Special Occassions

When preparing food for a special occasion, ensure there is a healthy choice by providing a selection from the four major food groups. People celebrate different events with different foods. For example, foods served at a child's birthday party are usually different to those served at a wedding. Some foods have special significance for particular families. It may be that a certain type of birthday cake is always served for one family member's birthday. Food has a role to play in many religious and cultural celebrations. Sometimes particular foods can't be eaten for a certain period of time or there may be a time of fasting. Often, particular foods are only ever eaten at specific celebrations. For other celebrations, foods are prepared that reflect religious and cultural customs.

Christmas is one of the better known celebrations which includes a wide range of traditional foods in different parts of the world. Some great Kiwi Christmas traditions include Christmas ham, fruit salads and ice cream and Christmas fruitcake. Here are some other celebrations you may not be so familiar with:

Maori New Year is celebrated in June with the rising of the star constellation Matariki. This marks the change from the shortening days of winter and the growing of spring and is celebrated with festivities and feasting.
Chinese Moon Festival is celebrated in the middle of autumn. Moon cakes made from dough are specially prepared and eaten at this ceremony.
The month of Ramadan is celebrated by people of Muslim faith. No food is eaten between sunrise and sunset. The month of fasting ends with a feast for which special foods are prepared.
The Greek New Year is celebrated with a traditional bread called vasilopita being made at New Year.
New Year in Scotland is celebrated with a traditional cake called Black Bun which is made with pastry, currants, almonds and spices. It is prepared and served at midnight.