How to Eat Your Way to Good Luck

Feeling unlucky lately and looking for something to turn that around? It turns out, there are plenty of everyday foods believed to bring good fortune and positivity. Some are dishes that have been passed down through generations, others are a snack with a fun superstition attached. Here's a light-hearted look at what you might want to add to your plate when you’re hoping for a bit of a lucky boost.

Shamrock.Photo byPhoto credit: Depositphotos.

Black Eyed Peas

In Southern U.S. tradition, black eyed peas are eaten on New Year’s Day to bring prosperity, as they're said to resemble coins and swell when cooked, symbolizing growing wealth. Paired with greens and cornbread, they’re a tasty omen for a prosperous year.

Collard Greens

Collard greens are another staple in Southern U.S. cuisine and are considered lucky because their green leaves resemble money, promising wealth and prosperity. Slow-cooked to perfection, they’re a deliciously green path to fortune.

Oranges

In Chinese culture, oranges are thought to be considered lucky due to both their pronunciation in Mandarin and Cantonese resembling "luck" and "gold" respectively along with their golden color symbolizing wealth and prosperity. Giving oranges as gifts during the New Year is a common practice, believed to bring good luck and happiness to the recipient.

Cornbread.Photo byGina Matsoukas/Running to the Kitchen

Cornbread

Cornbread is yet another Southern comfort foos tradition in America. Besides being a staple at any BBQ joint worth its weight, it's also thought to bring luck because its golden color resembles monetary gold, promising economic prosperity. Served alongside black eyed peas and greens, it’s part of a trifecta of dishes meant to usher in a year of fortune.

Onions

In many folklore and superstitions, onions, with their layers symbolizing the complexity of life, are thought to bring luck. Their round shape signifies eternity across various cultures.

Lentils

Essentially the Italian replacement for black-eyed peas in American culture, lentils are eaten after midnight on New Year’s Eve to symbolize wealth, their small, round shape resembling coins.

Noodles

Long noodles are consumed in many Asian cultures, especially during celebrations like Chinese New Year, to symbolize longevity and health. The longer the noodle, the longer the life, making them a lucky and essential part of festive meals.

Grapes

Eating 12 grapes at midnight on New Year’s Eve is a tradition from Spain, where each grape represents good luck for each month of the year. It’s a sweet and fun ritual to make sure your year to come is filled with good fortune.

Cake.Photo byGina Matsoukas/Running to the Kitchen

Pomegranates

Pomegranates, with their many seeds, are eaten in Turkey and other Mediterranean countries to bring luck, symbolizing abundance and fertility. Their sweet, tart flavor and rich color make them a festive way to wish for a prosperous year ahead.

Cake

Cake, especially round or ring-shaped ones, is popular in Western celebrations as a symbol of coming full circle, representing luck and the cycle of life. Eating cake on special occasions like birthdays or New Year’s is a sweet tradition to hope for joy and prosperity in the year ahead. Who would say no to this good luck superstition?

Rice

Rice is a universal symbol of fertility and prosperity — showering newlyweds with it being one of the most common examples. Cherished in many Asian cultures, it’s seen as a lucky food that promises a life filled with abundance. Eating rice is a way to wish for a future brimming with opportunities and joy.

Dumplings

In Chinese culture, dumplings, especially those shaped like little purses, are served during the New Year celebrations as a sign of prosperity. By serving this dish, the hope is to have many opportunities and good fortune in the year ahead.

Doughnuts

Doughnuts, particularly Dutch doughnuts called Oliebollen, are known for their circular shape, symbolizing the cycle of life and bringing luck and completeness. Enjoying a doughnut is a delicious nod to the hope of coming full circle with happiness and success.

This article first appeared on Running to the Kitchen.