The fifteen-day Chinese New Year celebrations (also called the Spring Festival or Chūnjié) are full of opportunities for delicious meals. We singled out 6 Chinese New Year flavors that would evoke the joyfulness of the New Year celebration. These foods will bring memories of paper lanterns, dancing dragons, and prospects of a prosperous new year.
3 Traditional Chinese New Year Flavors
Chinese New Year marks the first day of the Chinese lunar calendar, and traditionally the transition from winter to spring. Its celebration typically begins the night before (New Year’s eve) and continues until the Lantern Festival 15 days later. During that time, many different foods are given as gifts or eaten as snacks.
Tangerines
Families on Chinese New Year’s Day proper will bring sweets to wish each other a sweet and prosperous new year. Of these, tangerine is one of the fruits most traditionally given as a gift during this time. This can vary depending on regionally-available fruit, but tangerines are seen as the traditional choice.
Pomegranates
While tangerines symbolize prosperity, different gifts of fruit can have different associations with them. Pomegranates have a slightly different cultural connotation in certain parts of China. With their many tiny seeds, pomegranates are seen as a wish for the recipient to have many children in the coming new year.
Tea Eggs
Tea eggs are also called Cha Ye Dan in Chinese. They’re made by steeping eggs in tea until they absorb the fluid through their shells (which change color). They symbolize fertility, prosperity, and wealth. They are served as Chinese street food year-round, but are also seen as a traditional New Year’s snack.
3 Flavors to Celebrate Chinese New Year 2023
January 22nd marks Chinese New Year 2023. Each year is assigned one of the twelve animals of the Chinese Zodiac and one of the five traditional Chinese elements. 2023 is the Chinese New Year year of the Water Rabbit.
These flavor combinations remind celebrants of the Chinese New Year, but also carry their symbolism in Chinese culture.
Peking Duck
Serving a whole animal is symbolic of good luck throughout the whole year. In some parts of China, especially near the ocean, whole fish is the roasted animal of choice. Others will serve a whole roasted turkey or chicken. The most popular choice, however, is Peking duck. Peking duck is known for its crispy skin and rich roasted flavor. Peking duck is also seen as a symbol of fidelity.
Jiaozi
Jiaozi are round pork dumplings traditional to northern China. Jiaozi are given as a symbol of wealth. This is because they resemble an ancient currency called jiao, and their name is similar in turn. Sometimes, a small coin is placed in a jiaozi dumpling to bestow extra good luck on the recipient. Jiaozi are prepared in bulk before New Year’s Day. This is because it’s considered bad luck to use a knife or cook with fire at the beginning of the New Year.
The Tray of Togetherness
This tray is divided into eight slots because eight is considered an auspicious number. These eight divisions have different sweet and symbolic snacks to celebrate the New Year. Typically, these are candied winter melon, kumquats, plums, coconut, lotus seed, water chestnuts, and red dates. These flavors are shared with a group in celebration of the new year.
Ring in the Lunar New Year with OSF Flavors
Chinese cuisine has rich flavors that are hugely popular throughout the year. If you’re looking to make a product to evoke the flavors of the Chinese New Year, consider OSF Flavors. Flavors from the Chinese New Year are popular sellers not just among those who celebrate. Many of these flavors are popular and traditional for a reason. Use them as inspiration and you may have a very auspicious year of the Water Rabbit to look forward to.