Celebrate January with Healthy Eating and Lunar New Year Traditions
It’s winter weather time! The holidays are over and it’s time to get back to a normal schedule. Time for relaxing, comfort foods, favorite recipes, putting decorations away and just thinking about the great memories you made.
It’s time to discover new and better ways to become or stay healthy. Good diet and exercise are usually at the top of the list. So many plant-based options to enjoy or high-protein legumes that are gaining popularity. Consumers everywhere are cooking more and more at home and choosing their ingredients for recipes rather than ready-to-go frozen or processed foods.
Many local supermarkets that feature pre-made foods are mainstream since convenience is the priority; they are making healthier foods for a quick and easy meal, and more and more prepared food delivery services are available, making mealtime mindless! You can also meal prep, which requires a little more planning.
Meal prepping is a great way to stay on track for the whole family. Start by making a list of the foods you want to eat, then figure out how much you will need for each meal you plan to prepare. Generally, planning for lunch and dinner in the same prep session will save time and money. Pick out your favorite protein, then buy two or three of your favorite vegetables, add a piece of fresh fruit or a grain, you have a filling, great meal. Once you’re finished cooking your ingredients, divide them between your containers, seal, and label, and you are all set!
Melissa’s also brings you simple, healthy, and convenient products to help you start your new year on the right foot. Not just produce, but produce enhancers, too. Add flavor to dishes with our newest spice grinders, use our convenient microwavable and ready-to-eat items for quick and easy meals; and enjoy our salad items paired with our usual delicious fresh fruits and vegetables to make great lunches and sides.
New Year’s is also the time for resolutions and most of us vow to eat healthier and start exercising. Exercise is one of the most popular New Year’s resolutions along with starting a diet or losing weight. Instead of thinking about a diet, think about a new way of life… this is where meal prep can help, too. Try to eat more whole foods, plant-based foods, whole grains and more fresh fruit and vegetables that will not only satisfy your taste buds, but will also help shed some unwanted pounds without a lot of effort. If you can slowly add more and more fresh items to your food intake, you will be pleasantly surprised as well as feel better, too.
Eating healthy to feel good or eating healthy for taste, fresh fruits and vegetables are the way to go. After heading to the local produce market and buying some delicious fruits and veggies, make sure you don’t just stick a whole melon in the fridge, but you actually take the time to wash, slice, and put it in an easy-to-get-to container for snacking. When the kids come home from school or play, they can just grab a healthy snack that is naturally delicious instead of going for the bakery sweets that are high in processed sugars. Set out a plate with carrots and low-fat ranch dip. You will feel so good when it disappears!
Here are some suggestions that will make achieving your “new way of life” simple and delicious…
GUNG HAY FAT CHOY!!!
Lunar New Year begins January 29 and is the Year of the Snake.
Lunar New Year is a vibrant celebration observed by numerous Asian cultures, each adding its own unique flavor to this cherished holiday. In China, it's marked by family reunions, feasts featuring dishes symbolizing prosperity, and the iconic red envelopes filled with "lucky money." Vietnamese families celebrate Tết with traditional foods like bánh chưng (sticky rice cakes) and honor ancestors with altars adorned with offerings. In Korea, Seollal highlights customs such as wearing hanbok, performing ancestral rituals, and sharing tteokguk (rice cake soup) to symbolize a fresh start. Across Asia, the Lunar New Year signifies renewal, togetherness, and hope for a prosperous year ahead—united by shared values and expressed through diverse, colorful traditions.
Let’s explore the rich traditions and vibrant festivities that define Chinese New Year, including:
Plants and Flowers:
Every traditional Chinese household should also have blooming plants to symbolize rebirth and new growth. Flowers are believed to be symbolic of wealth and high positions in one’s career. Lucky is the home with a plant that blooms on New Year’s Day, for that foretells a year of prosperity. In more elaborate settings, plum blossoms just starting to bloom are arranged with bamboo and pine sprigs, the grouping symbolizing friends. The plum blossom also signifies reliability and perseverance; the bamboo is known for its compatibility, its utility and its flexible stems for furniture and other articles; the evergreen pine evokes longevity and steadiness. Other highly prized flowers are the pussy willow, azalea, peony and water lily or narcissus.
The Chinese firmly believe that without flowers, there would be no formation of any fruits. Therefore, it is of the utmost importance to have flowers and floral decorations. They are the emblems of reawakening of nature; they are also intimately connected with superstition and with the wish for happiness during the ensuing year.
