7 Foods Believed to be Good Luck. Why Wouldn't You Try Them?

Start the new year off by eating one (or several) of these new year good luck foods! According to many cultures, these good luck foods bring you health, happiness and good fortune in the coming year!

Greens

Eating any type of greens from cabbage to broccoli is said to usher in the kind of green you keep in your wallet. So it’s probably wise to take a second helping!

Get the recipe for stir fried broccoli with sesame seeds here
Pomegranate Seeds

Hoping for a baby in 2012? Try snacking on pomegranate seeds. The pomegranate is a symbol of abundance and many Mediterranean countries associate it with fertility.

Get the recipe for haloumi and pomegranate salad here
Noodles

In many Asian cultures, long noodles symbolise a long life. Just don’t cut them short – it’s better to slurp them whole for good luck.

Get the recipe for Soba noodle salad here
Grapes

In Spain, people ring in the new year by quickly eating 12 grapes at midnight, one for each stroke of the clock. The goal is to eat them before the start of the new year. Some believe that the sweetness of each grape predicts how good or bad each month will be, for example, if the third grape is bitter, March might be a hard month. The tradition dates back to 1909, when there was a grape surplus throughout the country.

Get the recipe for White grape sparklers here
Fish

Many cultures ring in the new year with fish. The Japanese believe fish are a symbol of fertility (because of their ability to produce tons of eggs). Swedes also celebrate with an abundance of seafood, including pickled dishes.

Get the recipe for salmon with blueberry and mango salsa here
Black-Eyed Peas

Black eyed peas (as well as lentils and other legumes) resemble coins, so people, often in the Southern United States, eat them for a prosperous New Year. Some believe in eating one pea for every day in the new year.

Get the recipe for Cucumber and Black-Eyed Pea Salad here
Pork

Many cultures put pork at the centre of their festivities because pigs push themselves forward while rooting for food, symbolising progress. The size (and richness) of a whole pig also represents abundance.

Get the recipe for lemon and herb crusted pork chops here
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