart too it seems and it looks a lot cheaper.
posted by wwax at 12:29 PM on November 5, 2017 [2 favorites]
posted by wwax at 12:29 PM on November 5, 2017 [2 favorites]
I have absolutely bought the kinder surprise eggs in NYC with the illegal toys inside at Eastern Euro bodegas and maybe a fancy gourmet grocery. I can’t recall where exactly, probably East Village or Bay Ridge, but I still have the little plastic aliens that came inside of them for a while.
posted by kapers at 12:36 PM on November 5, 2017 [1 favorite]
posted by kapers at 12:36 PM on November 5, 2017 [1 favorite]
I think I’ve even seen them by the register at the smaller Met stores.
posted by kapers at 12:38 PM on November 5, 2017
posted by kapers at 12:38 PM on November 5, 2017
Response by poster: Lemme take a closer look around then. If anyone has any definite NYC sightings, please let me know exact addresses. Thanks!
posted by EmpressCallipygos at 12:49 PM on November 5, 2017
posted by EmpressCallipygos at 12:49 PM on November 5, 2017
If you can't get them in the US, and are near the border, they are sold everywhere in Canada. I have a few in my cupboard now. Come here, or one of us could send some? I'd do it!
posted by Valancy Rachel at 1:49 PM on November 5, 2017 [2 favorites]
posted by Valancy Rachel at 1:49 PM on November 5, 2017 [2 favorites]
Yeah. Our Polish nanny gets them for the kids all the time. Pretty much any Russian/eastern European market and them. I'm in NYC.
posted by JPD at 3:16 PM on November 5, 2017
posted by JPD at 3:16 PM on November 5, 2017
I’ve bought them within the last year at Carnival Market, a 24-hour grocery store in Kensington, Brooklyn. They’re on a shelf behind the cash registers. I’ve also seen them at assorted other bodegas in the neighborhood, but not consistently - sometimes they have them and sometimes they won’t. Carnival always seems to, but I haven’t been in about a year so I can’t make any guarantees.
posted by Itaxpica at 4:08 PM on November 5, 2017
posted by Itaxpica at 4:08 PM on November 5, 2017
(And to specify, yes, it’s the Kinder eggs with the toy inside, not the Kinder Joy)
posted by Itaxpica at 4:10 PM on November 5, 2017
posted by Itaxpica at 4:10 PM on November 5, 2017
I know a specific place: in Flushing next to Coco Tea on Main Street and Roosevelt there's a stand that has them.
posted by starlybri at 4:10 PM on November 5, 2017
posted by starlybri at 4:10 PM on November 5, 2017
We buy them in Canada and bring them into the US all the time. I'd be shocked if there aren't some mom and pop stores near you selling them. Over the weekend I actually saw some for sale at a gas station in CT but of course I didn't realize then I'd have to remember where that was.
posted by anastasiav at 6:29 PM on November 5, 2017 [1 favorite]
posted by anastasiav at 6:29 PM on November 5, 2017 [1 favorite]
I'm pretty sure I saw some at a grocery store in Rego Park this week.
posted by 168 at 7:37 PM on November 5, 2017
posted by 168 at 7:37 PM on November 5, 2017
I just saw them this afternoon in the checkout candy at the Broadway Trade Fair in Astoria.
Parrot Coffee (which sells a lot of eastern European groceries) in Sunnyside usually has them, the one in Astoria probably does too.
posted by yeahlikethat at 8:35 PM on November 5, 2017
Parrot Coffee (which sells a lot of eastern European groceries) in Sunnyside usually has them, the one in Astoria probably does too.
posted by yeahlikethat at 8:35 PM on November 5, 2017
Definitely any Eastern European store will have them. I see them all the time at the Polish grocery stores in Garfield, NJ, Wallington, NJ. I think I've even seen them in the one in Livingston, NJ.
You can check out the Polish butcher across the street from Veselka on 2nd Avenue if you happen to be downtown.
posted by dancinglamb at 1:34 AM on November 6, 2017 [1 favorite]
You can check out the Polish butcher across the street from Veselka on 2nd Avenue if you happen to be downtown.
posted by dancinglamb at 1:34 AM on November 6, 2017 [1 favorite]
Response by poster: So, um...after this MeTa I'm realizing exact addresses may not be wise (although I'd still like them) so if you want to memail me that'd be cool.
posted by EmpressCallipygos at 9:50 AM on November 6, 2017
posted by EmpressCallipygos at 9:50 AM on November 6, 2017
In the Italian neighborhood in Providence, RI (Federal Hill), the biggest Italian gourmet market has them at the register all the time. *shrug*
posted by wenestvedt at 10:33 AM on November 6, 2017
posted by wenestvedt at 10:33 AM on November 6, 2017
Nthing Polish grocery stores. They'll have 'em for sure. They'll probably also have Kinder Buenos, Kinder Rhinos, and a whole mess of yummy other candies.
posted by DirtyOldTown at 1:56 PM on November 6, 2017
posted by DirtyOldTown at 1:56 PM on November 6, 2017
I do not think anyone is hunting down Kinder Egg purveyors and fining them considering I literally saw them at every single grocery store I ever lived near in Astoria and Sunnyside. :)
posted by good day merlock at 9:00 AM on November 7, 2017
posted by good day merlock at 9:00 AM on November 7, 2017
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