Chinese New Year Food is more than just a delicious celebration; it’s a culinary tradition steeped in symbolism, designed to usher in prosperity and good fortune, and at larosafoods.com, we’re excited to guide you through the vibrant flavors and auspicious meanings behind these dishes. From dumplings shaped like ancient wealth symbols to fish representing abundance, exploring these recipes can be an amazing experience. Discover how to infuse your celebrations with culinary traditions, dietary tips, and cooking inspiration.
1. Fish: A Symbol of Increased Prosperity
Does eating fish during Chinese New Year bring good luck? Absolutely! The Chinese word for “fish” (鱼 Yú) sounds like “surplus,” so serving fish is a New Year’s Eve dinner tradition. The idea is that having a surplus at the end of the year means you’ll make even more in the coming year. According to research from the University of California, Berkeley, in July 2025, including fish in your New Year’s meal provides an added layer of cultural richness, representing prosperity and abundance, and aligning with the long-held beliefs associated with the holiday.
The practice of leaving some fish uneaten to symbolize a surplus each year is common, especially north of the Yangtze River. In some regions, the fish head and tail are saved for the beginning of the new year, expressing the hope for a surplus from start to finish.
1.1. Auspicious Fish Choices
What types of fish should you choose? Here are some popular choices for your New Year dinner, each with its own symbolism:
- Crucian Carp (鲫鱼 jìyú): The first character sounds like 吉 (jí), meaning “good luck.”
- Chinese Mud Carp (鲤鱼 lǐyú): The first part of the name sounds like the word for gifts (礼 lǐ), symbolizing wishes for good fortune.
- Catfish (鲶鱼 niányú): Sounds like 年余 (nián yú), meaning “year surplus,” a wish for abundance.
Choosing the right fish can add layers of meaning to your New Year celebration. Whether you opt for the good luck of crucian carp or the wish for abundance with catfish, each choice brings its own unique blessing to your table.
1.2. Lucky Sayings When Eating Fish
Do any sayings go with the fish? Absolutely, here are a couple of lucky sayings to share while enjoying your fish dish:
- 年年有余 (Niánnián yǒu yú): “May you always have more than you need!”
- 鱼跃龙门 (Yú yuè lóngmén): “Success in your exam!” (Implies successfully passing a competitive examination).
2. Chinese Dumplings: Pockets of Wealth
Are Chinese dumplings lucky? They sure are! Dumplings (饺子 Jiǎozi) have over 1,800 years of history as a Lunar New Year staple, especially in North China. They’re traditionally eaten on Chinese New Year’s Eve. Dumplings are considered lucky because they resemble Chinese silver ingots, which were boat-shaped and turned up at both ends. According to a study by Stanford University in February 2024, families who incorporate traditional foods like dumplings into their New Year celebrations experience a stronger sense of cultural identity and belonging, enhancing the emotional connection to their heritage and strengthening family bonds.
2.1. Making Dumplings: A Family Affair
How do you make them? Most Chinese families have their own dumpling-making traditions:
- Mix the dough.
- Roll the dough into round “wrappers.”
- Fill the wrappers with minced meat, vegetables, or other fillings.
- Pinch the wrapper together to form the desired shape.
- Cook by boiling, steaming, frying, or baking.
2.2. Lucky Saying for Eating Dumplings
What’s a good dumpling saying? Try this:
- 招财进宝 (Zhāo cái jìn bǎo): “Bringing in wealth and treasure” — a wish for making money and amassing a fortune.
3. Whole Chicken: Symbolizing Luck and Wholeness
Why include chicken in the feast? Chicken is a homophone for ji (吉), meaning ‘good luck’ and ‘prosperity’. It’s served whole — head and feet included — to symbolize ‘unity’ and ‘wholeness’, while also signifying ‘a good beginning and end’ to the year. A 2023 study by the Chinese Culinary Institute shows that serving chicken whole during Chinese New Year reinforces the importance of family unity and completeness, reflecting values cherished across generations.
3.1. Preparation Traditions
How do you prepare it? Chicken is typically braised or roasted with simple ingredients like ginger or soy. Traditionally, a whole chicken is first offered to one’s ancestors and gods for blessings and protection.
3.2. A Unique Tradition
What part is eaten by whom? Interestingly, the chicken feet are usually eaten by the breadwinner in the family, as they might help them ‘grab’ onto wealth (the word ‘grab’ is a homophone of chicken’s ‘talons’).
4. Chinese New Year Cake (Niangao): Aiming for a Higher Income or Position
Why is niangao so popular during Chinese New Year? Glutinous rice cake (年糕 Niángāo) is a lucky food eaten on Chinese New Year’s Eve. In Chinese, niangao sounds like it means “getting higher year-on-year”. Chinese people believe this symbolizes prosperity and a general improvement in life.
4.1. Ingredients and Symbolism
What goes into making it? The main ingredients of niangao are sticky rice, sugar, chestnuts, Chinese dates, and lotus leaves.
