The confetti may be gone from Times Square, but there’s another new year in town. The Chinese New Year, also known as the Lunar New Year, is widely celebrated around the world between January 21 and February 20 each year, according to Almanac, depending on when the second new moon after the winter solstice appears. Each new year is named for one of 12 animals in the Chinese zodiac, and this one will be the Year of the Rabbit.
A number of countries besides China honor the holiday, including Vietnam and South Korea, as well as people in every corner of the world who celebrate it as part of their heritage, notes Smithsonian.
A centerpiece for any Lunar New Year gathering is traditional foods. In fact, many of these foods have important symbolic meanings related to the celebration of the new year. Noodles are eaten for a longer life, tangyuan (sweet rice balls) for family togetherness, and dumplings and spring rolls for increased wealth, reports the Food Network.
It can be challenging to enjoy a traditional Lunar New Year celebration with all these festive foods and still maintain a healthy diet. That’s because, while delicious, many of these foods are high in processed carbohydrates, salt, and sugar and low in the valuable vitamins, minerals, and fiber your body needs to function at its best.
One way to strike a balance is to incorporate more fruits and vegetables into your Lunar New Year meals. Fruits and vegetables are rich in the vitamins and minerals that are lacking in traditional holiday fare, and can help provide nutritional balance when enjoyed alongside more indulgent foods. As an added benefit, fruits and vegetables are rich in fiber, a nutrient that the American Society for Nutrition notes is sorely lacking in the typical American diet.
Another way to make your Lunar New Year meals healthier is to keep an eye on portion sizes. When surrounded by the bounty of delicious foods at a celebration, it can be easy to overindulge, but it’s important to remember that moderation is key. Instead of piling your plate high, try to fill about half of your plate with fruits and vegetables, one quarter with protein such as tofu or fish, and the last quarter with a grain as recommended by the MyPlate guidelines.
You can also make small changes to traditional recipes to make them healthier while still enjoying your favorite dishes. For example, use less oil when stir-frying, steam instead of fry, add veggies where there were none, or choose brown rice instead of white. These simple swaps can reduce the total calorie and fat content of your meals while simultaneously adding nutrients and maintaining the flavors you’ve always loved.
Dumplings are one of the most popular Lunar New Year foods, and are said to represent prosperity because they are shaped like ancient Chinese coins, reports the Boston Globe. As an added bonus, dumplings are delicious! They’re also easy to make healthier by using lean protein and vegetables for the filling, and steaming instead of frying to eliminate added fat. Plus, dumplings are surprisingly simple (and fun!) to prepare. Ready to start your Lunar New Year celebration off right? Give these easy dumplings a try.
