What are the best lucky food for New Year's Day? You might be surprised what common foods can bring you good luck.
Keyword chinese new year, holiday, holiday recipes, new years day, new years eve
Author Stephanie Stiavetti
Ingredients
Black eyed peas
Hoppin’ John
Grapes
Cooked greens
Fish
Pork and sauerkraut
Instructions
Black eyed peas: Black-eyed peas eaten with dark greens or stewed tomatoes represent wealth and health. In some areas monetary values are assigned with the black eyed peas, representing up to a dollar each. The greens representing anywhere from one to a thousand dollars. This is a healthy dish, so if nothing else you’ll start the year on a good note, diet-wise.
Hoppin’ John: Another variant of the black eyed peas tradition is called “Hoppin’ John.” In the southern United States, eating Hoppin’ John on New Year’s Day is thought to bring a lucky year and good fortune, as the ingredients in this dish are considered frugal. Here’s a great Hoppin’ John recipe.
Grapes: Spaniards have a tradition dating back to the early 1900′ where they consume 12 grapes at midnight, signifying the 12 months of the year. If any of the grapes are sour, that particular month it signifies could be a rocky one.
Cooked greens: Greens such as cabbage, kale, chard, and collard greens are consumed around the world to bring good economic fortune. The tradition is simple: the more greens you eat on New Year’s, the more money you will have in the new year. Another healthy tradition!
Fish: While many think that the Japanese eat fish simply as part of a good diet, there is also a symbolic reason behind the consumption of fish on New Year’s. Shrimp is consumed for long life, herring roe is symbolic of fertility, and dried sardines are used to bring about a good harvest (in the past, dried sardines were actually used as fertilizer for rice fields).
Pork and sauerkraut: Apparently there is also a pork and sauerkraut tradition. I had no idea!