8 Lucky Foods for the New Year
This year, instead of leaving your next year’s luck up to fate, why not feast on the foods that are said to increase your future fortune? There are a variety of foods that are thought to be lucky (some are traditional while others are more based on superstition), and while they vary from culture to culture, and aren’t guaranteed to ensure a happy new year, you can bet all of them will lead to a satisfied stomach.
1. Grapes
The Spanish have a tradition/superstition of eating 12 grapes at midnight, one for each month of the coming year. If you bite into a sweet grape it means the month will be good, while a sour grape is said to be indicative of a less-than-lucky time.
Recipe Idea: skewer 12 grapes and serve alongside a glass of bubbly at midnight.
2. Greens
An American superstition is that greens like collards, kale, and spinach are considered lucky because they represent paper money.
Recipe to Try: Chicken and Kale Pizza Bake
3. Circular Foods
These are thought to bring good luck because they symbolize coming ‘full circle’ and are usually served for New Year’s Day breakfast.
Recipe idea: Serve a breakfast buffet of bagels, cream cheese, smoked salmon, capers, red onion, dill and lemon on New Year’s morning.
4. Beans
Also represent money, but more specifically coins.
Recipe to try: Baked Mac and Cheese with Little White Beans
5. Pork:
Believe to be a symbol of luck because they are rotund. This is said to represent prosperity and happiness.
Recipe to Try: Rigatoni with Slow Cooker Pork Ragu
6. Long Noodles:
Soba and buckwheat are popular choices and said to signify longevity, so the longer the noodle the better.
Recipe to Try: Sesame Soba Noodle and Kale Salad
7. Pomegranates:
Said to represent good luck for many reasons’red colour denotes the human heart, love and fertility; medicinal properties symbolize good health; and their abundant round seeds indicate prosperity’and are thought to be ideal for eating on New Year’s Day as they represent all the things people hope for with a fresh start.
Recipe Idea: Sprinkle pomegranate arils over everything from salads to bowls of oatmeal to desserts.
8. Cornbread:
Believed to bring prosperity because it’s the same colour of gold. Ensure extra luck by adding corn kernels, which are considered extra lucky like gold nuggets.
Recipe to Try: Cheddar and Dill Skillet Cornbread
