New Year’s is a great time to have some fun with centuries-old traditions purported to bring luck, wealth, and prosperity into your life, whether or not youre into superstition the rest of the year. Though ushering in good luck is important, we think it’s equally enjoyable to know what things we should be avoiding lest we bring in bad luck too. And don’t worry, it’s not all doom and gloom—we bet you’re going to enjoy some of these just as much as, say, eating black-eyed peas and cornbread for good fortune (spoiler: you can skip the dishes!). Are they a little silly? Maybe! Will we be doing some of them anyway? You bet.
We’re never big fans of completely outlawing certain foods, so while there are ones to avoid on this list, we’re also offering up lots of alternatives. It’s said that you shouldn’t eat winged fowl (read: birds like turkey or chicken), bottom feeders (like shrimp or catfish), or any seafood that swims backward or side to side (like lobster or crab). It’s all about trying to steer clear of any of those behaviors in your own life in the new year (we support it—we also don’t want to be pecking for scraps or experiencing setbacks next year). Instead, go “ham” on pork, as it’s supposed to bring prosperity and progress; get a jump start on Veganuary with veggie alternatives; or go for other safe seafood options (like a whole salmon for good fortune).
There are some superstitions on this list that have less to do with what you should and shouldn’t eat and more to do with what you should and shouldn’t do in the kitchen in the new year. Tradition says that you shouldn’t clean your house (yes, that includes doing the dishes!) because you might sweep or wash away good luck. You also shouldn’t start the year off with an empty fridge or pantry. One way to combat that? Save some leftovers to guarantee next year will be bountiful. You also shouldn’t directly hand anyone a kitchen knife on New Year’s, as that can imply your desire to cut them out of your life. It’s also just bad kitchen etiquette, so it’s one we’ll definitely be avoiding next year, and beyond.
If you dont want your luck to fly away in the new year, its best to avoid any animal that has wings and scratches in the dirt, like turkey or chicken. These birds scratch backward, which can imply dwelling in the past or—even worse—the need to scrape by for your living. If youre really craving wings, try our Buffalo tempeh “wings” or our Buffalo cauliflower instead. (Bonus: They can help you kick off Veganuary too!) More of a meat eater? Pork is considered lucky (because pigs root forward), so go “ham” with it!.
New Year’s Day is filled with traditions and superstitions meant to bring good fortune and luck in the coming year. One of the most widespread and peculiar traditions is avoiding chicken on New Year’s Day. But where did this strange belief come from and is there any truth to it? Let’s take a closer look at the history and origins of the “no chicken on New Year’s” superstition.
The Origins of the Superstition
It’s not clear where this belief came from exactly, but it seems to have started on its own in different cultures. It comes from the American South in the United States. Some people think that eating chicken on New Year’s Day might make your luck and fortunes spin around because chickens scratch the ground backwards to find food.
Other Southern traditions state that eating black-eyed peas and greens will bring wealth and prosperity in the new year. Therefore avoid chicken and opt for more lucky fare. The superstition has also been documented in European and South American cultures. It likely began simply from the symbolic associations people attributed to certain animals and foods.
Why Poultry is Considered Bad Luck
The superstition specially pertains to chicken but extends to other poultry like turkey, duck, and goose. Anything that scratches backwards in the dirt looking for food is considered unlucky. Forward movement signifies progress, so a backwards-scratching chicken evokes regression. Eating one on New Year’s Day might bring setbacks instead of positive new beginnings.
Other superstitions consider poultry like chickens to represent poverty and hard times. Their scratching behavior resembles the struggle of barely scraping by. Again, not an association you want carrying into your new year! The belief likely arose in agrarian societies where chicken farming symbolized hardship versus cattle or hog farming which represented wealth.
Alternative Lucky Foods
Since poultry is out, what should you eat for good luck? Here are some of the top foods consumed on New Year’s Day around the world:
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Pork – Pigs represent moving forward and therefore progress.
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Greens – Dark, leafy greens symbolize money and prosperity.
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Black-eyed peas – Considered good luck in many Southern traditions.
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Lentils – Resemble coins so bring wealth.
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Grapes – Eat 12 for good luck in the 12 months.
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Cornbread – Yellow represents gold.
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Fish – Swim forward so signify positive motion into the new year.
Pork, black-eyed peas, greens, and cornbread might be a lucky Southern New Year’s meal. Italian meals focus on lentils and grapes. Make your menu based on the lucky foods that are important in your culture.
A Widespread and Ancient Superstition
People all over the world, from the Americas to Europe to Asia, avoid eating chicken on New Year’s Day. It’s not clear where the superstition came from, but it’s likely hundreds of years old. Over time, the meanings that people attached to certain foods and activities grew naturally and became a part of their cultural calendars.
