After numerous food poisoning incidents over the past year, and after many years of successfully raising and growing our own food for Tet (Lunar New Year) celebrations for our children and grandchildren, which also fostered strong family bonds, I've come to realize how wise my relatives are. Tet is a joyous occasion, and to have a joyful celebration, safety is paramount, including food safety and hygiene. It may be a little hard work, but the reward is safety.
The tradition my family follows has become a cherished custom. Every year, after the full moon of the first lunar month, the clan leader assigns families with the honor of supplying food for the Lunar New Year. The leftover money from the previous year's ancestral worship ceremony is used to buy livestock. From pigs and chickens to fish, everything is raised on safe, eco-friendly feed. The pigs are fed entirely on sweet potato leaves, banana stalks, and rice bran, just like in the old days. The fish are raised on homemade feed, avoiding industrial feed. As some members of the clan explain, such meticulous effort is necessary to ensure that the pigs and fish offered to the ancestors are truly worthy of the occasion. After the offerings are made, the descendants partake in the blessings; the remaining food is then processed into traditional New Year dishes, without excessive use of preservatives, and distributed to families for consumption during the New Year.
Although my hometown is economically developed with a wide network of services, many clans still maintain traditional village customs. Preparing clean food for Tet (Lunar New Year) is not only a way for descendants to show respect to their ancestors and preserve family traditions, but it is also seen as a way to protect health, making Tet meals safer and more meaningful. I am secretly grateful for the thoughtfulness and foresight of the clan leader. This is also an opportunity for my children to immerse themselves in the traditional processes of making cakes, spring rolls, sausages, and meatballs of our homeland.
When I see attractive food items for Tet (Lunar New Year) in stores, on e-commerce platforms, or on social media, I'm tempted to buy them. However, I'm shocked by the increasing number of food poisoning incidents, seizures of counterfeit goods, and violations of food safety and hygiene regulations, some of which are particularly dangerous. Choosing to do things the way my relatives do might not be suitable for modern lifestyles or the diverse development of the Tet market, but it offers greater peace of mind, greater safety, and makes Tet more enjoyable.
Hanh Nhien
Source: https://baothanhhoa.vn/tet-vui-phai-la-tet-an-toan-276275.htm
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