12 Traditional Chinese New Year Foods to Serve This Year

Key Takeaways

• Traditional Chinese New Year food emphasizes symbolism, with different dishes representing wishes for prosperity, health, or family unity.
• Dumplings, fish, noodles, rice cakes, and citrus fruits are among the most common dishes served during Lunar New Year celebrations.
• Understanding food symbolism is central to culinary education, blending cultural appreciation with professional technique.

Traditional accounts trace the origins of the Chinese New Year to early village customs tied to the changing seasons. One well-known legend describes a mythical creature that appeared at the turn of the year and was repelled using loud sounds, bright light, and the colour red.

Over time, these practices became ritualised, forming the basis for traditions that still shape the holiday. Lanterns represent guidance and continuity, while firecrackers stem from longstanding beliefs about clearing away the old year.

Meals also play a practical and symbolic role in these gatherings, which is why Chinese New Year food is often discussed as part of the celebration itself. Together, these elements frame the holiday as both a cultural marker and a moment for a collective pause before the year ahead.

Traditional Chinese New Year Food

Chinese New Year, also known as Lunar New Year, is tied to a lunisolar calendar: it begins on the first day of the first Chinese lunisolar month, so the date shifts annually, typically between late January and mid‑February.

In 2026, the Lunar New Year begins on 17 February, ushering in the Year of the Horse. Preparing these traditional dishes offers a way to participate in a centuries-old celebration rooted in hope, renewal, and togetherness.

Symbolic meaning drives menu planning more than flavor profiles or cooking techniques. While recipes vary by region, the underlying principle remains: what you eat reflects what you hope for.

Chinese dumplings

Dumplings (jiaozi) are one of the most iconic Chinese New Year foods. Shaped like ancient gold or silver ingots, they symbolize wealth and prosperity. Families often gather to fold dumplings together on New Year's Eve, turning preparation into a shared ritual.

The more dumplings you eat, the more money you're believed to attract in the coming year. Some families hide a coin inside one dumpling—whoever finds it is thought to receive extra good fortune.

Dumplings are typically boiled, steamed, or pan-fried and filled with pork, cabbage, garlic chives, or shrimp. They're served with soy-vinegar dipping sauce and eaten in abundance throughout the festival period.

Spring rolls

Golden, crispy, and cylindrical, spring rolls (chūnjuǎn) resemble small bars of gold. Their name ties directly to the Spring Festival, another term for Chinese New Year.

Spring rolls symbolize wealth and new beginnings. Their fried exterior turns a brilliant gold, reinforcing associations with prosperity. Fillings vary but often include shredded vegetables, pork, or shrimp wrapped in thin wheat or rice paper.

Unlike dumplings, which are more common in northern China, spring rolls are a staple in southern regions. They're typically served as appetizers or snacks during family gatherings and are especially popular in Fujian and Guangdong provinces.

Steamed fish

A whole steamed fish is considered essential for the Chinese New Year. The Chinese word for fish, yú, sounds similar to the word for surplus or abundance. Serving fish expresses the hope that the family will have more than enough in the year to come.

Tradition dictates that the fish should be served whole (head and tail intact) to symbolize completeness and a strong start and finish to the year. Families often leave a portion of the fish uneaten to carry the surplus into the following day.

Common fish varieties include carp, catfish, or sea bass, typically steamed with ginger, scallions, soy sauce, and sesame oil. The dish is usually presented last during the reunion dinner to emphasize abundance.

Longevity noodles

Longevity noodles (chángshòu miàn) represent long life and good health. These noodles are intentionally left uncut during preparation and serving since breaking them is considered bad luck.

The longer the noodle, the better. Eating them whole, without biting through, is said to maximize their symbolic power. Longevity noodles are often stir-fried with vegetables, egg, and protein or served in broth.

Different regions prepare longevity noodles in distinct ways. In northern China, they're typically made from wheat. In southern regions, rice noodles or egg noodles are more common. Regardless of style, the meaning remains the same: a wish for a long, healthy life.

Understanding noodle varieties and their cultural roles is a foundational skill in culinary arts, connecting technique with tradition.

Glutinous rice cake

Sticky rice cake (niángāo) plays on linguistic symbolism. The word nian means both "year" and "sticky," while gao sounds like the word for "tall" or "high." Together, niangao suggests rising higher each year—in status, income, or achievement.

The cake's chewy, dense texture comes from glutinous rice flour, which is steamed or pan-fried. Sweet versions include sugar and red dates; savory versions incorporate vegetables or cured meats.

Glutinous rice cake is traditionally sliced and eaten during the first few days of the new year. Some families also offer it to the Kitchen God before the new year begins, hoping for favorable reports to the Jade Emperor.

Sweet rice balls

Sweet rice balls (tāngyuán) are small, round dumplings made from glutinous rice flour and filled with sweetened sesame paste, red bean paste, or peanut. They're served in a light, sweet broth.

Their round shape symbolizes family unity and togetherness. Eating sweet rice balls expresses the hope that family members will remain close, no matter where life takes them.

Though more commonly associated with the Lantern Festival (which marks the end of the Chinese New Year period), sweet rice balls also appear during New Year's Eve dinners, especially in southern China.

Whole chicken

A whole chicken represents family unity and prosperity. Serving the bird whole, with head and feet attached, symbolizes completeness and togetherness.

Chicken is considered a lucky dish because the Chinese word for chicken (jī) sounds similar to the word for "auspicious" or "lucky." During Chinese New Year, chicken is often steamed, roasted, or braised with ginger, soy sauce, and Chinese rice wine.

