Foods That Bring Good Luck for New Years

Foods That Bring Good Luck for New Years

So you’ve read our New Year’s Lucky Foods post, and are ready to plan your menu.  

A New Year Lucky Foods shopping list is essential in preparing a menu for New Year’s Eve and New Year Day.  Planning ahead is key because if you follow New Years Traditions and Superstitions, there are lots of things you shouldn’t do on New Years day like using a knife, throwing out the garbage or do a lot of cleaning, so in our family we get as much ready as possible before midnight on New Year Eve.

Here is our New Years Lucky Foods Shopping List

Round fruits for good luck:  Please keep in mind that all fruits are fine to use.  The round shape represents the ongoing nature of time and the year coming to a close or full circle, which is why there is a focus on eating round fruits.  Round fruits include grapes, oranges, apples, mandarines, tangerines, watermelon, pomegranate, figs, pineapple, mango, lemon, lime, papaya, lychee, pomelo, guava, melon, kiwi, cantaloupe, plums, apricot, Asian pears, persimmons, peaches, honeydew, cherries, rambutan, blueberry, grapefruit, cranberry, coconut & raspberry. Bananas also make the list since when you slice them the pieces are round.

Round vegetables & rooted vegetables for good luck:  The same goes for vegetables. They are all fine, and none will bring bad luck, but for added luck, go with fruits that have a round shape or those that grow with roots to help ground you in the coming here.  These vegetables include potato, onion, garlic, ginger, cherry tomato, avocado, radish, cabbage, carrots, celery root, leek, parsnip, beets, mushroom, pumpkin, sweet potato, turnip & yucca.

Greens for good luck: Greens resemble money, so make sure to shop for your favorites.  Kale, spinach, chard, arugula,kohlrabi, bok choy, broccoli raab, collard greens turnip greens and mustard greens are all popular options.

Round Foods for good luck:  As we mentioned above, the round shape is thought to bring good luck.  There are so many round foods our list would be quite long, but we are going to list some of the most popular circular foods while omitting things made from beef or chicken since those foods are on the list of things to avoid for New Year’s.  Fried eggs, pancakes, pizza, crepe, pies, doughnuts/doughnut holes, cookies, cakes, sushi, brie (& other wheels of cheese,) cheese balls or rings, bagels, quiche, bread bowls, meatballs (made from pork), truffles, cheesecake, garlic knots, olives, oats, matzo balls, dumplings, fritters & rice balls.

Proteins for good luck: 

• Beans (most commonly used on New Year are either black-eyed peas or lentils,) but any bean is fine.
• Pork in its many forms is used for New Year’s, including pork chops, tenderloin, ribs, sausage, bacon, ham, pancetta, prosciutto, ground pork belly, or ham hock.
• Fish:  All fish work but if you want to fatten your wallet, go with a fatty fish such as salmon, trout, mackerel or sardines.  Another belief is that you should serve fish whole to represent the beginning and the end of the year.  The best fish to cook whole is a white-fleshed fish such as red snapper, mahi mahi, sea bass, or branzino.

For your starches, noodles, rice, quinoa, risotto & barley are all considered good luck foods. Cornbread is considered a lucky food in the South.

Now you have plenty of options to choose from this New Years Lucky Foods Shopping list!