The auspicious symbolism of these traditional Chinese New Year foods is based on their pronunciations or appearance. Not only do the dishes themselves matter, but also the preparation, and ways of serving and eating mean a lot. The most common Chinese New Year foods include dumplings, fish, spring rolls, and niangao. We've rounded up 12 The act of sharing and enjoying these delectable pockets during the New Year celebrations becomes a communal tradition that extends beyond culinary delight, fostering a sense of togetherness and the belief in the prosperous journey that lies ahead. 20. Niangao (Chinese New Year Cake) BETTER THAN TAKEOUT – Chicken Wonton Soup Recipe. Wonton, homonymous with “chaos”, meaning the chaos before the new beginning, and eating wonton symbolizes the new beginning. One of the most common ways to enjoy lotus for the Chinese New Year is in a hearty soup with a subtle sweetness. Lotus root soup with pork ribs is perfect for omnivores; the ribs impart a fatty Dumplings Caitriana Nicholson/Flickr. Resembling coin purses, dumplings are said to bring wealth and prosperity in Chinese culture. Traditionally filled with a mixture of meat, tofu, egg, and/or However, some people avoid eating eggs during certain festivals or days if they observe specific dietary customs, but generally, eggs are not prohibited during Chinese New Year. Q2: What is traditional Chinese New Year menu? A traditional Chinese New Year menu features symbolic foods that represent luck, prosperity, happiness, and longevity. The 16-day festival season is celebrated with lots of traditional Chinese New Year foods that are prepared, served and eaten in symbolic ways. Below, you’ll find 15 timeless favorites (and a few simpler-yet-similar alternatives) that are just right for the occasion. new beginnings and embracing prosperity. The significance of vegetables in Chinese New Year foods extends beyond nutrition, representing hope and renewal as we embark on another year full of promise. Fruits. Fruits hold significant symbolic meanings during Chinese New Year and are often given as gifts. Oranges, kumquats, tangerines, and pomelos Nian Gao. Many lucky Chinese New Year foods involve wordplay and puns. In the case of Nian Gao, the name alludes to things increasing/getting higher in the year, so think higher salary, higher income, higher height (for kids) and positive increases all around. Chinese New Year Dumplings - Better Changes 6. Tang Yuan-Family Reunion. Tang Yuan- sweet soup with balls- is a symbol of family reunion in Chinese culture. It is a tradition for people in the south of China to eat Tang Yuan on New Year’s Eve. Eating Tang Yuan symbolizes a sweet and happy life. 7. Spring Rolls That’s why we want to show you the most important and lucky Chinese New Year foods. Top Lucky Foods to Eat for the Chinese New Year. Every food in China represents something, and symbolism is associated with every traditional dish eaten for the Lunar Year. These are the most important Chinese New Year Foods and their meanings: 1. Dumplings In many parts of China, tang yuan are eaten at the start of the Lantern Festival, marking the end of the Chinese New Year period, but in Shanghai and the south, they're eaten throughout the New Year festivities. The glutinous rice balls might be plain and the size of a small marble, or larger and stuffed with sweet black sesame paste. Mention Chinese New Year food, dumplings, fish, glutinous rice balls, and niangao may come into mind. Food plays an important role in Chinese New Year and certain foods which have symbolic meanings of luck and auspiciousness are especially popular and essential during the festival. Here are 7 Chinese New Year Foods that will bring you good luck. Another food you definitely want to put on your Chinese New Year food list for this Year of the Tiger is tang yuan — black sesame filled sweet rice balls that are typically served in a sweet soup. These little balls of joy symbolize a happy family reunion because their name sounds like a Chinese phrase for ‘reunion’ and ‘togetherness’. Regular oranges are also eaten for their color (similar to gold) and the fact that in Chinese they sound similar to the word for luck. This is a great food gift to offer to a local during Chinese New Year. Chef and cookbook author Sohui Kim calls these dumplings a hybrid of Japanese gyoza, Korean mandoo, and Chinese jiaozi. Use thin wrappers to contain a juicy filling of pork, chives, and tofu, then Slither into the Year of the Snake as you set up for Lunar New Year 2025, which runs this year from January 29 to February 8. Widely celebrated by Asian communities in China, East Asia, and around Chinese new year usually features a 年夜饭new year eve family dinner. What’s in the dinner varies by region / family cultural background, but common things are: some kind of fish dish, Jiaozi Dumplings, and Nian Gao. 7. Sending Chinese New Year Wishes. During Chinese New Year, Chinese people will greet each other with pleasant words like: 'Xin nian kuai le' which means 'Happy New Year' (simplified Chinese: 新年快乐). See more Chinese New Year Greetings and Wishes. 8. Watching the New Year TV Gala Image Credit: THE WOKS OF LIFE. During the Chinese Lunar New Year, dumplings are a traditional food and are considered symbols of luck and wealth. The shape of dumplings symbolises ancient Chinese gold ingots “古代的元宝”, hence eating dumplings signifies welcoming wealth and good fortune in the new year.
Articles and news, personal stories, interviews with experts.
Photos from events, contest for the best costume, videos from master classes.
![]() | ![]() |
![]() | ![]() |
![]() | ![]() |
![]() | ![]() |
![]() | ![]() |
![]() | ![]() |