…that greens are eaten on New Year’s Eve because they resemble money?
By Lorraine Koh - Friday, Dec 23, 2011
With dollar bills especially those in the United States being green in colour, cabbage is associated with luck and fortune since it resembles the ka-ching. In Germany, Ireland, and parts of the United States, cabbage is eaten during New Year Year’s Eve for a prosperous year ahead.
In the East, greens or Choy, is eaten because it sounds like fortune. Folks in china ate them long before they knew about greenbacks. Sang choy (lettuce or sometimes meaning green cabbage) means longevity and fortune. The Chinese use it to wrap meaningful dishes like minced meats and prawns.
In Italy, lentils are the food of choice during New Year’s because they resemble coins. The Italians usually eat the lentils together with Zampone (stuffed pig trotter) or Cotechino (a large pork sausage).
We’re not too sure how effective these foods are in bringing in the dough, but what we do know, cabbage and lentils are rich in vitamins and minerals (cabbage is rich in vitamin K and C, lentils contain vitamin B6 and folate) and that will definitely get you far in the New Year.