Some trace the Southern U. S. has roots in the American Civil War, when eating chicken was seen as a sign of being poor. Many traditions also come from wanting to have lots of crops and animals in the new year. In the past, people who were celebrating tried to stay away from animals that might scratch up newly planted seeds.
Do People Still Avoid Chicken Today?
In modern times, many still adhere to the “no chicken on New Year’s” superstition, either in full or in part. Some see avoiding unlucky foods as a fun tradition and important part of honoring cultural heritage. Others enjoy the symbolism of eating lucky foods without necessarily avoiding all poultry.
That said, the taboo has faded overall with globalization. You’re unlikely to face ardent opposition if you serve chicken wings at your New Year’s party. But people still commonly associate New Year’s with traditional lucky fare, not chicken. Times change, but this peculiar superstition remains ingrained in our cultural consciousness.
So there you have it! The origins of avoiding chicken on New Year’s Day may remain murky, but the superstition spans cultures worldwide. Next New Year’s Day, embrace lucky traditions and foods, and you just might leave the chicken off the table. Honor the folklore, and bring good tidings for you and yours in the year ahead.
Don’t Eat Bottom Feeders
Seafood like shrimp, cod, scallops, halibut, and bass are what are considered bottom-feeders, because they scavenge for food along the bottom of the ocean. If you dont want to be living off scraps in any part of your life in the upcoming year, you should avoid them.
Dont worry though, if youve got a hankering for seafood, youve got a couple options. You could use mushrooms instead, like in our vegan “scallops” with succotash or our mushroom “calamari,” or you could just use a different fish that swims forward, like salmon. Advertisement – Continue Reading Below.
Avoid Lobster, Crab & Other Crustaceans
If you dont want to experience major setbacks next year, youre going to want to avoid eating crab, lobster, and other crustaceans this New Years. Thats because these creatures move backward or side to side instead of forward.
Dont worry, though, you can still get your seafood fix—just swap in for any fish that swims forward, like salmon or tuna. Advertisement – Continue Reading Below.
Why Do We Eat Black-Eyed Peas on New Year’s Day?
FAQ
Why are you not supposed to eat chicken on New Year’s?
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. Too bad about beef, too, because cows eat while they’re still, which no one wants to do.
Why are you supposed to eat pork on New Year’s Day instead of chicken?
Aside from the flavor, the pork also has a symbolic meaning in the New Year’s meal. The pork is meant to represent a positive move into the new year. This meaning stems from the fact that pigs root forward when they are foraging. The cabbage represents wealth and financial well being in the new year.
What meat are you not supposed to eat on New Year’s?
My German grandparents always said you eat pork on New Year’s Day and NOT chicken, because pigs root forward (to the future, into the new year) to find their food, while chickens scratch backwards (to the past, to the last year) to find bugs and stuff to eat.
Is chicken a lucky food for new year?
Serving an entire chicken (head and feet included) celebrates wholeness and prosperity in the new year. In Chinese, the word for chicken is jī, which is also a word for good luck, wealth, and unity.
Why can’t you eat chicken on New Year’s?
Should you ask why you can’t eat chicken on New Year’s? The answer is that chickens scratch backwards, which stands for bad luck and setbacks. Thus, consuming chicken on this day may bring negative energy or misfortune into the new year. ** 1. Can you eat chicken during the rest of the year? Yes, absolutely!.
Can you eat chicken on New Year’s Eve?
Yes, eating chicken on New Year’s Eve is considered bad luck. From roast chicken to chicken wings and turkey, you should avoid all poultry on New Year’s. This also applies to New Year’s Day. If you’re a huge fan of chicken, if there are two days in the year when you should go ‘cold turkey’ (excuse the pun), then it’s these two days.
Does eating chicken bring bad luck?
It’s long been believed that eating chicken – or any fowl really – will bring bad luck. This is because birds scratch around in the dirt, and also because they scratch while moving backward. These are two things that symbolize moving backward, not forward, which is symbolic for the year ahead.
Should you eat chicken if you’re superstitious?
But if you’re superstitious and looking to go into the new year with every possible edge – you really shouldn’t. It’s long been believed that eating chicken – or any fowl really – will bring bad luck. This is because birds scratch around in the dirt, and also because they scratch while moving backward.
Should you eat chicken on the first day of the year?
Another oft-repeated belief holds that one must not eat chicken or turkey on the first day of the year lest, like the birds in question, diners fate themselves to scratch in the dirt all year for their dinner (that is, bring poverty upon themselves).
Can you eat pigs on New Year’s Eve?
There are a number of lucky foods to choose from. St. Louis Magazine explains that eating pork has the opposite effect of eating chicken because pigs move forward while scrounging around for food. If you overindulge on the champagne on New Year’s Eve, it’s entirely possible that you’ll wake up on New Year’s day with a holiday hangover.