Filipino New Year’s Eve food for that extra luck in 2024
You might have completed your list of 12 must-have fruits (all round variants of course) for media noche. But what food to eat post fruit salads and spaghetti that would be stuck in your fridge until 2024? Here are the other essential foods for New Year’s Eve.
If you’re a Filipino American who grew up or experienced the holidays in the Philippines you’re probably familiar with some of the customary New Year traditions and superstitions— wearing red or polka dots for extra luck and jumping up and down for extra height, to name a few.
Adding up to the long list of these Pinoy beliefs, which are mostly Chinese influences, is the food for the media noche promising a dash of luck and prosperity for the coming year.
Filipino New Year’s Eve food
While the Philippines boasts of its vibrant cultural blend, one can expect a table full of savory delights. Alongside the round fruits normally consisting of 12 kinds, here are the NYE food you should include in your feast.
Pork
Because they are plump, pigs have been a symbol of luck. Enter the VIP (very important pig) of every Pinoy feast — lechon. Roasted until the skin is crispy and the meat is juicy, it’s a savory ode to luck with its leftover transforming to lechon paksiw the next day.
Pork recipes to try: The iconic Filipino American famous lumpia and adobo
Pancit
Long life? Check. Family sharing? Double check. Since this Pinoy noodle sensation promises long years to come, you can leave your leftover spaghetti on the fridge in the meantime.
Recipes to try: Going a little extra this New Year? Try pancit canton or pancit palabok for a change.
Fish
Whether you’re feeling jaded with poultry meat already after Christmas or you’re looking to be a pescatarian in 2024, fish is your best bet. Not only are they healthy, but their scales symbolize prosperity given their similarity to coins.
Recipes to try: You can have it steamed or savor the goodness of sweet and sour fish for some kick of chili and a bit of sweetness.
Cakes
Not only because we’re hoarding everything round (even M&M’s would do) for New Year’s Eve, but a slice of cake happiness is great to start the year right. Although traditionally, Filipinos opt for cassava cake for its sticky texture.
Cakes to try: If you’re over leche flan for your holiday sweets, try mango cake or Sans Rival for a change. Though ube will also tick your list of Filipino New Year’s Eve food.
Biko and everything sticky
Biko on banana leaves? Because kakanin is a must to wrap up the year. Also, since we Filipinos are family oriented, it is believed that having sweet sticky rice for New Year’s Eve can strengthen the family ties for the next year.
Other options to try: Aside from biko, you can add puto (another round food) and kutsinta to your list.
Greens
Aside from the health benefits you can get from eating greens, their color resembles that of money making it a must-have for your Filipino New Year’s Eve food. A dollar for every greens? Count us in.
Recipes to try: You can choose from ensaladang Pinoy or spinach salad with poppy seed dressing
Given all the essentials for your media noche table, knowing what not to serve is crucial too. As lolas would say, abstain from chicken just for New Year’s Eve — they are flying animals so your luck might fly too.
Although it won’t hurt to try some of these Filipino traditions for New Year’s Eve foods, we’re still leaving the chef’s hat to you to make 2024 your next tastiest year.
