Kinder Sorpresas, aka Kinder eggs

Kinder eggs are about the size of an extra large chicken egg. They are composed of 2 thin layers of chocolate, the outer layer milk chocolate, the inner layer white chocolate. Inside the hollow chocolate egg is a yellow plastic egg. Split open this egg and you will find a small toy that you (usually) must put together following simple diagram instructions (you'll occassionally get a toy that you don't have to put together. These toys are always lame). Also included is a picture of your toy, which is usually part of a larger themed set, of which there is also a drawing.

When I was in Spain in 2000 I bought one almost every day, and as a result I have a rather large collection, including a set of Halloween-themed mouse vampires dressed in tuxedos with purple skin and glow-in-the-dark fangs, and a crab and an octopus with legs that move when you push them across the table.

I discovered that they have Kinder eggs in Mexico when I was in a pharmacy helping a student buy a hair brush. She was talking with an employee, and I was examining the shelves to pass the time. And there they were, a whole tray sitting next to the Kinder Buenos (candy bars kind of like Kit-Kat, but hollow after the chocolate-coated crispy shell, with a fluffy hazelnut cream inside, They used to have them at the HP Co-op, but not sure if Treasure Island sells them). I got pretty excited, which amused the student, who had never even heard of them. I've since discovered that none of my students have heard of them, and am considering buying one for everyone and charging it to the U of C as "cultural materials."

Since then I've bought several, and discovered that the grocery store Piticó is the cheapest place to buy them; pharmacies sell them for much more ($14.50 vs. $10, or USD$1.50 vs. $1). You can see my toys here. I'll be adding more as I open them. Hopefully I'll collect a set!

Unfortunately, they're not available in the US because supposedly the small plastic toy parts inside pose as choking hazards to small children. But they are available in almost every other country, including Canada, Europe, and Mexico. Kinder even has a website where you can go play games, watch cartoons, and see different toy sets.