Inside New Jersey’s loud, overstuffed, totally unforgettable holiday feasts

If you really want to understand New Jersey during the holidays, don’t look at the lights or the malls—look at the food.

Across the Garden State, December through January isn’t just a season; it’s a month-long parade of seafood, roasts, carbs, and a few “good luck” dishes your grandmother absolutely insists on. Every family has its own traditions, but certain rituals stretch from Cape May to Mahwah.

Growing up Jersey: Food, family and the rituals that shaped us

For me, growing up in Mays Landing, the season started with making chocolate chip cookies with my mom—an annual warm-up to the big days ahead. Christmas Day meant raviolis, braciole, and, without fail, shrimp on New Year’s Eve. But my favorite memories were always on Christmas Eve. We’d head to my aunt and uncle’s place in Hammonton for a full-on seafood fest. I’m not sure if we ever hit the official “seven” fishes, but there was always plenty of fish, laughter, and that cozy bustle of family packed into their basement kitchen and dining room.

My aunt and uncle would give our kids Hess trucks, and on the ride home we’d listen to Big Joe play “Dominick the Donkey.” After they passed, my brother’s family and mine kept the tradition going for a few more years—some of my most treasured memories.

The Feast of the Seven Fishes: A Jersey holiday sport

In Jersey, the Feast of the Seven Fishes is practically a competitive sport—especially in towns with strong Italian-American roots like Hoboken, Belleville, Hammonton, and anywhere your Nonna can still yell in two languages. The menu changes from house to house, but certain dishes are forever staples: linguine with clams, fried calamari, baccalà, and big pots of zuppa di pesce that could feed half the neighborhood. Some families stick to a tidy seven dishes; others go full North Jersey and hit twelve, fifteen, or a number no one can remember once the Prosecco starts flowing.

Christmas Day: Cozy Comfort

By Christmas Day, most households shift away from seafood and toward serious comfort food. Think holiday roasts, trays of pasta, and enough sides to guarantee leftovers till at least New Year’s. Prime rib, baked ham (especially down the Shore), and lasagna—the unofficial New Jersey Christmas side dish—are always in rotation. Christmas dinner here is slow and lingering: kids running around, cousins dropping in late, and someone inevitably trying to squeeze “just one more tray” into an already-packed oven.

How New Jersey rings in the New Year—with shrimp, dips and superstition

New Year’s Eve: Grazing Mode
By December 31, the vibe shifts to full “picky food” mode. Shrimp cocktail, dips, charcuterie boards, baked ziti—easy, crowd-pleasing dishes perfect for feeding whoever happens to wander in before midnight.

New Year’s Day: The Sauerkraut Tradition
Then comes one of my favorite regional quirks: pork and sauerkraut on New Year’s Day. In many New Jersey homes—especially around Middlesex, Union, and Monmouth counties—it’s a non-negotiable good-luck meal. The idea is simple: pork symbolizes moving forward, and sauerkraut stands for prosperity. Add mashed potatoes, football, and the gentle promise to start eating healthier… eventually.

Why Jersey holiday food hits different

From Christmas Eve seafood feasts to New Year’s sauerkraut superstition, New Jersey’s holiday season is loud, delicious, and proudly overstuffed—exactly the way we like it.