There are many customs and traditions associated with the diet of New Year’s Day. Many people believe that food consumed on New Year’s Day highly affect one’s life. It is considered that involving few food items in the diet on New Year’s Day, ushers good fortune and prosperity. Various types of traditional New Year foods are also thought to bring good fortune in different regions.
Dutch believes that eating donuts on New Year s Day brings good fortune as they strongly believe that anything in the shape of a ring is lucky, because it symbolizes "coming full circle," completing a year s cycle.
Black-eyed peas and other legumes are considered lucky in different cultures especially in United States so they practice consuming these as a part of their New Year food.Few people also consider cabbage leaves as a sign of prosperity, which symbolizes paper currency, so consumes cabbage on New Year’s Day.
In Vietnam, a big slice of watermelon is considered to bring good fortune. Intake of long noodles without breaking is believed to ensure long life in Japan.
There is practice of baking cake with a coin in Greece. The cake with a coin is served on New Year’s occasion and person receiving the piece with the coin is considered lucky for that particular year.