4 Fun & Easy “Good Luck” Foods for Kids on New Year’s Day!
My family celebrates New Year’s Day with what we call a “Blessings Buffet” — a gathering of Family and Fun and Foods from across time and cultures that bring what is often called “Forward Motion” into the New Year.
The emphasis is on Family & Fun!
The Foods are an integral part of the fabulous Fun!
The Forward Motion is a something that kids love to talk about, a conversational concept with dozens of ideas. Will they be dashing, dancing, treading, running or tiptoeing forward into the New Year? How about fearlessly, formidably, thrillingly or cautiously moving forward 2017?
And while thinking, talking and often giggling or laughing, kids can participate in some very interesting myths & legends about “Good Luck” Foods on New Year’s Day.
Here are my favorite 4 for Kids of all ages:
- Pig Cookies: Pigs move forward. It’s this simple for kids. (In some cultures, pork represents wealth and prosperity.) I whip up some Pig Sugar Cookies for the kids in our family to enjoy the “forward motion” fun!
- Donuts or Round Cakes: Circles represent the “full-circle” of a fresh start. Kids love the idea of circles and the thought of starting a brand new circle of their own New Year, new circle, forward motion of a new beginning!
- Unbroken Noodles: Unbroken noodles represent a healthy year and long life. The idea is to eat a noodle without breaking it (for younger kids, I split the noodles in half prior to boiling to make it easier to eat). Kids love the challenge of eating a noodle one little chew at a time. And if the noodle breaks, make sure there are plenty on hand for another try!
- 12 Grapes: One grape for each month, eating 12 grapes (separately, please!) bring bounty to the New Year. The legend is that grapes are round, plump and full — in other words, bountiful with good luck! I leave grapes on the vine for our adult guests, but pluck off the smallest grapes for our *children guests and place them in a separate bowl. (*please supervise!)
Another fun fruit bowl of bounty for kids is one piled high with apples, oranges, tangerines, clementines. Fruits in round shapes and filled with seeds represent a very fruitful New Year.
And, if your kids like cornbread, legend tells us that it represents gold and wealth in the New Year because of its golden color. Kids love this one!
My grandkids love these traditional, fun New Year’s Day treats and the stories they tell.
I’ve found that the true Full-Circle is that my grandkids look forward to these traditional foods each New Year’s Day. This alone is worth its weight in cornbread GOLD!
HAPPY NEW YEAR 2017, everyone!
