First-time visitors to Japan are often astonished to discover the variety of products available at 7-Eleven convenience stores. And for those who want to satisfy their sweet tooth, there's quite a range of products they can choose from, beginning with cookies, cakes, snacks, candies, ice creams, and more.

For many customers, pudding is a reliable choice when they want a snack or a dessert to go with their bento lunch or other prepared meals. Fortunately, 7-Eleven Japan has puddings aplenty!

We decided to stop by our closest 7-Eleven and try all of the ones in stock made by their original store brand. Here's a review of five puddings and how our writer Ben K ranked them:

Seven Premium pudding review

5. (Retro style) Pudding with Sauce and Sponge Cake

• Name (Japanese): 濃厚卵のレトロプリン (rich egg retro pudding)
• Name (English): Pudding with Sauce and Sponge Cake
• Price: 208 JPY plus tax
• Dietary information: Calories: 256 kcal, Protein: 8.7 g, Fat: 10.1 g, Carbohydrates: 32.5 g (sugar: 32.5 g, dietary fiber: 0.0 g), Salt equivalent: 0.22 g
• Product page on 7-Eleven's website

This pudding has a square shape, which I've never seen before growing up in the United States. It's moderately sweet, with a smooth texture and, as the name suggests, you can definitely taste the eggs, although it wasn't as rich as I expected from the name. The sponge underneath that is soaked in a very mild, light caramel syrup. It's called "retro," so I wonder if this is the kind of pudding that was served in 純喫茶 jun-kissa coffee shops or yōshoku restaurants in the Showa Era...

4. Almond Pudding

• Name (Japanese): とろけるくちどけ杏仁豆腐 (melt-in-your-mouth an'nin dōfu)
• Name (English): Almond Pudding
• Price: 140 JPY plus tax
• Dietary information: Calories: 129 kcal, Protein: 3.2 g, Fat: 4.4 g, Carbohydrates: 19.4 g (sugar: 19.1 g, dietary fiber: 0.3 g), Salt equivalent: 0.15 g
• Product page on 7-Eleven's website

The few times I tried 杏仁豆腐 an'nin dōfu in Japan, it was too sweet and syrupy for my preference, so I didn't have too many expectations trying this one. However, I was pleasantly surprised by the delicate flavor of almonds and milk in this pudding. I appreciated the fact that it had nothing else added to it, no syrup or other things to get in the way. Its texture was perfect, not too firm, not too soft, and pleasantly refreshing. I would try it again!

3. Custard Pudding

• Name (Japanese): 窯焼きとろ生カスタードプリン (oven-baked fresh custard pudding)
• Name (English): Custard Pudding
• Price: 178 JPY plus tax
• Dietary information: Calories: 249 kcal, Protein: 8.4 g, Fat: 11.5 g, Carbohydrates: 28.1 g (sugar: 27.8 g, dietary fiber: 0.3 g), Salt equivalent: 0.2 g
• Product page on 7-Eleven's website

I was frankly surprised by this pudding. With its rich, creamy taste and velvety texture, it tastes like a dessert from a fancy restaurant. The sweetness is just right, and the syrup is elegant, with a sweet and slightly bitter caramel sauce that goes so well with the pudding. It may be a bit rich at the end of a hearty feast, but it's perfect when you're hungry or if you've left room for dessert after a light meal.

2. (Baked Custard) Pudding

• Name (Japanese): 新鮮な卵と牛乳を使用した直火焼きプリン (oven-baked fresh custard pudding made with fresh eggs and milk)
• Name (English): Pudding
• Price: 208 JPY plus tax
• Dietary information (1 pudding): Calories: 100 kcal, Protein: 3.1 g, Fat: 4.2 g, Carbohydrates: 12.5 g (sugar: 12.5 g, dietary fiber: 0 g), Salt equivalent: 0.13 g
• Product page on 7-Eleven's website

For me, this was a real trip down memory lane since it reminded me so much of the baked crème caramel my grandmother used to make. From the golden-brown skin on top to the inviting aroma and above all, the taste. The sweetness is just right, and you can really taste the milk and eggs. The caramel syrup adds just the right touch. I also appreciate that they only have 100 calories each and come in a pack of four. Not as good as my grandma's recipe, but pretty close!

1. (Rich-Tasting Egg Yolk and Milk) Pudding

• Name (Japanese): 卵黄とミルクの贅沢な味わい きみだけのプリン ("only for you" / yolks-only pudding with a luxurious taste of egg yolks and milk)
• Name (English): Pudding
• Price: 148 JPY plus tax
• Dietary information: Calories: 139 kcal, Protein: 6.6 g, Fat: 4.8 g, Carbohydrates: 17.6 g (sugar: 17.3 g, dietary fiber: 0.3 g), Salt equivalent: 0.1 g
• Product page on 7-Eleven's website

I can't say enough about how creamy this pudding is. It really melts in your mouth. And they're not kidding when they talk about the "luxurious taste" of egg yolks. Moreover, the syrup is a deep caramel, but not too sweet, making it a perfect match for the pudding. I savored the first few spoonfuls and then just couldn't put my spoon down. It was my favorite of the five. And since I'm a sucker for Japanese puns, I also liked the name. Since kimi can both mean egg yolks 黄身 (in other words, "egg yolks-only pudding") or you 君 (in other words, "just-for-you pudding"), writing it in hiragana as きみ allows for both interpretations.

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Depending on which 7-Eleven you visit, you may find yet other varieties of their original puddings that we didn't cover here. Of course, if you're not a pudding person, you can find many other sweets, like the Mont Blanc maritozzo or their fluffy and crunchy chocolate sandwiches we reviewed recently. To see the entire sweets lineup, visit their official website here.