Chinese and other Asian nations celebrate the New Year according to a lunar calendar. In 2024, the Chinese New Year will fall on Feb 10. It is proclaimed the year of the Green Wooden Dragon. 

The Chinese animal zodiac includes 12 animals, and the dragon is one of them. New Year is the largest festive holiday in China when Chinese people get seven days off work. The Chinese prefer to eat “eight lucky foods” during their New Year’s celebration, such as Jiaozi (dumplings), Dayu Darou (whole fish or meat), Lawei (cured meats), Chun Juan (spring rolls), Changshou Mian (longevity noodles), Good Fortune Fruit, and Babao Fan (eight treasures rice). 

To find the “eight lucky foods” for the Asian New Year’s celebration, someone may visit “Pan-Asia Supermarket,” which opened at 10003 E. 71st St., Tulsa, about a year ago. It offers a large selection of food from China and other Asian countries. Culinary items are from countries such as Japan, Vietnam, Filipinos, India, Pakistan, Indonesia, Cambodia, and others. The supermarket has a good selection of Asian vegetables, fruits, seafood, meat, drinks, and sweets. A shopper can see a variety of flavored noodles or rice, too. 

The store organizes a “lottery” where customers can win prizes in the form of a product sold weekly. The business accepts major credit cards and food stamps. Also, the two Asian food cafes and a bakery located inside the Pan-Asia Supermarket offer an opportunity to taste diverse Asian foods in addition to picking up several grocery items.