Food and fortune: How to set your New Year off right!

The tradition of New Year’s Eve feasts dates back to the ancient Roman festival of Saturnalia, when food and celebrations played a central role. This tradition lives on in modern-day New Year’s Eve celebrations, where menus are shaped not only by their flavours but also by superstitions and beliefs. These traditions are deeply rooted in peasant culture and highlight the symbolic importance of the end-of-year and beginning-of-year transition.

According to Travelo, New Year’s Eve food and drink are not only a gastronomic treat, but also a harbinger of good fortune and abundance. Behind the dishes of the last day of the year lie centuries-old superstitions and traditions that help usher in the New Year. By choosing the right ingredients and omitting foods to be avoided, we can create a feast that is not only delicious, but also symbolically meaningful for ourselves and our families.

Traditional foods that can bring good luck

Cabbage: Eating cabbage brings wealth as the green leaves are reminiscent of money. This custom is not only widespread in Hungary: Americans, for example, compare the appearance of cabbage to dollars. If you don’t have cabbage on hand, you can substitute it with any green leafy vegetable, spinach, kale, or Swiss chard.

Lentils and legumes: Lentils and other small pulses, such as peas and beans, are reminiscent of small change, and eating them brings the hope of wealth. Italians eat lentils with sausages, Brazilians eat lentil rice and the Japanese eat beans at this time to ensure material abundance for the New Year.

Pig: The piglet is a symbol of good luck as the pig pokes its nose forward, bringing progress and good luck. Pig meat also symbolises wealth and prosperity, which is why it is an integral part of the New Year’s Eve menu in many countries, such as Germany, Portugal and Spain.