The Superstitious Reason People Eat Pork On New Year's Day

Holidays come with all sorts of traditions and superstitions passed down from generation to generation. Some of them are for children's sake, like putting out milk and Christmas cookies for Santa Clause or going trick or treating on All Hallows' eve. Others have a bit more to do with religiosity, like the Greek Orthodox Easter tradition of dying eggs red and playing Tsougrisma to win luck for the year.

Sometimes, traditional branches over to superstition, and because the culinary arts are so heavily important to people worldwide, food was bound to pick up a few superstitious quirks along the way too. Bon Appétit says that some of the more popular superstitions include: spilling salt (which brings bad luck), never putting milk in your tea before the sugar (you'll never get married), and that garlic helps to ward off evil (but not bad breath). We have some of these for a good reason, and others are there to explain away some age-old traditions. Regardless of whether superstition actually benefits people's lives or not, some are hard to let go of, and around the New Year holiday, as the whole world turns over a new leaf, there are quite a lot of things people will do to ensure they keep moving forward.

The New Year is a highly symbolic time for people. Candles are lit, resolutions made, and kisses shared once that clock strikes midnight. But one aspect you might not have heard of is that it is very traditional for people (those who can eat it) to consume pork on New Year's Day. Reader's Digest says that eating pork brings good luck! Pigs root forward when looking for food, and since the holiday is all about moving forward into the next chapter of life, it is the perfect protein to eat. The New Year is also all about luck, and the Swiss National Museum claims that pork was, and still is, considered a symbol of great luck and prosperity, also making it the perfect food to indulge in this holiday if you are superstitious and need a little luck on your side.

If you are looking for some ways to incorporate pork into your dining plans this coming New Year, try making a slow cooker pork loin roast or some pan-seared pork chops for you and your guests so that good luck will abound and your taste buds will be more than satisfied!