15 Lucky New Year Foods From Around the World That Promise a Better Year

What if one bowl of soup or a handful of grapes could set the tone for your whole year? All over the world, families sit down on New Year’s Eve or New Year’s Day to eat foods that stand for money, health, long life and good luck. Some traditions are hundreds of years old. Others are just plain fun. These new year foods are easy enough to make at home, so you can borrow a little luck from every corner of the world. Which country will you visit first? Let us start in China..

Golden Dumplings: China’s Lucky New Year Foods

In China, families fold dumplings together for the Lunar New Year. Their shape looks like old silver and gold ingots, so eating them is said to bring wealth. Some families hide a clean coin inside one dumpling, and whoever finds it gets extra luck. Folding them together is half the fun. Have you ever tried to pleat a dumpling?

You will need: 40 round dumpling wrappers, 1 lb ground pork, 2 cups finely chopped napa cabbage, 3 green onions, 1 tbsp grated ginger, 2 tbsp soy sauce, 1 tsp sesame oil, 2 tbsp oil, 1/2 cup water.

How to make it: Salt the cabbage, wait 10 minutes and squeeze out the water. Mix it with pork, onions, ginger, soy and sesame oil. Put a spoonful in each wrapper, wet the edge, fold and pleat to seal. Fry in oil until the bottoms are golden, add water, cover and steam 6 minutes. Uncover and cook until crisp.

Longevity Noodles for a Long Life

Long noodles stand for a long life in Chinese tradition, so cooks try never to cut them. You slurp them whole and wish for many more years. Stir fried with soy sauce, mushrooms and green onions, they are quick, savory and very satisfying. They are also a favorite at birthdays. Could you eat a noodle without biting it in half? Noodles are one of the easiest new year foods to make at home.

You will need: 12 oz long egg noodles (yi mein or lo mein), 1 cup sliced mushrooms, 1 cup shredded cabbage, 3 green onions, 2 tbsp oyster sauce, 2 tbsp soy sauce, 1 tsp sugar, 2 tbsp oil.

How to make it: Boil the noodles until just tender, drain and rinse. Heat the oil in a wok and stir fry the mushrooms and cabbage for 2 minutes. Add the noodles, oyster sauce, soy and sugar. Toss for 2 minutes until coated. Add green onions and serve without cutting the noodles.

Japan: Toshikoshi Soba on New Year’s Eve

In Japan, people eat a warm bowl of soba noodles on New Year’s Eve. The name means year crossing noodles. Because buckwheat noodles break easily, they stand for letting go of the hard times of the past year. Many families enjoy them late at night before the bells ring. Would you eat noodles right before midnight?

You will need: 8 oz soba noodles, 4 cups dashi broth, 3 tbsp soy sauce, 2 tbsp mirin, 1 tsp sugar, sliced fish cake, 2 green onions, tempura shrimp (optional).

How to make it: Bring the dashi, soy, mirin and sugar to a simmer. Cook the soba in a separate pot for 4 to 5 minutes, then rinse. Divide the noodles into bowls. Pour the hot broth over them. Top with fish cake, green onions and shrimp tempura if you like.

Korea: Tteokguk, the New Year Foods That Make You a Year Older

In Korea, a bowl of tteokguk on New Year’s Day is a must. The white oval rice cakes look like coins, and the clear soup stands for a clean, fresh start. There is a fun saying that you only turn one year older after you eat your bowl. Kids sometimes joke about eating two. How many bowls would you eat?

You will need: 1 lb sliced Korean rice cakes (tteok), 6 cups beef broth, 4 oz thin sliced beef, 2 eggs, 2 green onions, 1 tbsp soy sauce, 1 tsp sesame oil, roasted seaweed strips.

How to make it: Soak the rice cakes in cold water for 20 minutes. Brown the beef in sesame oil, add the broth and soy sauce and simmer 10 minutes. Add the rice cakes and cook 5 minutes until soft. Stir in the beaten eggs slowly. Top with green onions and seaweed.

Spain: 12 Grapes at Midnight

At midnight in Spain, people eat 12 grapes, one at each strike of the clock. Each grape stands for one lucky month in the new year. It sounds easy, but eating them fast enough is hard and very funny. Seedless grapes help a lot. Quick poll: could you eat 12 grapes in 12 seconds? A) easy, B) maybe, C) no way. Of all the new year foods on this list, this one needs no cooking at all.

