The city truly comes alive during Chinese New Year with red lanterns illuminating the streets, door decorations screaming good luck and for the first time in 4 years since the Covid pandemic, colourful fireworks to paint the sky! Yet amidst all the festivities, it's the special meal with loved ones that truly steals the show.

Brace yourself for a culinary extravaganza filled with multiple courses and an abundance of mouthwatering delights. Each family adds their own twist, blending customs and local cuisine to create a feast fit for emperors. And we’re here to share the secret ingredients: these dishes aren't just delicious, they're packed with symbolic significance. Every bite is cooked and served to bring you good fortune for the year ahead.

So, if you're ready to spice up your Chinese New Year and invite some serious luck and prosperity into your life, join us as we uncover the seven lucky foods you need on your plate. Get ready to tantalise your taste buds and indulge in tradition!

Dumplings - luck & prosperity

Get ready to indulge a time-honoured tradition that brings luck and prosperity: dumplings! These little pockets of joy have been enjoyed for over 1,800 years and are a must-have dish on Chinese New Year's Eve, especially in North China.

Legend has it that the more dumplings you eat during the celebrations, the more wealth you will attract in the coming year (I sense a challenge…). Shaped like Chinese silver ingots, these dumplings are filled with minced meat (pork, shrimp, fish, chicken, or beef) and finely-chopped veggies, all wrapped in a thin and stretchy dough.

Whether boiled, steamed, fried, or baked, these culinary wonders are believed to bring about good fortune. Making dumplings together is a cherished tradition for Chinese families worldwide. Before taking a bite, everyone at the table can join in saying "Zhāo cái jìn bǎo", a phrase to welcome wealth and treasure into the new year. So, gather your loved ones, savour the flavours, and embrace the joy of dumplings as you welcome in a prosperous year filled with deliciousness and good fortune!

Longevity noodles - happiness & longevity

Get ready to slurp your way to a long and fulfilling life with the legendary longevity noodles! These noodles are not your ordinary strands of dough. They hold a special place in Chinese culture, representing a wish for longevity. The literal translation of "changshou mian" is "long-life noodles”, and they embody the desire for a happy and healthy existence. Whether it's Chinese New Year or a birthday celebration, these uncut noodles (longer than the usual ones) symbolise, you guessed it, a life that remains uninterrupted.

You can enjoy these two-foot-long noodles in many ways. They can be fried to crispy perfection and served on a plate, or boiled and served in a bowl with their flavourful broth. Indulge in them with oyster sauce, finely sliced shiitake mushrooms, and bok choy, or savour them in a simple broth lightly seasoned with soy and ginger.

So, grab your chopsticks and delve into a bowl of longevity noodles, embracing the tradition and the delicious hope for a life filled with joy, health, and longevity.

Oranges or other citrus - success & luck

As Chinese New Year occurs at the end of winter, nature offers an array of fruits that thrive in the cool embrace of the season. Oranges, tangerines, kumquats, and pomelos take centre stage, with their vibrant presence filling the air with anticipation.

These fruits are not just juicy treats but cherished gifts, carrying a symbolic message of prosperity and fortune. Their round shape and golden hues reflect the promise of abundance that the new year holds. Imagine receiving a small tree adorned with these delightful fruits, serving as both decoration and a reminder of the blessings to come. Alternatively, they may arrive in a fruit basket, ready to be enjoyed during the festive period, ending each meal on a sweet note.

But there's more to these fruits than meets the eye. Their significance goes beyond appearance. Tangerines and oranges, in particular, are believed to bring good luck and fortune due to their pronunciation and even their written form. In Chinese, the word for orange sounds the same as the word for "success" while the character for "luck" is found in the term for tangerine.

As you indulge in these vibrant fruits, appreciate the auspicious blessings they hold, their bright colours reminiscent of golden ingots, and their essence resonating with success and luck. Let the spirit of Chinese New Year fill your taste buds with sweetness and your heart with the anticipation of a prosperous year ahead.

Sweet rice balls - family togetherness

Get ready to sink your teeth into the delightful world of sweet rice balls. These little balls of joy are beloved throughout Chinese New Year, especially in the southern regions. The pronunciation of "tangyuan" and their round shape are closely associated with the beautiful concepts of reunion and togetherness. Hence why these rice balls have a special place in the hearts of many during New Year celebrations.

Made with a mixture of glutinous rice flour and water, these small treats are more than a culinary delight. They symbolise the warmth of family and the joy of being together. With each bite, you savour the soft and chewy texture that brings comfort and happiness. So wholesome! (No pun intended). Each tangyuan represents a moment of connection, a shared experience that strengthens the bonds of kinship.

So, gather your loved ones, fill your bowls with these symbols of togetherness, and let the sweetness of the tangyuan give you a hug with the warmth of family love. Celebrate the joy of reunion and the delicious traditions that make Chinese New Year truly special.

Fish - prosperity & abundance

Dive into a sea of good fortune and abundance with the timeless tradition of serving fish during Chinese New Year. This dish holds a special place on the festive table. The significance lies in the pronunciation of fish (yú), which sounds like the word for "surplus." With each bite, you are inviting an overflow of prosperity and abundance into your life.

But there's more to this feast than meets the eye. It's not just about enjoying a fillet or two; it's about the whole fish. The notion of completeness and continuity is embodied in serving the fish intact, from head to tail. It represents carrying something through from beginning to end, signifying a successful completion of the year and paving the way for a prosperous future.

Remember the importance of cooking the whole fish without any cuts or chops. Let the fish shine as a symbol of good fortune and a bountiful year ahead. Celebrate the journey from surplus to success, and embrace the tradition that has been passed down through generations. View our last year's blog on “A guide to sustainable fish eating” for more tips on where and how to source your fish responsible.

Glutinous rice cake - prosperity & success

Get ready to invite luck and prosperity with the delicious glutinous rice cake (niangao) on Chinese New Year's Eve. This lucky treat holds a special place in Chinese culture, as its name sounds similar to the phrase "getting higher year-on-by-year." This cake symbolises reaching greater heights in life, with improved business success and overall prosperity.

Made from sticky rice, sugar, chestnuts, Chinese dates, and wrapped in fragrant lotus leaves, niangao is a delightful combination of flavours and textures. In different regions, you will find savoury variations, but the sweet version steals the show in Hong Kong. Sweetened with rich brown sugar and adorned with red dates, it will satisfy every sweet tooth. For an extra touch of creativity and auspiciousness, you can find niangao infused with tangerine, aromatic tea, red bean, and sweet black sugar in the bustling streets of Hong Kong.

So, grab a slice of good fortune and let the flavours take you to new heights. May each bite bring you closer to the prosperity and success you desire.

Spring rolls - wealth & prosperity

Roll into Chinese New Year with an all time favourite, spring rolls. A beloved dish that hails from the eastern regions of China. These crispy delights are not only a tasty treat but also a symbol of wealth and prosperity.

Sizzling in golden perfection to create a satisfying crunch, bite into this bar of gold that brings you a promise of riches for the year ahead. The tender filling can be a combination of shredded carrot, mushrooms, cabbage, bean sprouts, and pork. In some places, you'll even find soft precooked pancake wrappers served separately from the filling, giving you the freedom to customise your spring roll experience.

Enjoy the crispy exterior and the savoury medley within, as you welcome wealth and prosperity into your life. With each bite, you can taste the traditions and the joy that Chinese New Year brings.

7 lucky Chinese New Year foods