Lucky Foods That Could Make 2021 Your Best Year Yet (Well, We Hope)

Redbook

Fri, January 1, 2021 at 2:14 PM UTC

Lucky Foods That Could Make 2021 Your Best Year Yet (Well, We Hope) — Around the world, people welcome a new year in different ways. From incomparable firework shows in Australia to water gun fights in the streets of Thailand, commemorating the new year comes in many ways, shapes, and forms. But one thing that all celebrations have in common? Food. Whether you're feasting on your favorite meal or munching on foods that'll bring you good luck in the new year, there are countless New Year's Eve food traditions that people follow worldwide in hopes of starting the next chapter of their lives on the right foot. Some traditions call for noodles, while others call for cakes, but regardless of how different the meals may be, in one way or another, most New Year's food traditions signify forward movement, prosperity, and health.
After a year like 2020 that's had so many heartbreaks, disappointments, and hardships, primarily due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, welcoming a new year is bound to feel even sweeter than usual. With newly introduced and approved vaccines on the horizon, 2021 can feel like the breath of fresh air most of the world has been longing for since March. But for the time being, the coronavirus rages on, reaching new, record-breaking numbers of cases, hospitalizations, and deaths every day, which is why the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) is advising against large gatherings this holiday season. So, while your annual New Year's Eve party may be out of the question, you and your quaranteam can still celebrate the new year in your own way, like throwing a taste-testing party complete with New Year's Eve food traditions from around the world. And though you may not believe that what you eat on Dec. 31 can play a part in the next year of your life, a little extra good fortune in 2021 can't hurt, and what better way to get that than by trying some of these lucky foods for the new year?
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1) Grapes — Before the clock strikes midnight on Dec. 31, people in Spain and Spanish-speaking countries around the world partake in a tradition called *las doce uvas de la suerte*, the 12 lucky grapes. The goal is to eat all 12 before midnight, if you want to have good luck in the new year, according to NPR.
**Recipes:**
*Grape Jamwiches*
*Fresh Green Pea Soup with Grape Salsa*
*Grape and Ginger Tart*
*Hazelnut-Crusted Grapes*
*Grilled Grapes*
Atlantide Phototravel

2) Kransekage — According to CNN, Kransekage is a wreath cake tower that consists of multiple rings of cake piled on top of one another. The desserts are a part of Norway and Denmark's New Year's Eve traditions. The cake is made with marzipan, is often build around a bottle of wine or Aquavit in the center, and can be decorated for any special occasion.
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ClarkandCompany

3) Tteokguk — The taste and ingredients of Tteokguk, a.k.a. Korea's New Year Soup, vary by region. But, generally, its base is made with a protein broth in a soy-sauce seasoned stock, then cylindrical rice cakes are added to the soup. According to the Culture Trip, Tteokguk is one of the many foods prepared as an offering to the family's ancestors on Seollal, the Korean New Year. It's said that someone cannot become a year older until they've had their bowl of tteokguk.
SUNGSU HAN

4) Galette des Rois — One of France's new year traditions actually takes place a few days after Jan. 1. According to France 24, a Paris-based news network, the *galette des rois*, or kings cake, is traditionally eaten on the first Sunday of the year to celebrate the Epiphany in Christianity. The cake is often made with puff pastry and frangipane, an almond-flavored cream or paste but they can be filled with plenty of other sweets instead. Regardless of its filling, the *galette des rois* always hides the coveted, fève, or bean, a ceramic trinket or charm, and the person who finds it is graced with good luck.
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Iliana Mestari

5) Tamales — Tamales are a traditional Mexican dish made from corn dough stuffed with meat, cheese, and anything else you could possibly want, and then wrapped in a banana leaf or corn husk. Though tamales are eaten year-round and most special occasions, they take on a special meaning during the holiday season. CNN reported that families gather together to make tamales, assigning one aspect of the cooking process to each individual person. On New Year's tamales are served with menudo, a tripe and hominy soup.
**Recipes:**
*Tamale Pies*
*Strawberry Tamales*
*Pork Tamale Pie*
*Corn and Black Bean Tamales*
*No-Bake Tamale Pie*
MiguelMalo

6) Oliebollen — These Dutch treats are made from frying small balls of dough stuffed with raisins or currants in a pan of hot oil, hence the name *Oliebollen*, or oil balls, the Dutch Review, a Netherlands magazine, reported. Known in the United States as Dutch Doughnuts, oliebollen are topped with powdered sugar and can be made with other ingredients, like cinnamon or apple pieces. The dessert is often eaten on New Year's Eve and washed down with champagne.
Corinne Poleij