You will need: 12 seedless grapes per person, small bowls or cups, sparkling grape juice for a toast (optional).

How to make it: Wash and dry the grapes. Count 12 into a small bowl for each guest and pull them off the stems. Set them out just before midnight. When the countdown starts, eat one grape with each chime and make a wish for each month.

Italy: Lentils That Look Like Little Coins

Italians eat lentils on New Year’s Eve because the small round seeds look like coins. The more you eat, the more money you might have next year. They are often served with a rich pork sausage called cotechino. A cozy bowl of lentil stew is also healthy and cheap. Would you trade champagne for lentils at midnight? Lentils are cheap, filling new year foods that anyone can cook.

You will need: 1 1/2 cups brown or green lentils, 1 onion, 1 carrot, 1 celery stalk, 2 garlic cloves, 2 tbsp tomato paste, 4 cups broth, 2 tbsp olive oil, 1 bay leaf, cooked sausage (optional).

How to make it: Chop the onion, carrot and celery. Cook them in olive oil for 5 minutes. Add garlic and tomato paste and stir 1 minute. Add the rinsed lentils, broth and bay leaf. Simmer 25 to 30 minutes until tender. Season with salt and serve with sliced sausage.

Greece: Vasilopita With a Hidden Coin

On New Year’s Day, Greek families cut a sweet cake called vasilopita. A coin wrapped in foil is baked inside. The cake is sliced in a set order, with pieces for the house and family, and whoever finds the coin is said to have good luck all year. It smells of orange and vanilla. Who in your family would find the coin?

You will need: 2 1/2 cups flour, 1 cup sugar, 1 cup butter (soft), 4 eggs, 1 cup milk, 1 tbsp baking powder, zest of 2 oranges, 1/2 cup orange juice, 1 tsp vanilla, 1 coin wrapped in foil, powdered sugar.

How to make it: Heat the oven to 350F. Beat the butter and sugar until fluffy. Add eggs one at a time, then zest, juice and vanilla. Mix in flour and baking powder, alternating with milk. Pour into a greased round pan and push in the wrapped coin. Bake 45 minutes. Cool and dust with powdered sugar.

Germany: Jelly Filled Berliner Doughnuts

In Germany, a plate of sugar dusted Berliners is part of New Year’s Eve. These soft doughnuts are filled with jam. As a joke, some bakers fill one with mustard, and nobody knows who will get it. That surprise bite gets the biggest laugh of the night. Would you risk it? Sweet treats count as new year foods too, and kids love this one.

You will need: 3 1/2 cups flour, 1 packet yeast, 1/4 cup sugar, 1 cup warm milk, 2 eggs, 4 tbsp soft butter, pinch of salt, oil for frying, 1 cup jam, powdered sugar.

How to make it: Mix the yeast with warm milk and sugar. Add flour, eggs, butter and salt and knead 8 minutes. Let rise 1 hour. Roll to 1/2 inch and cut 3 inch circles. Rise 30 minutes. Fry at 350F for 2 minutes per side. Cool, fill with jam using a piping bag and dust with sugar.

Poland and Scandinavia: Pickled Herring at Midnight

In Poland, Germany and parts of Scandinavia, some families eat pickled herring right at midnight. Fish swim forward, and the silver color stands for wealth, so herring is a wish for a prosperous year. Served on dark rye with onions, it is tangy and fresh. It is an acquired taste for some. Have you ever tried herring? Fish is one of the oldest new year foods in Northern Europe.

You will need: 1 jar pickled herring, 1 red onion, 1/2 cup sour cream, 1 apple (diced), fresh dill, 6 slices dark rye bread.

How to make it: Drain the herring and cut it into bite size pieces. Slice the onion very thin. Mix the sour cream with the diced apple and some dill. Spread a little on each slice of rye. Top with herring and onion and garnish with more dill.

Pennsylvania: Pork and Sauerkraut, Comforting New Year Foods

In Pennsylvania Dutch country, New Year’s Day means pork and sauerkraut. Pigs push forward with their snouts while they look for food, so pork stands for moving ahead. Cabbage has many layers, like money piling up. It is slow cooked until the pork falls apart. Do you have a New Year’s Day dinner in your family?

You will need: 3 lb pork loin or shoulder, 2 lb sauerkraut (with juice), 1 onion (sliced), 1 apple (sliced), 2 tbsp brown sugar, 1 tsp caraway seeds, salt, pepper, mashed potatoes to serve.

