By Meredith Ganzman
If you want luck on your side in the coming year, it may all depend on what you eat. So get ready to stuff yourself full of these nine -- supposedly-- fortuitous foods. In Spanish and Portuguese cultures, it’s customary to chomp down on 12 grapes at midnight. They represent the 12 months of the year. In other parts of the world, eating pork is also thought to be lucky because a plump pig can be a sign of good fortune.
Ring shaped foods, like doughnuts and bagels, represent the year coming full circle. Having fish may also bring blessings. Some believe their scales look like coins, and they swim in schools, which could be a sign of promise. Also the way they swim forward, signals progress. Juicy pomegranate seeds are also supposed to be an auspicious snack. In Japan slurping soba noodles is a symbol for having a long life. But that’s only if you eat them without chewing or breaking them.
To make more money, you should eat plenty of greens. Some liken them to the color to cash. So hopefully you’ll find some more of that in your wallet next year. Similarly in the South, people eat black-eyed peas on New Year's because of their resemblance to coins. And for dessert, eat cake. It’s Greek tradition to bake a coin into a usually lemon flavored sweet. Whoever finds the coin will be lucky in the coming year. Just be careful not to chip a tooth.
Wishing you a happy and delicious new year!