As much as American-Chinese restaurants, stereotypes and Hollywood perpetuation might have you believe, fortune cookies aren’t a Chinese staple at all.  With Lunar New Year approaching, let’s take a look at some of our favourite snacks that do greet guests in every household at this time of year!

 1. DANISH BUTTER COOKIES

Most Hong Kong children know the feeling of rummaging through their grandma’s cabinets, seeing a cookie tin and clawing it open just to find a sewing kit inside.  There’s a reason every grandma has one of these tins: Danish butter cookies (“blue-tin cookies” as they’re affectionately called in Hong Kong) and egg rolls are some of the most popular gifts brought for relatives and loved ones when visiting them for the New Year. Therefore, the Lunar New Year is the one time you can ACTUALLY find the rich buttery heavenly morsels inside. 

2. FERRRO ROCHER

Another popular gift is Ferrero Rocher, the classic hazelnut chocolate that divides the population when it comes to how you eat it.  Layer by layer?  Or just one bite through? Besides the delectable taste, another reason people have it around the Lunar New Year is because the packaging (and name 金莎) symbolises nuggets of gold. 

3. LOTTE KOALA BEAR BISCUITS

Lotte Koala Bear biscuits are a childhood favourite and currently have very cute themed packaging just for the New Year!  What’s better is Lotte has been dedicating a percentage of its proceeds of koala biscuits to the Australian Koala Foundation since 1994, contributing to a charity that has been protecting the koala population during the ongoing bushfires.

4. VARIOUS ITEMS INSIDE THE "TOGETHERNESS BOX"

The traditional candy box (攢盒 cyun⁴ hap⁶, literally ‘togetherness box’) is usually filled with candied goodies, nuts and seeds.  Cashews, pistachios and watermelon seeds are always in high demand amongst all ages, and the candied goods are associated with different blessings that sound similar to the name!
Lotus root (蓮藕 lin⁴ ngau⁵) means 年年都有 (nin⁴ nin⁴ dou¹ jau⁵) or abundance every year.
Lotus seed (蓮子 lin⁴ zi²) stands for 連生貴子 (lin⁴ sang¹ gwai³ zi²), wishing for many offspring.
Candied kumquat (金橘 gam¹ gwat¹) brings wealth and fortune (金吉 gam¹ gat¹)!

Have you tried any of these snacks?  What are some traditional snacks that accompany the celebrations of your culture? Let us know in the comments!

Happy Lunar New Year!

Wishing you a holiday filled with happiness, delicious food, and quality time with those you love.