New Years Lucky Food Ideas

So you’ve read our New Year’s Lucky Foods post, and are planning your menu.  Here are some lucky food ideas to help you get started.

Appetizers:

No chicken wings or mini meatballs on this menu!  Remember that chickens scratch backwards and cows stay still, so neither one on New Year’s Eve or New Year’s day.  Plan appetizers with eggs, pork or cheese.  Figs, grapes and pomegranate are also good options.  So just think of your favorite appetizers that include any of these items.  For example, bagel bites, pigs in a blanket, deviled eggs, sushi, quiche, fish dip, stuffed mushrooms, sausage, peppers & onions or baked brie. How about an antipasto platter with prosciutto, capicola, salami, cheeses, roasted peppers and olives (again things that are round are good luck, as well as pork.) Vegetarian options include bean dips, guacamole, stuffed cherry tomatoes, kale chips, stuffed dates, bruschetta or perhaps a salad topped with grapes and cranberries. 

In the mood for soup? Make a fish stew or minestrone soup with lots of beans and veggies in it. You can also include Italian or Andouille sausage. You could also make a meatless chili with several types of beans.

For a main dish:

In our house you typically get a bowl of white rice with black eyed peas (made with both ham and pork,) along with a side of greens and corn bread.  Remember anything made with corn meal is believed to represent good fortune because of it's golden color.

Hoppin’ John is a popular choice because you can mix in rice, pork, greens and beans – all on the approved lucky foods list. In a Spanish household, another dish would be Congri which is white rice, black beans and pork.  If you don't like black eyed peas, lentils are also popular due to their green color.  Any rice, including risotto are all good options as well.

Don't forget about noodles.  There are tons of recipes that call for noodles - just don't cut the noodles - boil and serve them whole which represents long life.  Fish...all fish are a good main course except for catfish since they are bottom dwellers. Remember that the fish scales represent silver and they also swim forward.  If you are only cooking for 1 or 2 people, fish tacos are quick and easy.  Remember no turkey, chicken, steak, lamb, lobster or shrimp.

Want to order out? For Chinese order a pork fried rice or pork lo mein.  BBQ - have ribs or pulled pork.  Italian - have pasta with sausage, cheese lasagna or a pepperoni and sausage pizza.  Of course cheese pizza works too, I just try to keep sneaking that pig in there, since so many cultures believe it brings good luck both because it roots forward, which we all want to progress in the New Year, and also because their fatty meat is said to be symbolic for a fat wallet.

Desserts:

Round cakes, cookies, donuts and pies all work. If you want to impress, make some chocolate truffles.

We hope you enjoy these fun ideas, and wish you good fortune in the new year!