Google AI
The Times Australia

Times Media

Fresh Ideas for Celebrating the Year of the Snake

  • Written by: Jayne Travers-Drapes, Co-Founder of Box Divvy

The Lunar New Year is here, and with it comes the Year of the Snake—a time for fresh beginnings, family connections, and, of course, delicious food. As celebrations kick off, Australian families are turning to summer’s bounty of fresh produce to create vibrant, meaningful meals that honour tradition.

Food, Family, and the Spirit of the Season
The Year of the Snake is about wisdom, mindfulness, and connection. Sharing meals with loved ones, trying new recipes, and cooking together all strengthen those bonds. Whether it’s a simple stir-fry or a grand Lunar New Year feast, the food you prepare can reflect your values, honour traditions, and inspire joy.

Snake beans take centre stage this year. With their long, elegant shape symbolising longevity and prosperity, they are a natural fit for Lunar New Year dishes. Paired with other seasonal stars like bok choy, sweet corn, carrots and dragon fruit, these ingredients bring both flavour and intention to festive feasts.

Seasonal Ingredients to Celebrate the Year of the Snake

This time of year offers a wealth of fresh, locally grown produce to elevate your Lunar New Year table:

  • Snake Beans: Crisp, versatile, and symbolic of long life, these are perfect in stir-fries, salads, or even as a crunchy side.

  • Bok Choy and Asian Greens: A staple for quick, healthy dishes, these greens shine when paired with garlic, ginger, or oyster sauce.

  • Sweet Corn: Add a sweet, vibrant touch to dumplings, soups, or grilled dishes for a modern twist.

  • Carrots and Root Vegetables: Their natural sweetness and versatility make them ideal for hearty vegetarian dishes that bring warmth and colour to your spread.

  • Dragon Fruit: With its vibrant red skin and mildly sweet flesh, dragon fruit is an exotic and nutritious addition to your table. It’s packed with antioxidants, fibre, and vitamins, making it as healthy as it is beautiful.

Celebrating Fresh Beginnings with Fresh Produce

Lunar New Year is a wonderful reminder to embrace the seasons. By choosing what’s fresh and local, we’re not only enjoying better flavour and nutrition—we’re also supporting Australian farmers and celebrating the abundance of summer’s harvest.

At Box Divvy, we’re passionate about connecting communities with fresh, seasonal produce that’s sourced locally. Our local Food Hubs make it easy to eat well while supporting small-scale farmers. This Lunar New Year, it’s easier than ever to prepare meals that are both meaningful and delicious.

As you plan your celebrations, remember that food is more than just sustenance—it’s a way to connect, to celebrate, and to look forward with hope and intention. Together, let’s make the Year of the Snake a time of abundance, health, and happiness.

Happy Lunar New Year!

Food & Dining

Healthy Eating: What Does a Science-Based Diet Actually Look Like?

After years of changing food trends—from low-fat to low-carbohydrate, detoxes and "superfoods"—it can be difficult to know what healthy eating really means. The encouraging news is that nutrition science has become more consistent. While researche...

Ultra-Processed Foods: The Hidden Ingredient in the Modern Australian Diet

Walk through almost any Australian supermarket and much of what fills the shelves has one thing in common: it has been processed. Processing itself is not the problem. Freezing vegetables, pasteurising milk and baking wholegrain bread are all form...

Is Red Wine Good for the Human Body?

Red wine has long enjoyed a reputation as the healthiest alcoholic drink. From the vineyards of France to dinner tables around Australia, it has often been associated with heart health, longevity and the so-called Mediterranean lifestyle. But does...

Masterchef's Flat Iron Steak available at Coles

Coles is giving customers the chance to cook like a MasterChef, launching a new 100% Australian No Added Hormones Beef Flat Iron Steak, following its starring role in Monday night's episode of MasterChef Australia. Featured in a challenge set by C...

Times Magazine

Still Want to Change Gears? The New Cars Keeping the Manual Alive in Australia

For decades, learning to drive meant mastering the clutch pedal, selecting the right gear and find...

SpaceX changed spaceflight. Now China is proving reusable rockets are the new battleground.

When SpaceX first landed a Falcon 9 booster vertically on a floating drone ship, many experts desc...

Hybrid, Plug-in Hybrid or Electric? Understanding the Differences

Buying a new car has become more complicated than choosing between petrol and diesel. Today's buye...

Technology

SpaceX changed spaceflight. Now Chi…

When SpaceX first landed a Falcon 9 booster vertically on a floating drone ship, many experts desc...

Local News

Fremantle Ports to trial project to…

Fremantle Ports has partnered with Byssal and DevelopmentWA to trial an innovative nature-based pilo...

Culture

Healthy Eating: What Does a Science-Based Die…

After years of changing food trends—from low-fat to low-carbohydrate, detoxes and "superfoods"—it ...

Travel

Santorini: Is Greece's Most Famous Islan…

Whitewashed villages perched on volcanic cliffs. Blue-domed churches overlooking the Aegean Sea. S...

The Times Features

IKEA: More Than Furniture—A Complete Design System for …

For many Australians, IKEA is simply a place to buy affordable furniture. Look more closely, howe...

Healthy Eating: What Does a Science-Based Diet Actually…

After years of changing food trends—from low-fat to low-carbohydrate, detoxes and "superfoods"—it ...

Healthy Living: Can Exercise and Good Nutrition Help Yo…

Most people begin exercising or improving their diet with a specific goal in mind. It may be to lo...