"Lucky" New Years Eve Foods

In three more days, people around the world will be welcoming a brand new year. Did you know that many of the foods that people eat around New Year's are actually good for you?

Well, we selected special foods from Reader's Digest  that should be included in your next gathering for a year of auspicious health, prosperity, and happiness.


1.) Greens
Presumably, green are often eaten on New Year's because they resemble money.  Greens such as spinach, kale, and cabbage are beneficial to your health and are often  teeming with vitamin A, B, C, and D.

2.) Beans
Much like greens, beans also represent money--especially coins. So dig into some hearty lentils, garbanzo beans, or kidney beans this year.

3.) Fish
Fish is considered lucky because scales represent money, and when fish swim in schools, that also symbolizes abundance.
Fish, like freshly caught salmon, are full of Omega-3's and protein. Make sure you eat up to good luck and good health.

4.) Fruit
On New Year's Eve, fruits are heavily consumed all around the world. For example, in Mexico, Mexicans eat a grape to represent each stroke of midnight as a way to symbolize each month of the new year. In other parts of the world, consuming pomegranate seeds also symbolizes prosperity. Instead of noshing on cakes, cupcakes, and fatty desserts, eat fruits with your friends and family.

5.) Noodles and Grains
Grains such as barley, rice, and quinoa represent long life and abundance. Also, if you need more fiber in your diet, then eat more soba or buckwheat noodles.

So what are you eating for New Years Eve? Sound off below! Happy Holidays from CREPiNi and The Crepe Team!

Crepini, LLC produces all natural crepes that are vegetarian-friendly, nut free, and Kosher certified. Our crepes are made fresh-to-order, and are available for wholesale, retail, and food service in North America. Visit our website here and follow us on Facebook and Twitter for company updates and more recipe ideas.

Dec.23-31: Get Babulini (Grandma Crepes) at a Discount Price at Netcost

Want an early Christmas gift this year? Starting today through December 31st, CREPiNi's new line of classic Russian Crepes (Babulini Blini) will be on sale at all NetCost Market stores. 

If you're in the tri-state area, then stop by one of our seven locations in Brooklyn, Queens, Staten Island, or Philadelphia, and enjoy delicious Naked crepes or crepes with sweet and savory fillings for only $3.59. Fillings include peach, apple, sour cherry, strawberry, cheese raisin, stewed cabbage, and potato mushroom.

Love miniature versions of your favorite foods? Pick up MiNi CREPiNi, the 6-inch Naked crepes, for $2.89.

Tis' the season :)

Crepini LLC produces crepes that are all natural, vegetarian (non vegan), and nut free. Crepini's crepes are fresh, frozen crepes made for wholesale, retail, and food services and other industries in North America. Visit our website here and also Like us on Facebook here and Follow us on Twitter here for company updates, and recipe ideas. 

What are the origins of yummy Christmas dishes?

Courtesy of Tampa Bay online

The holiday season is a prime example of America's melting pot culture.

I mean, where do candy canes come from? Why do we drink eggnog every year? Lastly, who do we blame for fruitcake?

These lovely dishes originated from different countries, and we are fortunate to have them be a part of our yearly traditions. 

We compiled research from Tampa Bay's website that delves deep into not only where each food comes from but also the folklore behind it. Though some of these tales get murky because of being passed down from generation to generation, at least this explains why you're stuck with figgy pudding every year. 

Gingerbread
Germany, the birthplace of decorated Christmas trees, fashioned gingerbread into people's lives by having

Courtesy of Tamba Bay Online

vendors carve these delicious breads into fun shapes. Gingerbread includes a vast variety of sweet yet spicy cookies or baked goods. Actually, ginger-flavored sweets originated in medieval  Europe since they were prized for their medicinal properties. If we want to go back further with our historical recollections, ginger actually originated from the Middle East and reached Europe by the 11th century. Over the years, gingerbread evolved into a Christmas tradition since it was always associated with special events in Europe.

Sugarplums
Sugarplums are candied fruit, seeds, or spices. Sorry to burst your fanciful thinking if you assumed that sugarplums were actual plums full of sugar. A long time ago in Europe, sugarplums used to be a real fruit, but they became scarce due to hungry birds. What made sugarplums famous in American culture was when they were featured in Clement Clarke Moore's "'Twas the Night before Christmas." During Moore's time, a "sugarplum" was any sort of dried fruit, and I guess you can see why dried fruits are prevalent in Christmas traditions today. Fruitcake, anyone?

Fruitcake
Fruitcake, the bane of my young existence. I get it every year from distant relatives and it's always the same coagulated mess of colorful gummy pieces, nuts, and whatever else is inside of it. In ancient Rome, not everyone wanted to get rid of this colorful brick. Surprisingly, fruitcakes were a luxury item rich with pomegranate seeds, raisins, and pine nuts. By the 15th century, fruitcakes became a holiday staple all over Europe with the addition of butter and sugar.

Roasted Chestnuts
Chestnuts roasting on an open fire is an uncommon sight in many American homes, but if you travel down to Times Square, you will see vendors roasting chestnuts on hot coal plates. Chestnuts are quite popular all around northern Europe and have been a staple food in Mediterranean countries for centuries. Though I've never tried a chestnut before, they are often said to have an earthy, musty taste. Whether you decide to eat them this year or not, thank Nat King Cole's rendition of "Chestnuts Roasting on an Open Fire" for making this gourmet  item part of American Christmas traditions.

Is there a dish that your family likes to make every year? We'd love to hear about it!

Top Foods That Help You Fight The Flu

Every year, millions of Americans are affected by the flu, and even though drinking plenty of fluids, and resting are key ways to lesson common symptoms, you can also eat Superfoods to help you avoid it.  Superfoods include fruits, vegetables, and other food groups that can boost your immune system and keep you strong while you ward off infection.  Want to learn more? Check out these superfoods from Health.com's website.

Foods that fight the flu

Oily Fish: Foods rich in omega-3 have compounds that reduce harmful inflammation in the body. A result of this is to improve the function of your immune system.

Garlic: These pungent cloves contain a chemical called allicin, a compound that produces antioxidants that protect your body from free radicals. 

Citrus Fruits: Eating lots of citrus fruits, at the first sign of illness, can help you reduce a cold's duration by a day. 

Yogurt and Kefir:  Probiotic foods, such as yogurt and kefir, help promote digestive health and prevent stomach ailments. There are such things as good bacteria, after all.

Tea: Black, white, and even green teas have catechins which boost your immunity, increase your metabolism, and, most importantly, break up chest congestion. 

Milk: A daily dosage of vitamin D can curb colds and lower the risk of upper respiratory infections. So drink a cold glass of milk for good health.

The old adage goes that you are what you eat, and if you want to eat to good health, try implementing these foods into your diet.

Do you have a special method on fighting the flu? Comment below!

Crepini, LLC produces all natural crepes that are vegetarian-friendly, nut free, and Kosher certified. Our crepes are made fresh-to-order, and are available for wholesale, retail, and food service in North America. Visit our website here and follow us on Facebook and Twitter for company updates and more recipe ideas.