How to make it: Season the pork with salt and pepper and brown it in a hot pot. Put half the sauerkraut in a slow cooker or roasting pan. Add the pork, onion, apple, sugar and caraway, then the rest of the sauerkraut. Cook on low 8 hours or bake covered at 325F for 3 hours. Serve with mashed potatoes.

The American South: Collard Greens for Money

In the South, New Year’s Day dinner often means collard greens, black eyed peas and cornbread. The greens stand for folded paper money, the peas for coins and the golden cornbread for gold. Slow cooked greens with smoked meat are rich and tender. Many families also make Hoppin’ John. Which part of this plate would you eat first? Greens are simple, healthy new year foods for a fresh start.

You will need: 2 bunches collard greens, 1 smoked turkey leg or ham hock, 1 onion, 3 garlic cloves, 4 cups chicken broth, 1 tbsp apple cider vinegar, 1 tsp sugar, red pepper flakes.

How to make it: Simmer the smoked meat in the broth with onion and garlic for 30 minutes. Remove the tough stems from the greens and slice the leaves. Add them to the pot with vinegar, sugar and pepper flakes. Cook 45 to 60 minutes until very tender. Pull the meat off the bone and stir it back in.

Greece and Turkey: Pomegranates for Plenty

In Greece, some families smash a pomegranate at the front door after midnight. The more seeds that scatter, the more luck is said to come in. In Turkey, pomegranates also stand for plenty. You can enjoy the seeds in a bright winter salad. Would you smash one at your door or just eat it?

You will need: 2 pomegranates, 4 cups mixed greens, 1 cup crumbled feta, 1/2 cup toasted walnuts, 3 tbsp olive oil, 1 tbsp lemon juice, 1 tsp honey, salt.

How to make it: Cut the pomegranates in half and tap the backs with a spoon over a bowl to release the seeds. Whisk the oil, lemon, honey and salt. Toss the greens with the dressing. Top with feta, walnuts and plenty of pomegranate seeds.

Tangerines and Oranges, Sweet New Year Foods for Good Fortune

During the Lunar New Year, Chinese families give and display tangerines and oranges. Their bright color looks like gold, and the words sound like luck and wealth in Chinese. Fruit with leaves still attached stands for a long and healthy family. They also make a sweet, simple snack. Have you ever received oranges as a gift?

You will need: 10 tangerines or mandarins with leaves, 1/2 cup honey, 1 tbsp lemon juice, fresh mint (optional).

How to make it: Pick bright fruit with the leaves still on. Wash and dry. Arrange them in a bowl in pairs, since even numbers are lucky. For a quick dessert, peel a few, separate the segments and drizzle with honey and lemon. Add mint and serve.

Whole Steamed Fish for Abundance

In Chinese, the word for fish sounds like the word for surplus. So families serve a whole fish and often leave a little for the next day, as a wish for having more than enough. Steamed with ginger and scallions, it is light and tender. It is easier than it looks. Would you serve the fish with the head on?

You will need: 1 whole white fish (1 1/2 lb, cleaned), 2 inch piece ginger, 4 green onions, 3 tbsp soy sauce, 1 tsp sugar, 3 tbsp oil, fresh cilantro.

How to make it: Cut slits in the fish and stuff with ginger slices. Steam on a plate over boiling water for 10 to 12 minutes. Drain off the liquid. Top with thin shreds of ginger and green onion. Heat the oil until very hot and pour it over. Pour soy mixed with sugar around the fish.

Japan: Mochi Rice Cakes, Chewy New Year Foods for Strength

In Japan, mochi is everywhere at New Year. Families stack round rice cakes as a decoration and add mochi to a soup called ozoni. The sticky cakes stand for strength and family bonds. Small sweet versions are fun to make at home. Please cut mochi small and chew well. Which of these new year foods will you try? For more, see these cozy noodle bowls and dumplings.

You will need: 1 cup sweet rice flour (mochiko), 1/4 cup sugar, 3/4 cup water, cornstarch for dusting, sweet red bean paste.

How to make it: Mix the rice flour, sugar and water in a microwave safe bowl. Cover and microwave 1 minute, stir, then 1 minute more and stir again until thick and glossy. Dust a board with cornstarch. Pinch off small pieces, flatten, add a little bean paste and pinch closed.