Traditional foods on Tet Holiday in Vietnam

Tet is a long-standing custom of Vietnamese people, bringing many values to cultural and spiritual life. The Lunar New Year's Day is calculated according to the lunar calendar in the Eastern concept, which is also the time when the weather becomes warmer, bringing new and fruitful signals. For international travelers, this will be an interesting opportunity to have cultural experiences in Vietnam, through customs, festivals, and especially the culinary quintessence of Tet.

Top traditional foods on Tet holiday you should know

Caramelized pork and eggs

This is an indispensable dish in the Tet meal of people in South Vietnam. The main ingredients include bacon, duck eggs (quail eggs), and fresh coconut water. Pork and eggs are braised with coconut water for a long time til the meat is really soft and the egg whites are hunted, then the dish is delicious enough for Tet. With the meaning of affluence and union, Caramelized pork and eggs have become a culinary symbol for Tet in Vietnam.

Caramelized pork and eggs.

Jellied meat

Unlike the South of Vietnam, Jellied meat is a typical dish in the northern meal on Tet days. The main ingredients of a jellied meat dish include pork, shiitake mushrooms, wood ear, carrots, and spices. The special feature of this dish is that the mixture of ingredients is stewed very softly and frozen in the refrigerator to enjoy, instead of being hot like other dishes.

Jellied Meat.

Banh Chung / Stuffed sticky rice cake

Banh Chung is a cake with many historical and cultural values, present in most regions of Vietnam on Tet holiday. Originating from the story in the Hung King's time, Banh Chung symbolizes the earth, associated with the wet rice civilization and farmers. Made from glutinous rice, mung bean, and fatty meat, wrapped in dong leaves, Banh Chung is usually offered to grandparents and ancestors on Lunar New Year's Day, as a way to preserve a long-standing tradition.

Banh Chung.

Vietnamese Sausage

In the list of traditional foods on Tet, Vietnam sausage is a dish originating from the South West of Vietnam and is popular around the country. Vietnam Sausages currently have a variety of choices such as fresh sausages, dried sausages, shrimp sausages, fish sausages, etc... which are suitable for all tastes. This dish will be more delicious when it is baked or fried, it is often used in every meal or to entertain guests during the Tet holiday.

Vietnamese Sausage.

Pork Bologna & brawn

Various kinds of bologna not only appear in the meals on Tet holiday but are also part of the daily cuisine of Vietnamese people. From ingredients to processing and packaging, there are many types of sausages used during Tet such as beef bologna, pork bologna, roasted pork bologna, and brawn, etc... This is also a popular dish in all regions of Vietnam and used in meals or to entertain guests during Tet holiday.

Pork Bologna & brawn.

Candies & Dried Fruit

Besides such typical main dishes, dried fruit is a dessert that every family in Vietnam shops for Tet. The dried fruits can be made from kumquats, coconuts, pumpkins, kiwis, lotus seeds, etc... The sweet candy and dried fruit served with hot tea will be the ideal combination to begin the story of the new year.

Colorful dried coconut

Travelner accompanies to discover Tet in Vietnam

Each region in Vietnam celebrates Tet with its own customs, but Tet still has a very sacred meaning. International travelers who have a trip to Vietnam during the traditional Tet holiday should spend time exploring all the interesting attractions, colorful festival programs, and also traditional foods. Travelner has accompanied you to prepare everything for the trip, such as flights to Vietnam, hotels and resorts, self-drive car rentals, and Vietnam travel insurance