All around the world, people believe in eating good luck foods for the New Year. The Spanish and Portuguese eat twelve sweet grapes before the clock strikes twelve to symbolize the twelve months of the coming year. Here are some of the best clean and healthy good luck foods, all of which you can pretty easily combine so you can ingest all that good luck quickly! #HappyNewYear #FreshStart

Leafy Greens – Flat greens represent paper money, so be sure to eat lots of spinach, kale, chard and anything else you can find. Try this recipe for Acorn Squash and Spinach Salad from The Clean Food Club.

Fish – Fish swim forward and represent progress, they swim in schools and represent prosperity, and their scales resemble coins.  Italians, who also like to eat fish on Christmas Eve, eat a whole, baked fish with lentils on New Year’s eve. Try our recipe for Salmon Skewers and a Spinach Frittata.

Noodles and Grains – In Japan, noodles symbolize of long life and eating the long strands without breaking them is good luck. Grains like rice, quinoa, and barley stand for abundance. Try our recipe for Homemade Tomato Sauce and Fresh Pasta.

Pork – In Europe and Asia, a pig’s rotund figure represents prosperity, and they symbolize forward progress by rooting around with their noses. Try our Squash, Corn, Tomatoes, and Sausage Stir Fry (we used turkey sausage back in the summer, but you can use pork sausage to celebrate the New Year!)

Legumes – Small legumes resemble coins and bring prosperity. Black-eyed peas are considered lucky in America, while lentils are lucky in Brazil and Italy, and have been eaten since the Roman times. Try this recipe for Spring Vegetables with Couscous and Chickpeas from The Clean Food Club.

Cake – Ring-shaped cakes represent the year coming full circle and are good luck. In Greece, they eat vasilopita, a lemon-flavored cake baked with a coin inside, and whoever finds the coin receives good luck. Try this recipe for Acorn Squash Pancakes with Meringue Batter from The Clean Food Club.

Happy New Year from The Clean Food Club!