Chinese New Year is all about welcoming good luck and fortune into your life, so stock your household with these auspicious items before the holidays!
From the wonderful Lunar New Year decorations to the CNY menus, this time of year is full of celebration and colour. Also, almost every household in Hong Kong stocks their shelves with an array of traditional Chinese New Year food and snacks to serve their families and guests. These traditions are an important part of the festivities that we enjoy, and we think you should give them a try during the holidays, too!
Try these auspicious Chinese New Year food and snacks
1. New Year cakes
Also known as nian gao (年糕), New Year cake is a traditional sticky rice cake. Slice up the New Year cake and put it on the griddle, and it will become a very filling and satisfying sweet treat. Yes, it’s high in calories, but hey, we all deserve to live a little! If you don’t have a sweet tooth, you can still try other festive cakes, like turnip cake and taro cake.
2. Chocolate gold coins
One of the Chinese New Year rituals involves parents filling up a candy tray with lucky food and snacks for their kids. These chocolate coins are wrapped in gold foil to resemble a real coin, and they are usually the kids’ favourite!
3. Crispy pastry dumplings
The irresistible crispy pastry dumplings, affectionately known as yau gok (油角) or gok jai (角仔) in Cantonese, are essential treats for welcoming the Lunar New Year. These deep-fried delights, crafted from glutinous rice dough, take on the shape of ancient Chinese ingots, each brimming with either savoury or sweet fillings. Opt for the savoury kind, and you’ll enjoy a satisfying umami bite, thanks to the minced pork and mushrooms tucked inside. If your sweet tooth calls, the peanut and sesame stuffed variety offers a nostalgically delicious flavour in every bite. Yau gok brings more than just a satisfying crunch; they’re a symbol of prosperity, their golden hue and ingot shape embodying wishes for good fortune in the year to come.
4. Melon seeds
Black and red melon seeds (瓜子) are usually the most popular kinds among all seeds, with the action of grabbing seeds symbolising the action of grabbing money. They are the perfect snack to have while watching TV, but make sure you crack their shells with your teeth carefully.
5. Mandarins
There are few Chinese New year foods more iconic than the mandarin. Not only are mandarins the number one fruit to consume during Chinese New Year, they’re also used as home decorations. Why are mandarins auspicious, you ask? Well, in Cantonese, mandarin (柑桔) is homophonous with the words “gold” (金) and “luck” (吉). (Plus, they serve a good fix of vitamin C!) So, be sure to stock up on them this Chinese New Year.
6. Fried sesame balls
Fried sesame balls (煎堆) are chewy and flavourful. Sprinkled with aromatic toasted sesame seeds, these are one of the most indulgent Chinese New Year lucky foods. Their round shape is also said to represent the coming of good fortune and wealth to the household.
7. Glutinous rice balls
After you devour all the dishes atf a Chinese New Year feast, it’s time for the much-anticipated dessert – glutinous rice balls, or tang yuan (湯圓) in Chinese. These chewy, mochi-like dumplings are lovingly handcrafted, often filled with sweet black sesame or peanut paste. Their spherical form is a symbol of family unity and completeness, and the name “tang yuan” sounds similar to the Chinese term for “reunion” (tuan yuan), adding an extra layer of meaning. Since families always gather to relish these subtly sweet, sticky spheres, they’re a delicious embodiment of joyous family reunions during the Lunar New Year celebrations.
8. Pistachios
The cracks on these crunchy roasted nuts appear to resemble a smiley face. That’s why pistachios are considered the most popular and nutritious Chinese New Year foods or snacks. We’ll happily fill up on them time and time again.
9. Candies
From fruity Sugus to milky candies, there is a diverse range of sweets available in the market for you and the little ones. Children in Hong Kong get to eat as many candies as possible this time of the year – definitely more outrageous than in Halloween!
10. Turnip cakes
As Chinese New Year approaches, we find ourselves eagerly anticipating the scent of sizzling turnip cake, a savoury treat that truly shines during this festive time. Despite its name, the star ingredient is actually finely shredded white radish, which is combined with rice flour. Seasoned with a blend of dried shrimp, shiitake mushrooms, Chinese sausage, or fatty pork, it offers an umami taste that’s utterly irresistible. Following a steam to set the mixture, the cake is then fried until it boasts a delightfully crispy exterior while maintaining tender on the inside. This turnip cake, with its satisfying texture and its association with prosperity, is an indispensable part of any Lunar New Year feast.
[This article was originally published in December 2019 and updated in 2024 by Catherine Pun.]