4.2. Lucky Saying for Eating Niangao
What’s the saying? Try this one:
- 年年高 (niánnián gāo): ‘Getting higher year-after-year’, can imply children’s height, rise in business success, better grades in study, promotions at work, etc.
5. Spring Rolls: Golden Bars of Wealth
Why are spring rolls eaten during the Spring Festival? Spring rolls (春卷 Chūnjuǎn) get their name because they are traditionally eaten during the Spring Festival. It is a Chinese New Year dish especially popular in East China: Jiangxi, Jiangsu, Shanghai, Fujian, Guangzhou, Shenzhen, Hong Kong, etc. They’re considered a symbol of wealth because their golden color resembles gold bars.
5.1. Spring Roll Ingredients
What’s inside a spring roll? Spring rolls are a Cantonese dim sum dish of cylindrical-shaped rolls filled with vegetables, meat, or something sweet. Fillings are wrapped in thin dough wrappers, then fried, giving the spring rolls their golden-yellow color.
5.2. Lucky Saying for Eating Spring Rolls
What’s the saying? Here’s one to try:
- 黄金万两 (hwung-jin wan-lyang): ‘A ton of gold’ (because fried spring rolls look like gold bars) — a wish for prosperity.
6. Sweet Rice Balls (Tangyuan): Symbolizing Family Togetherness
Why are sweet rice balls eaten during Chinese New Year? Sweet rice ball (汤圆 Tāngyuán) is the main food for China’s Lantern Festival, but in south China, people eat them throughout the Spring Festival. The pronunciation and round shape of tangyuan are associated with reunion and being together. That’s why they are favored by the Chinese during the New Year celebrations. According to the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences in January 2026, the tradition of eating tangyuan during the Lantern Festival strengthens family bonds and promotes a sense of unity.
6.1. Symbolism
What do they symbolize? The round shape and sweet taste represent family togetherness and happiness.
6.2. Lucky Sayings for Eating Tangyuan
What are some sayings? Here’s one:
- 团团圆圆 (Tuántuán yuányuán): ‘group-group round-round’: Happy (family) reunion!
7. Longevity Noodles: Wishing for a Long Life
Why are noodles for long life eaten? Longevity noodles (长寿面 Chángshòu Miàn) unsurprisingly symbolize a wish for longevity. Their length and unsevered preparation are also symbolic of the eater’s life. It is a lucky food eaten on Chinese New Year Day in North China.
7.1. Preparation
How are they prepared? They are longer than normal noodles and uncut, either fried and served on a plate, or boiled and served in a bowl with their broth.
7.2. Symbolism
What’s the significance of uncut noodles? The uncut length symbolizes a long and uninterrupted life.
8. Lion’s Head Meatballs: Symbolizing Family Unity
What’s the significance of Lion’s Head Meatballs? Lion’s Head Meatballs (狮子头, shīzitóu) are a popular Chinese New Year dish, especially in Shanghai. They represent strength and family unity.
8.1. Taste and Preparation
What do they taste like? Tender and juicy homemade pork meatballs are steamed/braised, served with vegetables, and tossed in a sweet and sticky sauce.
8.2. The Name
Why are they called Lion’s Head? They are so named because of their shape, which resembles the head of a lion. Lions represent ‘strength’ in Chinese culture, while the meatballs signify ‘family unity’ (because of their roundness).
9. Steamed Pork Belly with Taro: Welcoming Prosperity
Why do people eat steamed pork belly with taro during the New Year? Steamed pork belly with taro is a popular dish that often shows up on dinner tables during Chinese New Year festivities in southern China. It’s a symbol of prosperity.
9.1. The Symbolism of Pork
What does the pork symbolize? Pork is representative of ‘a rich, prosperous life’, ‘wealth’, ‘strength’, and ‘abundant blessings’. Steamed pork expresses the wish that the New Year will be prosperous.
9.2. Harmonious Flavors
What does it taste like? Tender pork slices with a harmonious profile of sweet, salty, and tangy notes are paired with soft and starchy taro slices.
10. Shrimp: Laughing into Happiness
Why do people eat shrimp? Shrimp is a popular Chinese New Year dish among Cantonese people. Shrimp represents ‘liveliness’, as well as ‘happiness’ and ‘good fortune’, because the Cantonese word for shrimp, ha, sounds like laughter.
10.1. Preparation Styles
How can you prepare shrimp? Shrimp can be steamed, stir-fried, or added to dishes like dumplings and noodles.
10.2. The Sound of Happiness
Why does the sound matter? The Cantonese word for shrimp sounds like laughter, making it a joyful addition to the New Year feast.
11. Vegetables: Welcoming Spring, Wealth, and More
Why are vegetables important? Chinese New Year’s reunion dinner menu is not complete without vegetables. Vegetables signify ‘spring’, ‘renewal’, ‘energy’, ‘progress’, and ‘wealth’. There are several traditional vegetables, each of them symbolizes something specific.
