Head into the New Year with friends, family, and of course, food. When you prep for your celebration, incorporate this fun tradition of New Year’s foods to eat for good luck.
Every culture has traditions that are observed throughout the holiday season, and food is often at the heart of many of those traditions. Here are some of the New Years food traditions and superstitions from around the world, and some of our favorite recipes that include these lucky ingredients.
New Year’s Eve is set to be celebrated on Sunday, December 31, 2023, followed by the arrival of New Year’s Day on Monday, January 1, 2024.
Ring-Shaped Foods
Ring-shaped food is said to symbolize either the past year coming full circle, or a full circle of good luck for the year ahead. Ring shaped cakes and other desserts are the most popular options to observe this tradition, and some people even bake coins or small trinkets into the cakes, bringing even more good fortune to the one who finds it.
Here are some of the popular ring-shaped foods consumed on New Years:
- Greece: Vasilopita – Traditional Greek Cake or bread often served at Midnight
- Bulgaria: Banitsa – Filo dough based cake with egg and feta
- Europe: King’s Cake – A sweet, bread/cake with almond cream, sometimes with icing and sprinkles
- Denmark: Kransekage – A tall ring/cone-shaped pastry made of smaller rings stacked on top of each other, made of marzipan
- Poland, Hungary: Donuts! – New Year’s Day and New Year’s Eve is known in Poland and Hungary asSylwester(Saint Sylvester’s Day) and they eat ring-shaped donuts.
Try these ring-shaped recipes:
- Crescent Roll Ring Recipes
- Donut Recipes
Noodles
Noodles are often eaten on the New Year for longevity and prosperity. The Japanese often eat soba noodles, the Chinese eat “longevity noodles”. There are many different types of noodles, so you may want to choose a new one to try as a way to kick off the New Year. Whatever noodles you choose to eat, the longer the noodle the better, and slurp away — no cutting allowed!
Try these noodle recipes for longevity in the New Year!
- Udon Noodle Soup Recipe
- Szechuan Beef Pasta
- Korean Cold Noodle Soup
- 5-Minute Pho
- 30 Ramen Noodle Recipes
- Instant Pot Pasta With Chipotle Tomato Sauce
Pork
If you’re looking to bring more wealth and prosperity into your life, kick off the New Year with pork. Eat your favorite pork recipe on New Year’s Day because pigs root forward (a sign of progress), as opposed to chickens and turkeys who scratch backwards. Pork and kraut is a popular pairing, as is pork and cabbage.
Try these pork recipes for prosperity!
- Instant Pot Pulled Pork
- Blue Cheese Stuffed Applewood Smoked Bacon Pork Loin
- 19 Pork Loin Recipes
- Ultimate Guide To Pork Chops
- Air Fryer Brats
- Spiral Ham
Lentils
Eating lentils on New Years Eve or Feast Day of Pope Saint Sylvester is a popular Italian tradition. They are believed to bring wealth and prosperity and are often eaten with pork!
Try this delicious Lentil Soup Recipe with Smoked Sausage and Parmesan
Fish
In Scandinavian countries, herring was considered a symbol of good fortune and pickled herring was a popular New Years appetizer. In many other cultures, fish in general is considered a sign of prosperity and good fortune, with their silvery coin-like scales, and the schools they swim in symbolizing abundance. If you’re looking for a year of prosperity and abundance from beginning to end, cook your fish whole, head, tail, and everything in between.
Try these fish recipes for a prosperous start to your New Year!
- Grilled Whole Trout
- Blackened Salmon with Roasted Tomatoes
- Baked Salmon With Mayo
- Baked Tilapia In Foil
Pomegranate
A Greek tradition has families throwing pomegranates at their front door at midnight. The more seeds that fall out when the pomegranate breaks, the more luck the family will enjoy. Not into smashing pomegranates? Try these pomegranate co*cktails instead!
- Pomegranate Margaritas
- Pomegranate Mojitos
- Poinsettia Drink with Pomegranate
Dumplings
Dumplings are often consumed the day before Chinese New Year as they resemble gold ingots, the ancient Chinese currency. Eating dumplings symbolizes sending away the old and welcoming the new.
For theMongolian Lunar New Year, commonly known as Tsagaan Sar, it is tradition to eat “buuz”, a mince meat-filled steamed dumpling.
Try these Air Fryer Dumplings for an easy New Years appetizer to bring good fortune to you and your guests in the year ahead.
More Lucky Food for the New Year
- Doughnuts (Oliebollen): In the Netherlands, eating these Dutch fried doughnuts is said to be lucky.
- Soft Pretzels (Neujahrsbrezel) – This is a sweet,soft pretzelis eaten on theNew YearinGermanyfor good luck.
- Buttered Bread (La nag Ceapairi): New Year’sDay in Ireland is also known as Day of theButtered Bread and is a talisman against hunger.
- Black-Eyed Peas: There are many variations to the tradition of eatingblack-eyed peason New Years Day but most maintain it but most hold the theme ofluck and prosperity.
- Grapes: In Spain eating 12 grapes (or raisins, if you’re in Portugal) at midnight on New Year’s Eve is both a tradition and a superstition. Eating 12 grapes ensures good luck for the next 12 months.
