Page 7 - BACGG CNY Traditions Flipbook 01262021

New Year Dishes and why they are important

Lucky and Auspicious foods are served for the Chinese New Year Reunion Dinner.
Food ensures our survival and brings families and friends together, but did you know
much of what is served has special meanings? Read on, to know why we eat some of
the unique foods during Chinese New Years.

• Foo Jook Tong with Fat Choy – Foo Jook (Dry Tofu) symbolizes wealth and
happiness; Fat Choy sounds like to “get rich”.
• Buddha’s Delight –Jai Choy or Monks vegetarian dish – fortune, prosperity and
longevity
• Lettuce Wrap – rising fortune
• Whole Chicken (with head and feet) – symbolizes wholeness and prosperity.
• Long Leafy Greens with beef cubes– represents
longevity
• Stir-fry Celery with Pork –represents hardworking
and luck.
• Whole Fish (with head and tail left on) – symbolizes
abundance
• Long grain rice or noodles – symbolizes longevity.
• Dumplings – wealth
• Spring Rolls – good fortune
• Glutinous Rice Cake (Nian Gao) – growth in career, income, or height.
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• Tang Yuan – Eat on the 15 day after the New Year – reunion and oneness
• Fruit (oranges, tangerines) – success, good luck

Source: https://supchina.com/2019/02/04/8-lucky-foods-to-eat-on-lunar-new-years-eve/

Interesting fact, not all regions prepared the exact same foods, but we did prepare foods
available in our region. For example, wheat flour was not easily available in Southern
China, so families ground rice to make rice flour.

https://www.chinahighlights.com/travelguide/chinese-food/chinese-new-year-food.htm

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