While in America we may toast to the new year with Champagne and eat black-eyed peas for good luck, those who celebrate the Lunar New Year have a host of food traditions that symbolize wealth, health,

Lunar New Year, or Chinese New Year as it's often called, kicks off Jan. 29. Head to these North Jersey spots for dumplings, rice cakes and more.

The Year of the Snake has arrived. These Valley eateries serve Lunar New Year foods for prosperity, health and happiness.

For the Chinese Lunar New Year, many people are eating foods that look like money, sound like good fortune and represent wholeness. Why it matters: "The Chinese believe that you have to have a really positive attitude going into the new year,

Each of these dishes carries stories, traditions and aspirations, making them more than just meals; they are symbols of hope and joy for the year ahead.