On New Year's Day, you should avoid foods that move backward (lobster, crab, chicken, fish that swim backward) or scratch backward (chicken/turkey), as they symbolize setbacks; also skip bottom-feeders like catfish (scavenging), white foods (mourning in some cultures), and potentially hollow bread (coffin/death) or finishing all food (poverty), opting instead for forward-moving, coin-like (lentils, peas, grapes, pomegranate seeds) foods for luck.
Pork: Pork is considered lucky in many cultures because pigs symbolize progress and prosperity. It is believed that eating pork on New Year's Day will bring good luck (2). Cabbage: Cabbage is often served alongside pork and is associated with wealth and prosperity.
For good luck in the New Year, focus on foods symbolizing wealth, progress, and longevity like pork, legumes (black-eyed peas, lentils), and greens (cabbage, collards), plus grains (rice, noodles) and round fruits (grapes, oranges), drawing from global traditions like Southern US Hoppin' John, Asian noodles, or European dumplings, often with a sweet treat like cake or 12 grapes at midnight.
On New Year's Day, superstitions suggest you should avoid cleaning (sweeping/laundry), eating backward-moving animals (chicken, lobster, crab), crying, having an empty wallet/pantry, arguing, breaking things, or having the wrong first-footer (a "jinx"), as these actions are believed to bring bad luck, poverty, or negativity, while instead you should focus on eating forward-moving foods (pork), staying positive, and preparing for the year ahead with good fortune in mind, notes Visit Pittsburgh, this Facebook post, KIRO 7 News Seattle, and Molly Maid.
Why You Eat Pork on New Years Day It's bad luck to eat chicken on New Year's Day, because they scratch backwards. If you eat chicken you'll be going backwards all year long. Eat pork, because pigs root forward with their snouts, and you'll move forward all year long.
Tofu, eggs, rice, cauliflower, and white cheeses—say goodbye to them for the night. Instead, fill your New Year's table with other colorful foods. Greens of all kinds are said to bring wealth into your life, while anything yellow (think cornbread or lemon curd) is supposed to foretell prosperity and happiness.
The reasoning behind such tradition lies in the belief that washing and cleaning will brush off one's luck and fortune. Doing these things on day one puts you on the wrong foot to start the year. Many Chinese folk beliefs also stem from (near) homonyms in the language.
Is it Bad Luck to Sleep Through New Year's? New Year's Eve is an exceptionally long night for many cultures; if you must sleep, ensure it's right after midnight at the earliest. Sleeping through midnight could trap you in the previous year or taint your luck for the year to come.
To bring good luck in the New Year, traditions often involve eating specific foods like pork, black-eyed peas, greens, and 12 grapes, wearing lucky colors (like yellow for money), cleaning thoroughly before midnight to sweep out negativity, and making noise to scare away spirits, with many rituals focusing on wealth, prosperity, and a fresh start for the year ahead.
Chores bring in bad luck
People avoid doing laundry or cleaning their homes on Jan. 1st, as it can wash away any good fortune for the upcoming year, according to Chinese superstition.
Three common New Year's foods for good luck are pork (symbolizing progress), greens like cabbage (for money/wealth), and black-eyed peas (for prosperity/coins). These traditions, especially popular in the American South, often include cornbread (gold) and are thought to bring fortune in the new year.
Foods believed to attract money often symbolize coins (peas, lentils), paper money (green leafy vegetables), gold (cornbread), or forward movement (pork, fish), with traditions popular around New Year's, including grapes (Spanish) and long noodles (Asian) for luck and abundance. While these are cultural beliefs, not scientific facts, they're a fun way to bring positivity, with common examples being black-eyed peas, collard greens, pork, rice, and pomegranates.
Fish. For many seafaring cultures, fish is an especially auspicious New Year's food. Their shiny scales look like coins – meaning money; and they're always swimming forward –meaning progress. (Do be sure to avoid catfish, though: Nobody wants to be a bottom feeder!)
Now it's very bad luck to eat chicken or turkey, because they scratch backward for food, so anyone consuming this type of poultry is destined to “scratch in the dirt” for food in the upcoming year. Oh, and any kind of beef is out as well, as cows eat standing still, and no one wants to do that.
For New Year's Eve dinner, make festive finger foods like prosciutto-wrapped haloumi or loaded volcano potatoes, hearty crowd-pleasers like Beef Wellington or chicken & leek pie, or incorporate lucky dishes like lentil soup, black-eyed peas, or pork/sausages for good fortune in the new year, with options ranging from elegant scallops to fun DIY pizza stations.
Red – Energy and Good Fortune
A classic New Year color, red signifies luck, passion, and protection against negative energy.
12 New Year's Food Traditions That Bring Good Luck
1. Don't Sweep or Clean Your House
On New Year's Day, superstitions suggest you should avoid cleaning (sweeping/laundry), eating backward-moving animals (chicken, lobster, crab), crying, having an empty wallet/pantry, arguing, breaking things, or having the wrong first-footer (a "jinx"), as these actions are believed to bring bad luck, poverty, or negativity, while instead you should focus on eating forward-moving foods (pork), staying positive, and preparing for the year ahead with good fortune in mind, notes Visit Pittsburgh, this Facebook post, KIRO 7 News Seattle, and Molly Maid.
The 3-2-1 bedtime method is a simple sleep hygiene strategy: stop eating 3 hours before bed, stop working 2 hours before bed, and stop using screens (phones, tablets, TVs) 1 hour before sleep, helping your body transition to rest by reducing stimulants and digestive load for better sleep quality. A more detailed version adds 10 hours (no caffeine) and 0 (no snoozing) for a 10-3-2-1-0 rule.
Many believe that if you have money in your wallet at the stroke of midnight on New Year's Eve, money will keep flowing smoothly throughout the year to come.
Don't sweep or clean your house
Cleaning or sweeping on New Year's Day is considered bad luck, as it's thought to sweep away good fortune. The same goes for doing laundry or taking out the trash — avoid these chores if you want to keep your luck intact.
Astrology suggests specific days for hair washing can impact luck and energy. Favorable days include Wednesday for clarity, Friday for beauty, Monday for emotional balance, and Thursday for growth. Conversely, Saturday is often seen as inauspicious due to Saturn's influence.
There are two different beliefs about showering on New Year's Day. One belief is that it's bad luck because it washes away your good fortune and the second belief is that it is a good thing to shower on New Year's Day because it washes away the old year and gives you a fresh start.