13 New Year's Good Luck Foods to Ring in 2026
From popping Champagne at midnight to eating heaps of collard greens or long noodles, New Year’s good luck food traditions are abundant and diverse.
History, folklore and agriculture converge to create these enduring traditions in holiday celebrations around the world, meaning that every New Year's meal has meaning and value behind it.
Notably, foods like pork, greens and pomegranate are seasonal during the winter in the northern hemisphere, influencing the bounty of the holiday table and playing a role in the prevalence of these types of foods being seen as lucky for the New Year.
So, what are the most common New Year's foods for good luck? To find out, here are 13 popular New Year’s good luck foods to ring in the new year from around the globe, along with a little bit of history behind them.
Jump to Section
- Greens
- Cabbage
- Black Eyed Peas
- Cornbread
- Grapes
- Pomegranate
- Oranges
- Fish
- Pork
- Noodles
- Lentils
- Tamales
- Cake
- Learn To Make Lucky New Year’s Day Food
1. Greens
A ubiquitous New Year’s Day good luck food in Europe and the United States, leafy greens like kale and collards are eaten to represent money, wealth and general prosperity.
As WSOC-TV explains, in the American South, collard greens are eaten with two other New Year’s good luck foods, black-eyed peas and cornbread, for some extra fortune.
For a simple spin on this popular U.S. veggie served on New Year's Eve and Day, whip up these Instant Pot collard greens. If you prefer leafy greens like kale, try a fresh lemon kale salad.
2. Cabbage
In Germany and Eastern Europe, it is believed that eating fermented cabbage, also known as sauerkraut, will bring wealth in the new year. The long strands of cabbage are also said to represent longevity.
The Pennsylvania Dutch carry on this New Year’s food tradition in the United States as well. If you want to try this good luck food for New Year's, pair it with meat like roast pork (another lucky thing to eat on New Year’s Day and Eve) or sausages, along with sides like potatoes.
3. Black-Eyed Peas
Traditionally paired with collard greens and cornbread, black-eyed peas are a staple New Year’s good luck food. The peas symbolize coins, and practices of consuming these legumes around celebrations date back to Ancient Egypt.
Black-eyed peas have cemented themselves as a New Year’s food tradition in the American Lowcountry, where the dish was commonly prepared by enslaved West Africans during the 18th and 19th centuries.
Cooked with rice and pork, black-eyed peas become Hoppin’ John, a popular way to consume this New Year’s Day good luck food. According to HISTORY, the moniker "hoppin' John" likely comes from English speakers' mispronunciation of the French dish pois pigeons.
Either way, this dish offers a comforting way to boost your luck a little in the year ahead. You can also cook up tasty black-eyed pea soup to make the most of this New Year's good luck food.
4. Cornbread
Part of the popular New Year’s Day good luck food trio, a slice of cornbread rounds out a plate of lucky foods for the New Year, thought to bring about wealth and good fortune. As the saying goes, “Peas for pennies, greens for dollars and cornbread for gold.”
If you want something a little different to pair alongside your collard greens and black-eyed peas, why not whip up some sweet potato cornbread? Or, make cornbread muffins for easy serving at a larger New Year's Eve or Day event.
5. Grapes
In Spanish tradition, grapes are a good luck food on New Year’s Eve. At the countdown to midnight, Spaniards (as well as many people in Latin American countries) eat 12 grapes, one for each month of the year and one in time with each of the final 12 tolls of the clock.
It is said that the sweetness of the grapes determines luck in the months of the new year; watch out for sour grapes and the month they correspond with! NPR also notes that it's "bad luck" if you don't finish all 12 grapes when the clock officially strikes 12:00.
6. Pomegranate
Pomegranate seeds symbolize fertility, life and abundance. In Greek tradition, a pomegranate is smashed on the floor or tossed against the door at midnight, scattering an explosion of jewel-like seeds. The more seeds that scatter in the smash, the luckier life will be in the coming year.
7. Oranges
Oranges play a special role in Lunar New Year celebrations in parts of Asia and have made their way into traditions around the world. The bright colors evoke joy, and the round shape is a symbol of the cyclical nature of the earth.
