Good Luck Foods for the New Years新年好食

布琳·曼尼诺

Find out which traditional eats are symbols of a fortune-filled future.看看哪些傳统食物象征着好运连连吧！

Each New Year’s， revelers around the world chow down on specific foods to summon good luck for the next 365 days. While some traditions call for noodles and others call for fruit， all the edibles connote forward movement， prosperity and health. Whether or not you’re superstitious， take a look at our list of common celebratory eats. If no luck comes your way， at least you’ll go into the new year with a full belly.

Long noodles

In China， Japan and other Asian countries， it’s customary to eat long noodles， signify longevity， on New Year’s Day. The noodles are never to be broken or shortened during the cooking process.

Cornbread

A favorite throughout the year， cornbread is especially venerated as a New Year’s treat in the southern United States. Why？ Its color resembles that of gold. To ensure extra luck， some people add extra corn kernels， which are emblematic of golden nuggets.

Pomegranate

Pomegranates represent good luck in Turkey for many reasons： Their red color， which represents the human heart， denotes life and fertility; their medicinal properties represent health; and their abundant， round seeds represent prosperity—all things everyone hopes for in any fresh start.

Round fruits

Though the number of pieces varies by region， eating any round fruit is a common New Year’s tradition. In the Philippines， the custom calls for 13， considered a lucky number; in Europe and the U.S.， it calls for 12， which represents the months in a year. In both cases， their shape， which looks like a coin， and their sweetness are the common denominators.

Greens

From the coastal American South to Europe， people eat green leafy veggies—including kale， collards and cabbage—on New Year’s Day because of their color and appearance， which resembles paper cash. Belief has it， the more you eat， the more prosperous you’ll be （and the healthier， too！）.

Pickled herring

In Germany， Poland and Scandinavia， it’s believed that eating herring at the stroke of midnight will ensure a year of bounty—as herring are in abundance throughout Western Europe. Also， their silvery color resembles that of coins， a good omen for future fortune.

Whole fish

According to Doris Lum， a Chinese cuisine expert， the Chinese word for “fish” sounds like the word for “abundance，” one of the many reasons fish has become a go-to good luck food. Also， Rosemary Gong writes in Good Luck Life， her book on Chinese celebrations， that it’s important for the fish be served with the head and tail intact to ensure a good year， from start to finish.

Pork

In some countries， including Cuba， Spain， Portugal， Hungary and Austria， pigs symbolize progress. Some say it’s because these animals never move backward， while others believe it’s all in their feeding habits （they push their snouts forward along the ground when rooting for food）. And it’s not limited to pork—foods shaped like pigs （think cutout cookies） count， too.

Lentils

A popular New Year’s meal in Italy is Cotechino con Lenticchie （green lentils with sausage） because of the legume’s greenish color and coin-like appearance. Deeper into the myth： When cooked， lentils plump with water， symbolizing growing wealth. Lentils are also considered good luck in Hungary， where they’re preferred in a soup.

Black-eyed peas

Considered good luck due to their penny-like appearance and abundance， these peas， enjoyed in the southern United States， are traditionally served in a dish called Hoppin’ John1. On the day after New Year’s Day， leftover “Hoppin’ John” becomes “Skippin’ Jenny” meant to demonstrate frugality and promote prosperity in the new year.

每逢新年，世界各地的狂欢者都会享用特定美食，以祈求接下来的365天都有好运相伴。虽然各地传统不尽相同，有的吃面条，有的吃水果，但所有食物都含有大展宏图、兴旺发达和身体健康的寓意。不管你是否迷信，都请看看下列的好运清单吧，就算不会带来好运，至少也能让你在新年之际大饱口福。

长面条

在中国、日本和其他一些亚洲国家，吃长面条是新年的习俗，寓意为“长寿”。在烹饪时不能将面条折断缩短。

玉米面包

人们全年都爱吃玉米面包，但在美国南部，玉米面包在新年时却格外受推崇，这是为什么呢？因为它颜色酷似黄金。为了祈求获得更多的好运，一些人会另外加上玉米粒，象征一块块金块。

石榴

在土耳其，石榴象征着好运，原因很多：石榴火红的颜色代表心脏，象征着生命和繁衍;石榴可入药，预示着健康;而饱满丰硕的石榴果实则象征着繁荣——这一切都代表了人们在新年所渴求的一切。

圆水果

尽管食用数量各地不同，但吃圆水果是许多地方的新年传统。在菲律宾，人们通常吃13个，因为13是幸运数字，而在欧洲和美国，人们则吃12个，因为12代表一年12个月。上述两例中，水果的形状都酷似硬币，且都很香甜。

绿叶蔬菜

从美洲南部沿海到欧洲各国，人们都喜欢在新年吃绿叶蔬菜，如羽衣甘蓝、甘蓝叶和卷心菜，因为它们的颜色和外表都与当地纸币相似。人们相信，吃得越多，就会越有钱（也越健康）。

腌制鲱鱼

在德国、波兰和斯堪的纳维亚半岛，人们相信在午夜新年钟声敲響时吃鲱鱼会令来年收获满满，因为鲱鱼在西欧产量丰富。再者，其银色的鱼身和硬币的颜色一样，也预示着来年大富大贵。

整鱼

据中国饮食专家多丽丝·卢姆说，汉字“鱼”和“余”同音，所以这也是鱼会成为好运菜品的众多原因之一。此外，罗斯玛丽·龚在她描写中国庆典活动的《红运生活》一书中也提到，鱼必须要整条上，从头到尾都要完整，因为这意味着一年到头都好运连连。

猪肉

在一些国家，如古巴、西班牙、葡萄牙、匈牙利和奥地利，猪象征着进步。有人说，这是因为猪从来不会向后退，有的人则认为这和它们的习性有关（因为它们总是用鼻子向前拱食物）。不只是猪肉，形状像猪的食物（如小猪形曲奇）也算好运食物。

扁豆

在意大利，香肠配绿扁豆是新年传统食物，因为扁豆呈绿色，且外表和硬币十分相似。更深一层的含义是：烹饪时，扁豆遇水变得饱满多汁，象征着源源不断的财富。在匈牙利，扁豆也同样是一种好运食物，但是匈牙利人更偏爱喝扁豆汤。

黑眼豌豆

在美国南部，黑眼豌豆是制作名为Hoppin’ John的菜肴的主要原料，因为它们酷似硬币且产量丰沛，人们把它们当作好运食物。在新年的第二天，吃剩的Hoppin’ John就变成Skippin’ Jenny，意味在新的一年中勤俭节约、兴旺发达。

（译者单位：天津外国语大学滨海外事学院）