Food is an especially important part of celebrating the Tet Nguyen Dan, or just Tet as locals would call it. Many delicacies are strongly associated with the festival due to the meaning it holds and having them on each table is a practice that is handed down to families over the generations. However, most of these food require extensive preparations which may require a week or two to complete.  If you are wondering why Vietnamese families would prefer to go through the tedious task of preparing these treats versus just taking a single trip to the market and buy ready-cooked food, the answer would all boil down to tradition and a special regard for Tet which only them can fully comprehend. In Vietnam Tet means showing the importance of food during its celebration.

When Tet season comes along, families become extraordinarily busy: cleaning, rearranging, purchasing new clothes and items, and the huge bulk of the time goes to food preparation. Vietnamese Tet is a family-oriented holiday intended to bring families together to bond, reconcile and look forward to a more prosperous year ahead. Banh Chung is something every family table and altar must have during Tet. These are heavy square cakes made from steamed glutinous rice, mung bean puree and seasoned pork, all wrapped in banana leaves. Preparing the banh chung can be very time-consuming and can take days to complete. Regardless the tedious task, it is a well-preserved tradition of Vietnamese people which is better looked at as an opportunity to bond, gather together around the fire while it is cooking, while at the same time telling stories to children and exchanging best wishes to each family member. Pickles and candied fruits are similarly important in each table during Tet, and all requires practice and skills to prepare – not to mention a lot of patience.

To complete the preservation time and to allow the vegetables and candies to develop the desired taste, these treats are prepared around 2 weeks before Tet where all women in the family gather in the kitchen to enjoy time together during preparation. No matter how busy and technical, food preparation days are always appreciated as days spent laughing with moms, daughters, grandparents and grandkids Nowadays, local markets are filled with ready-to-buy treats during holidays. However, most Vietnamese families would still make it a point to uphold the tradition of home cooking. Legend has it that the way a family spends Tet sets the tone for the rest of the year. Thus, a family that prepares happily together is ensured of strong bond throughout the rest of the year.