Ring-shaped Cakes
Ring-shaped cakes and other baked goods symbolize wholeness and the completion of a full year'’s cycle. In Greece, there'’s vasilopita, a round, anise-flavored cake with a coin hidden inside; in Mexico, they make rosca de reyes, a sweet, ring-shaped bread that'’s studded with dried fruit and baked with a tiny figurine of baby Jesus inside; and a long-held Dutch tradition is to feast on puffy, doughnut-like fritters called oliebollen, which are filled with apples and raisins and dusted with powdered sugar.
Dumplings
Because dumplings resemble the gold ingots that were once China'’s currency, eating them represents the hope for an auspicious new year. If you'’re making them yourself, however, look out: Superstition warns against counting the dumplings for fear that it will lead to scarcity in the new year. Another ancient belief that doubles as a teaching moment: Any bad feelings between family members must be resolved before the dumplings are cooked; if they'’re not, evil spirits will steal them.
Fish
In China, a whole steamed fish symbolizes a long and healthy life and oysters and prawns are lucky, too. In Poland, one serves pickled herring at midnight; in Italy, dried salt cod stars in a variety of holiday dishes; and in Germany, you simply can'’t celebrate the day without noshing on carp, which often appears in a stew. Germans take it one step further, though — many tuck a few carp scales into their wallets afterward to keep from running out of money in the following year.
Grapes
In Spain, New Year’'s Eve means one thing: a whole lot of grapes. At midnight, everyone from grandmothers to teenagers starts popping the fruit into their mouths one-by-one, in time with the local clock tower’s chimes. The saying goes that if you manage to swallow all twelve before the last stroke of midnight, you can count on a prosperous year. Today, the custom is also going strong in Portugal, Cuba, Venezuela and a handful of other countries.
Greens
The leaves of greens are thought to resemble folded money and supposedly portend a rise in economic fortune. In Germany, sauerkraut (pickled cabbage) is a New Year’s must; in Denmark, it’s kale sweetened with cinnamon and sugar, and in this country, sautéed collard greens are an integral part of a New Year’s meal. In Iran and other countries that celebrate the Persian New Year, fresh herbs, which represent fruitfulness in the coming year, find their way into rice dishes and oven-baked omelets.
Pork
The high fat content in pork signifies wealth and prosperity; plus, pigs push their snouts forward when rooting for food, which represents progress. (In contrast, turkeys and chickens scratch backward for their food. For that reason, and the superstition that happiness will fly away with the birds’ feathers, many people avoid poultry for the New Year.) Suckling pig is a favorite at New Year’'s meals in Russia, Austria, Hungary and Portugal; in Germany, you'’ll find roasted pork and sausages, and in Sweden, pork trotters.
Black-eyed Peas
Hoppin’ John, a classic black-eyed pea recipe, is a New Year's Day tradition in the American South and is believed to bring luck and prosperity. Either way, it’s sure to bring good health in the coming year, as black-eyed peas are a high-fiber, low-fat, and low-calorie food. Serve this recipe with collard greens (another lucky New Year's Day food!) for an extra-healthy start to your year.
Lentils
Lentils, whose small, round shape is reminiscent of coins, is though to bring wealth in the new year, much like their legume cousin black-eyed peas. In Brazil, the first meal of the new year is customarily lentil soup, while in Italy, it’s tradition to eat lentils and sausage just after midnight. Try this sausage and lentil soup for a modern twist of this classic Italian custom that is perfect for cold winter nights.
Sauerkraut
Eating sauerkraut on New Year's Day is a long tradition in Germany, where it’s believed to bring blessings and wealth in the coming year. Sauerkraut is also commonly eaten in parts of the U.S. with large German-American populations like Pennsylvania, where it’s traditionally served with pork, another lucky food. Whip up this caraway pepper sauerkraut recipe and ring in the new year in a delicious fashion.
Photo credit: Kathy Patalsky
Pomegranates
In Mediterranean cultures, pomegranates are often associated with abundance and fertility — and that’s exactly why they’re eaten on New Year's Day in Greece and neighboring countries. Incorporate this healthy and tasty fruit into your New Year’s Day dessert with this super-festive panna cotta with pomegranate syrup in a jar!
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