7) Kuku Sabzi — According to The Culture Trip, Kuku sabzi is type of frittata made with eggs and fresh herbs. The dish is traditionally served at Nowruz, the Iranian New Year, which takes place during the spring equinox. Kuku sabzi promises of fertility and abundance in the upcoming year.
**Recipes:**
*Mini Herb Frittatas*
*Florentine Frittata*
*Herb and Feta Frittata*
*Potato and Onion Frittata*
*Veggie Frittata*
ALLEKO

8) Banitsa — The Bulgarian banitsa is one of the many round cakes eaten around the world on New Year's Eve. The shape signifies that the old year has come to and end, and the new year gives you a chance to start fresh, according to Bulgaria National Radio. The banitsa is traditionally made with filo pastry, eggs, and fat, but recipes vary in different parts of the country. Regardless of where you go, however, you'll always find twigs or other sticks placed inside the dish, each one representing well wishes for your relatives.
Emil Yordanov

9) Raw Egg — While this New Year's Eve food tradition doesn't involve eating, it is something that people in El Salvador do each year. A minute before midnight, each family member cracks an egg into a glass of water, The Culture Trip reported, and let them sit overnight. The following morning, the shape of the egg gives you a clue about what your future holds.
**Recipes:**
*Pimiento, Cheese, and Ham Scramble*
*Egg and Tater Bake*
*Stewed Peppers and Tomatoes with Eggs*
*Scrambled Egg Tacos*
*Egg in a Hole with Broiled Tomatoes*
fotandy

10) Roscas de Reyes — According to Latin media company we are mitú, the *Roscas de Reyes,* king's wreath, is a brioche-style cake, filled and topped with candied fruits. The cake is often paired with traditional Mexican hot chocolate, which highlights the indigenous origins of chocolate. Inside the Roscas, you'll find at least one, if not more, babies representing the newly born Jesus Christ.
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agcuesta

11) Long Noodles — In China, Japan and other Asian countries, it's customary to eat long noodles, which signify longevity, on New Year's Day and during the Lunar New Year, according to Washington Post. Since the noodles are never to be broken or shortened during the cooking process, the typical preparation for "Long-Life Noodles" is a stir-fry.
**Recipes:**
*Tofu and Vegetable Stir-Fry with Noodles*
*Beef, Vegetable and Noodle Stir-Fry*
*Easy Turkey Stir-Fry*
*Shrimp Stir-Fry*
*Lo Mein with Stir-Fry Vegetables*
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12) Cornbread — A favorite throughout the year, cornbread is especially venerated as a New Year's treat in the southern United States. Why? According to Southern Living, the cornbread color resembles that of gold. To ensure extra luck, some people add extra corn kernels, which symbolize golden nuggets.
**Recipes:**
*Buttermilk Cornbread*
*Cheese and Pepper Cornbread*
*Pecan-Apricot Cornbread*
*Jalape?o and Cheddar Skillet Cornbread*
*Cinnamon Buttermilk Cornbread with Cumin and Cardamom Honey Butter*
Getty Images

13) Pomegranates — Pomegranates represent good luck in Turkey for many reasons: Their red color, which represents the human heart, denotes life and fertility; their medicinal properties represent health; and their abundant, round seeds represent prosperity—all things everyone hopes for in any fresh start. But you don't necessarily eat them to receive the benefits. According to Slow Travel Guide, smashing pomegranates at midnight is said to bring prosperity and health.
**Recipes:**
*Pomegranate Panna Cotta*
*Pomegranate-Thyme Spritz*
*Pomegranate-Glazed Salmon*
*Pomegranate Sorbet*
*Pomegranate-Apple Cocktails*
Getty Images

14) Round Fruit — Though the number of pieces varies by region, eating any round fruit is a common New Year's tradition. According to Spruce Eats, people in the Philippines and Spain, eat 12 round fruits, as the shape resembles that of silver and gold coins.
**Recipes:**
*Honey-Poached Oranges*
*Anne Hathaway's Stuffed Peaches*
*Sautéed Plums*
*Tomato & Watermelon Salad*
*Roasted Apples*
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15) Greens — From the coastal American South to Europe, people eat green leafy veggies — including kale, collards and cabbage — on New Year's Day because of their color and appearance, which resembles paper cash. Spruce Eats notes that the more greens you eat, the more prosperous you'll be (and the healthier, too!).
**Recipes:**
*Mustard Greens and Chard with Lemon Vinaigrette*
*Creamy Garlic and Herb Spinach*
*Skillet Stuffed Cabbage*
*Kale Salad with Glazed Onions and Cheddar*
*Mushroom and Arugula Salad Pizza*
Getty Images