The entire family eats from the same chicken, reinforcing the value of shared meals and collective good fortune. Presentation matters. Setting a table with care and honoring both the food and the people gathering around it is a principle taught in programs like dining etiquette courses.

Tangerines and oranges

Tangerines (jú) and oranges (chéng) are among the simplest and most ubiquitous Chinese New Year foods. Their bright color represents gold, and their round shape symbolizes fullness and completeness.

The words for tangerine and orange sound similar to words meaning "luck" and "success." Families exchange these fruits as gifts, display them in bowls throughout the home, and eat them throughout the festival.

In addition to their symbolic value, citrus fruits are practical since they are in season during winter, easy to store, and require no preparation. Their presence on the table adds color, fragrance, and a touch of sweetness to balance heavier dishes.

Eight-treasure rice pudding

Eight-treasure rice pudding (bābǎo fàn) is a sweet, festive dish made from glutinous rice, sugar, and eight different dried fruits, nuts, and seeds. Common ingredients include red dates, lotus seeds, raisins, walnuts, and candied fruits.

The number eight is considered extremely lucky in Chinese culture, as it sounds like the word for wealth or fortune (fā). Serving a dish with eight treasures amplifies wishes for prosperity.

The pudding is typically steamed in a bowl, then inverted onto a plate for serving. Its colorful, jewel-like appearance makes it visually striking, perfect as a centerpiece dessert that balances rich, savory dishes served earlier in the meal.

Shrimp

Shrimp symbolizes happiness and good fortune. The Chinese word for shrimp (xiā) sounds like laughter (hā), making it a dish associated with joy and celebration.

Shrimp is also linked to liveliness and energy because of the way it moves in water. Serving shrimp during the Chinese New Year expresses the hope for an energetic, joyful year ahead.

Shrimp is typically stir-fried with garlic, ginger, and scallions or steamed with soy sauce. It's often served with the shell on to preserve flavor and visual appeal, though some preparations call for peeled shrimp in dumplings or spring rolls.

Prosperity cakes

Prosperity cakes are small, sweet pastries often stamped with auspicious symbols or the Chinese character for "fortune" (fú). They're made from flour, sugar, eggs, and sometimes filled with red bean or lotus seed paste.

These cakes are less about specific symbolism tied to ingredients and more about their decorative role. They're gifted to friends, neighbors, and family members as tokens of goodwill.

Prosperity cakes are particularly popular in Cantonese-speaking regions and are often beautifully packaged in red and gold boxes, as these colors represent luck and wealth.

Lion's head meatballs

Lion's head meatballs (shīzi tóu) are large, tender pork meatballs braised with napa cabbage. Their name comes from their size and appearance: the meatball resembles a lion's head, while the surrounding cabbage looks like a mane.

Lions are symbols of strength, power, and protection in Chinese culture. Serving lion's head meatballs during Chinese New Year expresses the hope for courage and resilience in the year ahead.

The dish originated in Jiangsu province and is especially popular in eastern China. Preparing it requires skill. The meat must be finely minced and mixed with water chestnuts, ginger, and seasonings to achieve a light, almost fluffy texture despite the meatball's size.

Tips for a Successful 2026 New Year’s Dinner

Planning a Chinese New Year meal in 2026 means balancing tradition with your own context. Here's how to approach it:

• Focus on symbolism, not perfection. You don't need to prepare every dish from scratch. Choose 3–5 symbolic foods that resonate with you and your guests. Prioritize meaning over complexity.
• Set the table with the theme in mind. Use red tablecloths, gold accents, or fresh flowers to create a festive atmosphere. Consider how plating food can highlight its symbolic value: whole fish presented on a large platter, uncut noodles served in a wide bowl.
• Respect cultural etiquette. If you're hosting guests unfamiliar with Chinese New Year traditions, briefly explain the significance of each dish as you serve it. This adds depth to the meal and invites curiosity.
• Plan for abundance. Chinese New Year meals traditionally include more food than can be eaten in one sitting, symbolizing surplus. Don't worry about leftovers since they're part of the tradition.
• Incorporate your own background. If you're blending Chinese New Year traditions with your own culinary heritage, do so carefully. Food is adaptable, and shared meals can honor multiple cultures at once.

Sharing Luck, One Dish at a Time

Chinese New Year food ultimately works as a shared language of wishes. Through familiar dishes prepared year after year, intentions are expressed without being spoken: hopes for luck, health, stability, and progress carried into the new cycle. Tradition gives these foods their structure, symbolism gives them meaning, and togetherness gives them life.

As this Chinese New Year approaches, the table offers a quiet prompt for reflection. What matters most in the year ahead often finds its way into what is served and shared.

For those interested in understanding how technique, culture, and symbolism intersect across global cuisines, formal culinary study offers a clear framework. At Culinary Arts Academy, culinary education builds on that curiosity, combining cultural context with professional technique. The Bachelor of Arts in Culinary Arts reflects this approach, encouraging students to develop skills while engaging thoughtfully with the traditions and meanings that shape how food is prepared, shared, and understood.

Frequently Asked Questions

What foods attract money in Chinese culture?

Dumplings, spring rolls, and fish are considered wealth-attracting foods due to their shape, color, or linguistic symbolism tied to prosperity and surplus.

What delicacy is considered bad luck if eaten on New Year's?

White-colored foods (like tofu or white rice on its own) and dishes with the word "cut" or "broken" in their names are avoided, as they can symbolize death or separation.

What is the most popular dish in China?

While preferences vary by region, dumplings are among the most widely eaten dishes across China, especially during holidays and celebrations.