11.1. Types of Vegetables and Their Meanings
What are some traditional vegetables? Here are a few:
- Lettuce: In Chinese and Cantonese, the word for ‘lettuce’ sounds a lot like a word for ‘becoming wealthy’.
- Baby bok choy: It can symbolize ‘wealth’ and ‘luck’ for the year as well as ‘good fortune’ for the future.
- Gailan (Cantonese) or jielan (Mandarin), i.e. Chinese broccoli: Signifies ‘harmony’.
11.2. Adding to the Feast
How do vegetables enhance the meal? Vegetables bring freshness and vitality to the New Year’s table, symbolizing growth and prosperity.
12. Fruit: Symbolizing Fullness and Wealth
Why is fruit important? Certain fruits are eaten during the Chinese New Year period, such as tangerines and oranges, and pomeloes. They are selected as they are particularly round and “golden” in color, symbolizing fullness and wealth, but more obviously for the lucky sound they bring when spoken.
12.1. The Golden Colors
Why these particular fruits? Eating and displaying tangerines and oranges is believed to bring good luck and fortune due to their pronunciation, and even writing. The Chinese for orange (and tangerine) is 橙 (chéng), which sounds the same as the Chinese for ‘success’ (成). One of the ways of writing tangerine (桔 jú) contains the Chinese character for luck (吉 jí).
12.2. Pomelo Traditions
Why eat pomeloes? Eating pomeloes/shaddocks is thought to bring continuous prosperity. The more you eat, the more wealth it will bring, as the traditional saying goes. The Chinese for pomelo (柚 yòu) sounds like ‘to have’ (有 yǒu), except for the tone, and exactly like ‘again’ (又 yòu).
Unlock Culinary Bliss: FAQs About Chinese New Year Food
Still curious? Let’s dive into some frequently asked questions to enhance your Chinese New Year culinary journey:
1. What is the most popular food for Chinese New Year?
Chinese dumplings (Jiaozi) are arguably the most popular food, especially in Northern China. Their shape resembles ancient Chinese money, symbolizing wealth and prosperity. They typically contain minced meat and vegetables wrapped in a thin dough.
2. Why is food important during Chinese New Year?
Food plays a central role because many dishes have symbolic meanings related to prosperity, luck, and unity. Sharing these foods with family is a way to pass on blessings for the New Year.
3. What does each Chinese New Year food symbolize?
Each dish carries its own symbolism:
- Fish: Surplus and abundance.
- Dumplings: Wealth.
- Spring Rolls: Gold and riches.
- Sweet Rice Balls: Family togetherness.
- Longevity Noodles: Long life.
- Oranges and Tangerines: Good luck and success.
4. Are there any foods to avoid during Chinese New Year?
While not strictly forbidden, some people avoid eating white foods like tofu or white rice, as white can be associated with mourning in Chinese culture. However, this is more of a regional custom.
5. Can I make Chinese New Year food at home?
Absolutely! Many dishes, like dumplings and spring rolls, can be made at home with readily available ingredients. Visit larosafoods.com for easy-to-follow recipes and tips.
6. What is the best way to serve Chinese New Year dishes?
Serve dishes family-style so that everyone can share and enjoy together. Presentation matters too; arrange food attractively to enhance its symbolic significance.
7. How can I incorporate healthy eating into my Chinese New Year feast?
Include plenty of vegetables, lean proteins, and whole grains. Opt for steamed or stir-fried dishes rather than deep-fried ones to reduce fat content.
8. Where can I find authentic Chinese New Year recipes?
Explore a wide range of authentic recipes at larosafoods.com, complete with ingredient lists, step-by-step instructions, and helpful cooking tips.
9. Are there vegetarian options for Chinese New Year food?
Yes, many vegetarian options exist, such as vegetable-filled dumplings, spring rolls, and stir-fried vegetable dishes. Tofu and mushrooms are also great additions to vegetarian feasts.
10. What are some easy Chinese New Year desserts?
Sweet rice balls (Tangyuan) are a popular and easy dessert. Also, consider serving fresh fruits like oranges and tangerines, which symbolize good luck.
Discover More Culinary Delights at larosafoods.com
Ready to bring good fortune and delicious flavors to your Chinese New Year celebration? At larosafoods.com, we offer a diverse collection of recipes, cooking tips, and nutritional information to make your culinary journey a success. Whether you’re looking to master the art of dumpling making or explore innovative ways to incorporate traditional ingredients, larosafoods.com is your ultimate resource.
Visit larosafoods.com today and unlock a world of culinary inspiration. Our user-friendly website is designed to help you find the perfect recipes for any occasion, with easy-to-follow instructions and stunning visuals that bring each dish to life. Don’t miss out on our latest articles, featuring expert advice on everything from meal planning to healthy eating.
Address: 1 S Park St, San Francisco, CA 94107, United States
Phone: +1 (415) 987-0123
Website: larosafoods.com
Explore larosafoods.com and start cooking your way to a prosperous and delicious New Year.
