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New Year’s Menu for the Year of the Horse: What to Cook for the Festive Table

New Year’s Menu for the Year of the Horse: What to Cook for the Festive Table

5 December 2025

Horse — an herbivorous animal that prefers light, natural food. This doesn’t mean you should completely eliminate meat dishes, but a balance in favor of plant-based food is encouraged. At Joy-pup, we will tell you what should be on the New Year’s table in the Year of the Horse 2026.

Main Dishes

Let roasted vegetables become the centerpiece of the table — potatoes with herbs, eggplants, peppers, zucchini. Vegetable rolls and grill assortments look beautiful. The Horse will appreciate a variety of textures and natural flavors.

New Year’s Menu for the Year of the Horse: What to Cook for the Festive Table 1

Among meat dishes, choose poultry — chicken, turkey, duck. Roasted poultry with apples, oranges, or pomegranate is ideal — the combination of meat and fruit symbolizes a balance of energies. It’s better to minimize red meat, giving preference to light proteins.

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Fish and seafood are an excellent choice. Baked salmon, garlic shrimp, and grilled fish steaks will satisfy without overwhelming. The Horse loves lightness and speed; heavy food is not suitable for it.

Salads and Appetizers for the Year of the Horse

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Avoid mayonnaise-based salads in favor of fresh vegetable compositions with light dressings. Salads with arugula, spinach, avocado, nuts, and fruits are ideal. Dress them with olive oil, balsamic vinegar, or lemon juice.

Fruit platters, berry compositions, nuts, and dried fruits are wonderful additions to the table. The Horse loves natural sweetness and authentic flavors. Add pomegranate — a symbol of abundance and passion, perfectly fitting the concept of 2026.

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Cheeses of different varieties served with honey, grapes, and figs make an exquisite appetizer. Choose high-quality ingredients — the Horse senses imitation and dislikes cheapness.

Drinks and Desserts

Among drinks, give preference to sparkling wines, light fruit cocktails, and freshly squeezed juices. The symbol of 2026 loves the play of bubbles — champagne, prosecco, and sparkling wines highlight the dynamism of the moment.

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Choose light desserts — fruit tarts, mousses, panna cotta, no-bake cheesecakes. Decorate them with fresh berries, mint, and edible flowers. A Red Velvet cake or red-toned macarons will be the perfect finishing touch.

Avoid heavy creamy cakes and fatty pastries — they contradict the light, dynamic energy of the Horse. Let the sweets be elegant, beautiful, and not too high in calories.

How to Decorate the Table for New Year 2026

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Red is the main color of the 2026 celebration. Use it everywhere: decor, clothing, table setting, candles. Red attracts good luck and resonates with the fiery nature of the year’s symbol. Complement the palette with gold, orange, and yellow shades — they enhance the Fire energy and create a festive atmosphere.

Avoid cool tones like blue, light blue, and gray — they extinguish the fire element and do not match the Horse’s character. Be cautious with black as well, although small accents are acceptable to create contrast.

In decor, give preference to natural materials — wood, natural fabrics, fresh flowers, and spruce branches. The Horse values naturalness and dislikes artificiality. Candles, warm-tone garlands, and lanterns will create the right atmosphere. Avoid static compositions — let the decor be light, airy, and evoke a sense of movement.