16) Pickled Herring — In Germany, Poland and Scandinavia, it's believed that eating herring at the stroke of midnight will ensure a year of bounty — as herrings are in abundance throughout Western Europe. CNN also notes that their silvery color resembles that of coins, a good omen for future fortune.
Getty Images

17) Whole Fish — According to Doris Lum, a Chinese cuisine expert, the Chinese word for "fish" sounds like the word for "abundance," one of the many reasons fish has become a go-to good luck food. Also, Rosemary Gong writes in *Good Luck Life*, her book on Chinese celebrations, that it's important for the fish be served with the head and tail intact to ensure a good year, from start to finish.
**Recipes:**
*Salt-Baked Fish*
*Blackened Fish Tacos*
*Mediterranean Grilled Sea Bass*
*Cod in Parchment with Orange-and-Leek Couscous*
*Spicy Whole Fish Grilled in Banana Leaves*
Getty Images

18) Lentils — A popular New Year's meal in Italy is *Cotechino con Lenticchie* (green lentils with sausage) because of the legume's greenish color and coin-like appearance, according to NPR. Deeper into the myth: When cooked, lentils plump with water, symbolizing growing wealth. Lentils are also considered good luck in Hungary, where they're preferred in a soup.
**Recipes:**
*Lentil Hummus*
*Lentil Broccoli Falafel Bowls With Jalape?o-Herb Tahini*
*Steak with Lentil and Grapefruit Salad*
*Curried Tomato Coconut Lentils with Gingery Yogurt*
*Indian-Spiced Lentil Soup*
Getty Images

19) Pork — In some countries, including Cuba, Spain, Portugal, Hungary and Austria, pigs symbolize progress. Some say it's because these animals never move backward, while others believe it's all in their feeding habits (they push their snouts forward along the ground when rooting for food). And the lucky food isn't limited to pork — foods shaped like pigs (think cutout cookies) count, too.
**Recipes:**
*Hawaiian Pork Pull-Apart Rolls*
*Saucy Kansas City-Style Pork Chops*
*Cuban Grilled Pork*
*Pork and Peach Kebabs with Grilled Green Beans*
*Sweet and Sour Pork and Vegetable Stir-Fry*
Getty Images

20) Black-Eyed Peas — Considered good luck due to their penny-like appearance and abundance, Spruce Eats notes that these peas, enjoyed in the southern United States, are traditionally served in a dish called Hoppin' John. On the day after New Year's Day, leftover "Hoppin' John" becomes "Skippin' Jenny," meant to demonstrate frugality and promote prosperity in the new year.
**Recipes:**
*Quick Hoppin' John*
*Garlicky* *Black-Eyed Peas with Spinach and Bacon*
*Black-Eyed Peas with Coconut Milk and Ethiopian Spices*
*Black-Eyed Pea Salad with Tomatoes and Peppers*
*Louisiana Hoppin' John*
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Lucky Foods That Could Make 2021 Your Best Year Yet (Well, We Hope)

1 of 21

Around the world, people welcome a new year in different ways. From incomparable firework shows in Australia to water gun fights in the streets of Thailand, commemorating the new year comes in many ways, shapes, and forms. But one thing that all celebrations have in common? Food. Whether you're feasting on your favorite meal or munching on foods that'll bring you good luck in the new year, there are countless New Year's Eve food traditions that people follow worldwide in hopes of starting the next chapter of their lives on the right foot. Some traditions call for noodles, while others call for cakes, but regardless of how different the meals may be, in one way or another, most New Year's food traditions signify forward movement, prosperity, and health.

After a year like 2020 that's had so many heartbreaks, disappointments, and hardships, primarily due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, welcoming a new year is bound to feel even sweeter than usual. With newly introduced and approved vaccines on the horizon, 2021 can feel like the breath of fresh air most of the world has been longing for since March. But for the time being, the coronavirus rages on, reaching new, record-breaking numbers of cases, hospitalizations, and deaths every day, which is why the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) is advising against large gatherings this holiday season. So, while your annual New Year's Eve party may be out of the question, you and your quaranteam can still celebrate the new year in your own way, like throwing a taste-testing party complete with New Year's Eve food traditions from around the world. And though you may not believe that what you eat on Dec. 31 can play a part in the next year of your life, a little extra good fortune in 2021 can't hurt, and what better way to get that than by trying some of these lucky foods for the new year?

Getty Images

Whether you’re trying to bring your family good fortune in the new year or simply try new foods this holiday season, you’ll want to try these lucky foods.

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