Around the world, people from different cultures have different traditions that they follow during the holidays. For New Year’s, people from all parts of the world, do things that they believe bring them good luck, but besides that, there are also certain foods that they believe eating will bring them good luck. These New Year’s traditions that they follow are to set themselves up for success in the coming year.
If you aren’t a fan of going out to celebrate and prefer to stay home alone or invite family and friends over, you should definitely try out these foods that are eaten to bring good luck and prosperity in the New Year – 2021.
New Year’s Food Traditions which bring good luck around the world
- NOODLES IN ASIA: In many countries in Asia, people eat super long noodles. This New Year’s Day tradition is believed to lengthen their life, as long as the noodles do not break while they are being eaten.
- TTEOKGUK IN SOUTH KOREA: Tteokguk is a kind of soup eaten in South Korea especially on New Year. According to the South Koreans, they consider themselves to grow older at New Year’s and not their birthday. Tteokguk is made of broth, small disc-shaped rice cakes, vegetables, and meat. Eating Tteokguk is believed to bring good luck to all those who eat it, in the New Year. People often top the dish with roasted seaweed, egg, and spring onions.
- SUGAR PIGS OR PORK IN GERMANY: Eating pork in Germany is not really necessary. Many people prefer to eat a sugar pig made from a sugary almond paste. They are very sweet and can be eaten by vegetarians too!
- ORANGES AND HONEY IN ASIA: In Asian Cultures, people believe that eating oranges and honey on New Year’s will bring good fortune, money, and wealth. You can eat this along with other fruits as a fruit salad.
- LENTILS IN ITALY: Lentils are circle shaped- like coins. Eating them on New Year is said to bring prosperity in the coming year. They are usually eaten along with the sausage. And together they symbolize future prosperity.
- RAW EGGS IN EL SALVADOR: In El Salvador, each person cracks an egg in a glass of water right before midnight and the next morning they see what the New Year will bring based on what their yolk looks like. And don’t worry, at no point will you have to eat this raw egg.
- GRAPES IN SPAIN: In Spain, on New Year’s, people eat 12 grapes when the clock strikes 12 at midnight – one during each stroke of midnight. Being able to eat all the grapes is a sign that you will have good luck in the coming year, but if you can’t then it is bad luck. Also, the flavor of the grapes you eat tells you what fortune lies ahead of you- sweet grapes suggest a good one and sour ones a not-so-good one.
- TANG YUAN IN CHINA: Tang Yuan is a sweet rice dumpling that is stuffed with a variety of yummy fillings like nuts, fruit, sugar, sesame seed paste, and sweet bean paste. They are eaten on Chinese New Year. Tang Yuan is first boiled and then served in syrup. They are eaten as they symbolize togetherness and family.
- POMEGRANATE IN TURKEY: In Turkey, people smash pomegranates on their doorways on New Year’s. When this sweet and sour fruit is thrown, depending on how many seeds burst out, the better fortune you will have. The seeds symbolize fertility and abundance for the New Year.
- KUKU SABZI IN IRAN: In Iran, on New Year’s they make a frittata with eggs and fresh herbs. People eat this for abundance and fertility in the coming year.
- CABBAGE IN GERMANY, IRELAND, AND PARTS OF THE UNITED STATES: In Germany, Ireland, and parts of America, green cabbage is eaten as it signifies luck and fortune. The color green also symbolizes money and wealth.
- BLACK EYED PEAS, GREENS, AND CORNBREAD: These three dishes are supposed to be eaten together. Black-eyed peas are said to bring pennies, greens bring dollars and cornbread brings gold. When you eat them all together you not only set yourself up for luck and wealth in the New Year but also start off the year on a healthy note.
- ROUND BUNDT CAKES: Round cakes (like Bundt cakes) and other sweets in the shape of a circle signify the full circle of life.
- FISH: Fish, in some countries, is associated with moving forward since they swim in one direction. But other countries believe that since fish swim in schools, they symbolize abundance. In Asian countries, a whole fish is eaten as a family. The eldest members of the family sit at the head of the fish and are the first to dig in.
So whatever you choose to dine on, this New Year here’s wishing you a prosperous and luck-filled New Year!