In Chinese, the word for a mandarin orange is a homonym for the word for gold, making them a popular Chinese New Year food. In the Philippines, the new year is celebrated with 12 types of fruits to represent the months of the year, especially round fruits such as oranges.
8. Fish
A popular New Year’s good luck food in many countries, fish has come to symbolize wealth, prosperity and abundance. In Scandinavia, herring is a common food to eat on New Year’s for good luck due to its significant role in the culture and the economy.
In places such as Eastern Europe, fish scales are said to represent money along with their shimmering hues. In Japan, shrimp are eaten for long life, herring roe for fertility and dried sardines for a good harvest.
9. Pork
A New Year’s good luck food all around the world, pork adorns many holiday tables throughout the season. Pork is said to represent progress because, unlike other animals, pigs root forward rather than backward. The fattiness of the pork is also related to wealth and luxury, making it an especially lucky food for the new year.
There are numerous ways to prepare this traditional New Year’s meal and many side dishes to pair with it. As previously mentioned, many people pair pork and sauerkaut as a lucky New Year's meal, with others adding pork to a mix of black-eyed peas and rice.
However, you can really prepare it anyway you like to potentially reap the lucky rewards of this type of meat.
10. Noodles
In many Asian countries, noodles are a traditional New Year’s good luck food. Soba noodles, in particular, are believed to symbolize a long life and resilience.
The longer the noodle, the longer the life, especially if it can be slurped and eaten without breaking or chewing and shortening the length of the noodle.
11. Lentils
A good luck food on New Year’s Eve, commonly served in Italy, lentils are another legume noted to symbolize coins. With legend dating back to Ancient Rome connecting them to wealth, lentils continue to be a popular food to eat on New Year’s for good luck and prosperity.
You don't have to stick to Italian recipes either when eating this New Year's good luck food. From lentil tabbouleh or dal tadka to lentil chili or vegan lentil soup, there are endless ways to serve up this New Year’s Eve lucky food.
12. Tamales
A staple of Mexican celebrations, tamales have come to symbolize family, and eating them is a popular New Year’s food tradition. It often takes a whole family working together to make this labor-intensive dish. Generations gather to stuff flavorful fillings into bundles of masa wrapped in corn husks to be steamed and enjoyed throughout the holiday season.
13. Cake
What is a celebration without cake? Round or ring-shaped cakes are especially relevant to New Year’s tradition as they represent the circle of life.
The Greeks enjoy vasilopita, a zesty citrus cake baked with a coin inside that is only eaten on New Year’s Day. The person who gets the slice with the coin is said to have good luck throughout the year ahead.
Louisianans might know of a similar New Year’s Day food called a king cake, a sweet that tops lists of best foods in New Orleans, which is also enjoyed as a Mardi Gras food and for the Epiphany.
Other versions of this lucky New Year’s treat are found around the world, including Spain, France, Bulgaria, Denmark and Norway.
Learn To Make Lucky New Year’s Day Foods
Many time-honored recipes are as much about history and technique as they are about the ingredients in the dish. Whether learning to make lucky food for the New Year or elevating a holiday menu, cooking classes near you offer a fun and immersive way to gain experience with world-class chefs at the lead.
Explore global cuisines and new takes on classic dishes with cooking classes in Austin, Philadelphia and more. Or, discover festive flavors right from your own kitchen with online holiday cooking classes.
From edible gifts and boozy beverages to traditional New Year’s good luck food, these types of exciting holiday experiences will help you kick off the new year with new skills in the kitchen.
Traditional New Year’s Day foods have a fascinating history in the United States and around the globe, with cultures blending and sharing lucky food for the new year. Foods to eat on New Year’s Day for good luck represent the bounty of the season and conjure celebrations with friends and family.
Whether rooted in superstition or cultural tradition, serving these New Year’s good luck foods is a delicious way to celebrate the past and welcome the future. Add some to your table for a fun New Year's party idea that celebrates these culinary customs.
What are the good luck foods for New Year’s Day celebrations in your region? Let us know in the comments!
For even more fun ways to celebrate the holidays, check out other experiences happening on Cozymeal.