Oranges and Tangerines:
Etiquette dictates that you must bring a bag of oranges and tangerines and enclose a lai see when visiting family or friends any time during the two-week long Chinese New Year celebration. Tangerines with leaves intact assure that one’s relationship with the other remains secure. For newlyweds, this represents the branching of the couple into a family with many children. Oranges and tangerines are symbols for abundant happiness.
Candy Tray:
The candy tray arranged in either a circle or octagon is called "The Tray of Togetherness" and has a dazzling array of candy to start the New Year sweetly. After taking several pieces of candy from the tray, adults place a red envelope (lai see) on the center compartment of the tray. Each item represents some kind of good fortune.
Kumquat - symbolizes prosperity (gold)
Coconut - symbolizes togetherness
Peanuts - symbolizes long life
Longan - symbolizes many good sons
Buddha's Hand - given as gifts to represent good luck and fortune for the year
Mandarin Oranges - represent wealth.
Chinese Broccoli (Gai Lan) - encourages youth and wealth
Lettuce - also symbolizes wealth
Mushrooms - represent coins signifying riches and prosperity
Green Onions - symbolize brilliance and intelligence
Wontons - are served to guests as a blessing for good fortune
Asian Noodles - are served to represent long life...the longer the noodle, the longer the life
Anyone can participate in Lunar New Year festivities. Be sure to celebrate with these traditional fresh fruits and vegetables, available from Melissa’s. For a thoughtful gift, Melissa’s now offers a Deluxe Lunar New Year Gift Box filled with auspicious delights to usher in a year of health and happiness.
Happy 2025!
It’s time to discover new and better ways to become or stay healthy. Good diet and exercise are usually at the top of the list. So many plant-based options to enjoy or high-protein legumes that are gaining popularity. Consumers everywhere are cooking more and more at home and choosing their ingredients for recipes rather than ready-to-go frozen or processed foods.
Many local supermarkets that feature pre-made foods are mainstream since convenience is the priority; they are making healthier foods for a quick and easy meal, and more and more prepared food delivery services are available, making mealtime mindless! You can also meal prep, which requires a little more planning.
Meal prepping is a great way to stay on track for the whole family. Start by making a list of the foods you want to eat, then figure out how much you will need for each meal you plan to prepare. Generally, planning for lunch and dinner in the same prep session will save time and money. Pick out your favorite protein, then buy two or three of your favorite vegetables, add a piece of fresh fruit or a grain, you have a filling, great meal. Once you’re finished cooking your ingredients, divide them between your containers, seal, and label, and you are all set!
Melissa’s also brings you simple, healthy, and convenient products to help you start your new year on the right foot. Not just produce, but produce enhancers, too. Add flavor to dishes with our newest spice grinders, use our convenient microwavable and ready-to-eat items for quick and easy meals; and enjoy our salad items paired with our usual delicious fresh fruits and vegetables to make great lunches and sides.
New Year’s is also the time for resolutions and most of us vow to eat healthier and start exercising. Exercise is one of the most popular New Year’s resolutions along with starting a diet or losing weight. Instead of thinking about a diet, think about a new way of life… this is where meal prep can help, too. Try to eat more whole foods, plant-based foods, whole grains and more fresh fruit and vegetables that will not only satisfy your taste buds, but will also help shed some unwanted pounds without a lot of effort. If you can slowly add more and more fresh items to your food intake, you will be pleasantly surprised as well as feel better, too.
Eating healthy to feel good or eating healthy for taste, fresh fruits and vegetables are the way to go. After heading to the local produce market and buying some delicious fruits and veggies, make sure you don’t just stick a whole melon in the fridge, but you actually take the time to wash, slice, and put it in an easy-to-get-to container for snacking. When the kids come home from school or play, they can just grab a healthy snack that is naturally delicious instead of going for the bakery sweets that are high in processed sugars. Set out a plate with carrots and low-fat ranch dip. You will feel so good when it disappears!
Here are some suggestions that will make achieving your “new way of life” simple and delicious…
- Eat five to ten fresh fruits and vegetables every day. Studies prove that you will feel better and stay healthier when you eat fresh fruits and vegetables. Take fruits and vegetables along as a snack instead of "junk food." It's easy, and you'll notice a difference. Melissa's makes it easy with so many items to choose from. Our new Clean Snax® are a great on-the-go snack item as well as dried fruit, fresh blood oranges, or kumquats! Try them and you will see how easy it can be.
- Eat more whole foods and unprocessed foods. For example, make your own chicken soup instead of buying store-bought. This way you can control the salt, fat, and other additives.
- Use fresh herbs to add flavor without all the added sodium.
