New Year’s Eve is a time of reflection and resolution. As the clock strikes twelve at night, cultures all across the globe embrace unique traditions to start afresh. Amongst all rituals that vary from person to person, if there’s one thing common in all, it’s food.
Since each dish symbolises a virtue, different dishes across the world are known to bring fortune and good luck into the next year. Whether it’s the tradition of eating 12 grapes in European countries or making something sweet like payasam or Pongal in India, here are the top foods that are known to be lucky for 2025.
Lentils
Lentils are a classic New Year’s food. Whether it’s lentil soup or a rich North Indian-style dal, these are believed to bring you good luck. Being a rich source of protein, lentils are known to have a positive effect on your health, which thus symbolises sustenance and wealth. Being a versatile ingredient, you can add lentils to your diet in a lot of forms, like soups, dal paratha, curries, or even a crispy dal pakora.
Black-Eyed Peas
As per American traditions, black-eyed peas are considered to bring good luck and fortune. Also popularly known as lobia, you can imbibe the tradition this New Year and hope for a joyous year. You can make a rich gravy-based meal with boiled lobia, chopped tomatoes, onion, and a blend of spices and serve it with jeera rice.
Payasam
Payasam, a South Indian dessert, also known as kheer in the Northern parts of India, is also a popular sight in Indian households when starting a new year. Made by simmering milk, rice, and sugar, payasam is often made richer with the garnishes of dry fruits like almonds, cashew nuts, and raisins. Payasam is not only made to bring luck on New Year’s but also on various festivals like Diwali and Holi.
Grapes
The naturally sweet fruit is much more than just a source of vitamins and minerals. In European and certain American countries, it is believed that eating twelve grapes at midnight will bring you prosperity and fortune for the year to follow. Some cultures also take it as a challenge to eat one grape with each chime of the clock, making the start of the year simple and mindful.
Pongal
Pongal is also a South Indian delicacy that is made on auspicious occasions and festivals. The humble recipe made with simple kitchen ingredients like rice, jaggery, ghee, and dry fruits is a popular choice to celebrate New Year as it symbolises sweetness in the months to come.