Popular food traditions for Chinese New Year include preparing various symbolic foods to mark the occasion. The Chinese enjoy their two week celebration with lots of food, each having a special significance. They enjoy fish, noodles, cakes, fruits, eggs, wine and many other preparations. 

The Chinese New Year food eaten on the New Year eve is very traditional and symbolic. Among many other cuisines, the feast includes Prawns that symbolises liveliness, raw fish salad  for good luck, fai-hai for prosperity and dried oysters for good things. They also cut a cake called Niango to welcome the New Year.

Chinese prefer eating a vegetarian dish "jai” on New Year’s Day. This New Year food is prepared from fibrous vegetables which include ginkgo nut, black moss seaweed, bamboo shoots, vermicelli, dried bean curd and scallion. All these are symbolic for good fortune.

After celebrating the first week by socializing with each other, they celebrate the 7th day as everyone’s birthday and feast on noodles and raw fish which signifies longevity and success respectively. Not to forget that sticky rice cake whose sweetness signifies a rich and sweet life and the round shape of the cake - symbolizing family reunion. In this way Chinese prepare various cuisines and celebrate their new year.

You can plan a trip to any of the cities in China and have a first hand experience their food including Chinese New Year celebrations.

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