- Greens(collards, turnip greens, cabbage, etc.): In the south this is a traditional first-day-of-the-year meal along with cornbread and black eyed peas. It is said this meal brings good health, wealth and luck.
- Kagami Mochi: This is a traditional Japanese New Year’s decoration made of stacked mochi cakes placed on top of each other. It symbolizes good luck and prosperity into the New Year. Kuri Kinton (Candied Chestnuts and Sweet Potatoes) is also served during Oshogatsu (Japanese New Year) to bring good luck and prosperity.
- Spring Rolls: The Chinese New Year is also known as the Spring Festival, and these golden rolls represent gold bars that bring wealth and prosperity in the year to come.
- Bánh Chưng (Sticky Rice Cake): This is a must-have food for the Vietnamese Lunar New Year celebration known as Tết. The square shape symbolizes the ground expressing gratitude to Vietnamese ancestors and the earth.
- Tteokguk(soup with rice cake): Eating a bowl of tteokguk for Seollal, or Korean Lunar New Year, symbolizes growing a year older, along with good health and a long life.
Other Foods To Eat For Good Luck On New Years
- Cabbage
- Collard Greens
- Cornbread
- Oranges
- Rice
- Tamales
What NOT To Eat On New Years
Now that you know what to eat for good luck, here’s the bad luck foods to avoid to ensure that good luck sticks!
- Crab, Shrimp, and Lobster (because they move sideways/backwards)
- Catfish and Halibut (because they are bottom feeders)
- Chicken and Turkey (because they scratch backwards)
- Hollow Bread (a massive air pocket is said to be a bad omen)
- White Foods (Chinese tradition considers white unlucky because it symbolizes death including eggs, rice and white cheeses)
Ring in the New Year with These Festive Recipes!
- 30 Champagne co*cktail Recipes
- 31 Festive Holiday co*cktails
- Sugared Cranberries
- Cranberry Pecan Cheeseballs
- Coconut Rum Balls
- 26 Crescent Roll Appetizer Recipes
- Author
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Heidi Deal
Heidi Deal is an editor, mother of two, and seasoned home cook who enjoys experimenting with new recipes and teaching her kids how to prepare family meals. In her spare time she enjoys hiking, volunteering, and spending time with family and friends.
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As a seasoned home cook and enthusiast of diverse culinary traditions, I find great joy in exploring and understanding the cultural significance behind various foods. My experience extends beyond mere recipe-following, as I delve into the rich tapestry of global food traditions and superstitions. The article on New Year's foods resonates deeply with my expertise, and I'm excited to share insights on the cultural practices and ingredients mentioned.
Ring-Shaped Foods: The tradition of consuming ring-shaped foods during New Year's celebrations is fascinating. This symbolizes the completion of a cycle or the promise of good luck in the upcoming year. From the Greek Vasilopita to the Bulgarian Banitsa and the European King's Cake, each delicacy encapsulates unique cultural sentiments. Baking coins or trinkets into these desserts is a charming practice, believed to enhance good fortune.
Noodles: The inclusion of noodles for longevity and prosperity, especially in Japanese and Chinese cultures, reflects a belief in the symbolism of length and continuity. Whether it's Japanese soba noodles or Chinese longevity noodles, the emphasis on slurping without cutting is a delightful cultural nuance. The provided noodle recipes showcase the diversity of this tradition across Asian cuisines.
Pork: The choice of pork for New Year's Day is rooted in the belief that pigs symbolize progress, as they root forward. Pork and kraut or pork and cabbage combinations highlight the desire for wealth and prosperity. The recommended pork recipes offer a delicious way to embrace this tradition.
Lentils: The Italian tradition of eating lentils on New Year's Eve aligns with the belief that lentils bring wealth and prosperity. The suggested Lentil Soup Recipe with Smoked Sausage and Parmesan is a delightful nod to this custom.
Fish: Fish, symbolizing prosperity and abundance in various cultures, is a significant New Year's food. The recommendation to cook fish whole, from head to tail, emphasizes the desire for sustained prosperity. The provided fish recipes offer diverse ways to incorporate this tradition into festive meals.
Pomegranate: The Greek tradition of throwing pomegranates at the front door at midnight, with luck proportional to the number of seeds spilled, adds a playful element to New Year's celebrations. The suggested pomegranate co*cktails provide an alternative for those not inclined to smash the fruit.
Dumplings: The consumption of dumplings, especially in Chinese and Mongolian traditions, symbolizes sending away the old and welcoming the new. The Air Fryer Dumplings recipe aligns with this practice, offering a convenient and symbolic New Year's appetizer.
Additional New Year's Foods for Good Luck: The article further highlights a diverse array of global traditions, including Dutch Oliebollen, German Neujahrsbrezel, Irish La nag Ceapairi, and others. Each tradition carries its own unique symbolism, emphasizing luck, prosperity, and warding off misfortune.
Foods to Avoid: Equally important are the foods to avoid for good luck, such as crab, shrimp, and lobster (due to their sideways movement) and chicken and turkey (because they scratch backward). Understanding these taboos adds depth to the cultural insights provided.
In conclusion, the article serves as a comprehensive guide to New Year's foods, blending cultural traditions, superstitions, and delicious recipes. Embracing these culinary customs offers a meaningful and flavorful way to welcome the New Year.