- Add plant-based foods to your diet. There are several new companies producing plant-based meat at your local supermarket, so you have a choice! Also, tofu is another great substitute for meat. Add it to sauces, stir-fries, soups, or make delicious drinks. Tofu can help reduce cholesterol, and it’s high in fiber. Melissa's also has many soy products: Soyrizo, Soy Taco, organic and pressed tofu and more. Check out our Product Catalog section at melissas.com for all the details.
- Try our line of ready-to-eat steamed vegetables. Use the beans in soups or stews, the beets and artichokes in salads and dips, and butternut squash in side dishes or entrées.
- Substitute meat alternatives for your hot dogs, bacon, ground round, lunchmeat, and more. (Including the plant-based meat mentioned above!) You'll be pleasantly surprised at the flavor and fat reduction.
- Drink 8 glasses of water daily. Try drinking a glass of water before a meal and you will get full faster... and possibly take off a couple pounds without even trying! Keep a water bottle with you so that when you get the urge to snack, take a drink! There are so many delicious flavored waters out there, so it will make it even easier! (Just make sure you get the ones that are not carbonated or full of sugar!)
- Walk around the block once or twice a day. This is an excellent habit to get into. You will be surprised at how much better you will feel.
GUNG HAY FAT CHOY!!!
Lunar New Year begins January 29 and is the Year of the Snake.
Lunar New Year is a vibrant celebration observed by numerous Asian cultures, each adding its own unique flavor to this cherished holiday. In China, it's marked by family reunions, feasts featuring dishes symbolizing prosperity, and the iconic red envelopes filled with "lucky money." Vietnamese families celebrate Tết with traditional foods like bánh chưng (sticky rice cakes) and honor ancestors with altars adorned with offerings. In Korea, Seollal highlights customs such as wearing hanbok, performing ancestral rituals, and sharing tteokguk (rice cake soup) to symbolize a fresh start. Across Asia, the Lunar New Year signifies renewal, togetherness, and hope for a prosperous year ahead—united by shared values and expressed through diverse, colorful traditions.
Let’s explore the rich traditions and vibrant festivities that define Chinese New Year, including:
Plants and Flowers:
Every traditional Chinese household should also have blooming plants to symbolize rebirth and new growth. Flowers are believed to be symbolic of wealth and high positions in one’s career. Lucky is the home with a plant that blooms on New Year’s Day, for that foretells a year of prosperity. In more elaborate settings, plum blossoms just starting to bloom are arranged with bamboo and pine sprigs, the grouping symbolizing friends. The plum blossom also signifies reliability and perseverance; the bamboo is known for its compatibility, its utility and its flexible stems for furniture and other articles; the evergreen pine evokes longevity and steadiness. Other highly prized flowers are the pussy willow, azalea, peony and water lily or narcissus.
The Chinese firmly believe that without flowers, there would be no formation of any fruits. Therefore, it is of the utmost importance to have flowers and floral decorations. They are the emblems of reawakening of nature; they are also intimately connected with superstition and with the wish for happiness during the ensuing year.
Oranges and Tangerines:
Etiquette dictates that you must bring a bag of oranges and tangerines and enclose a lai see when visiting family or friends any time during the two-week long Chinese New Year celebration. Tangerines with leaves intact assure that one’s relationship with the other remains secure. For newlyweds, this represents the branching of the couple into a family with many children. Oranges and tangerines are symbols for abundant happiness.
Candy Tray:
The candy tray arranged in either a circle or octagon is called "The Tray of Togetherness" and has a dazzling array of candy to start the New Year sweetly. After taking several pieces of candy from the tray, adults place a red envelope (lai see) on the center compartment of the tray. Each item represents some kind of good fortune.
Kumquat - symbolizes prosperity (gold)
Coconut - symbolizes togetherness
Peanuts - symbolizes long life
Longan - symbolizes many good sons
Buddha's Hand - given as gifts to represent good luck and fortune for the year
Mandarin Oranges - represent wealth.
Chinese Broccoli (Gai Lan) - encourages youth and wealth
Lettuce - also symbolizes wealth
Mushrooms - represent coins signifying riches and prosperity
Green Onions - symbolize brilliance and intelligence
Wontons - are served to guests as a blessing for good fortune
Asian Noodles - are served to represent long life...the longer the noodle, the longer the life
Anyone can participate in Lunar New Year festivities. Be sure to celebrate with these traditional fresh fruits and vegetables, available from Melissa’s. For a thoughtful gift, Melissa’s now offers a Deluxe Lunar New Year Gift Box filled with auspicious delights to usher in a year of health and happiness.
Happy 2025!
