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 Chinese New Year decorations to the festive menus, this time of year in Hong Kong is full of celebration and colour. Also, almost every household in the city will stock their shelves with an array of traditional Chinese New Year food and snacks to serve their families and guests. We enjoy those delicious treats, 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 cake
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. 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.
4. Mandarin
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.
5. 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.
6. 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.
7. 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!
