Lunar New Year 2026: Celebrate the Year of the Horse with Quail Eggs!

The Lunar New Year is one of the farm’s favourite seasons, and we want to tell you all about this special tradition. 

On the farm, the Lunar New Year arrives while winter is still holding on. It’s been a cold, dark winter in Ontario, but change is clearly coming. Days slowly begin to stretch. The earth starts to wake up. There is a quiet sense of anticipation that something new is just around the corner. This rhythm feels familiar to us because, at its core, farming has always been about paying attention to cycles.

Lunar New Year also holds a special place in our hearts and in our community. Over the years, we’ve seen quail eggs become a staple on the tables of many Asian families across Canada and the United States. They appear in home kitchens, at family gatherings, and during holiday meals, passed down through generations and prepared with care. That connection is something we’re deeply grateful for, and it’s one of the reasons we love celebrating this season every year.

What is the Lunar New Year? 

Lunar New Year, sometimes referred to as the Spring Festival, follows the lunar calendar rather than the Gregorian one. Instead of arriving on the same date each year, it moves with the moon, marking a natural transition between seasons.

At its core, the Lunar New Year symbolizes renewal. A time to gather with family, honour ancestors, reflect on the year behind, and prepare for the one ahead. Historically, it has been closely tied to agriculture. Farmers relied on the lunar calendar to guide planting, harvesting, and rest. The new year signalled that the land would soon shift from dormancy to growth.

In 2026, the Lunar New Year begins on February 17, welcoming a new chapter shaped by the Year of the Horse. Whether you celebrate this holiday as part of your own culture or you’re learning about it for the first time, it’s a meaningful moment to pause and reflect on renewal, movement, and our connection to food and the land.

While it's widely celebrated across Asia, traditions and customs can vary significantly between cultures such as Chinese, Korean, and Vietnamese. Exploring these differences can enrich your appreciation of this holiday's diverse expressions.

The Year of the Horse and what it represents

Each Lunar New Year is associated with an animal, each carrying its own meaning and character. 2026 is the Year of the Horse.

In Chinese culture, the horse symbolizes strength, endurance, independence, and forward movement. Historically, horses played an essential role in farming communities. They helped plow fields, transport harvests, and connect people across distances. Without them, progress slowed. With them, work moved forward.

The Year of the Horse is often seen as a time of momentum, especially after periods of stillness. In 2026, that symbolism is paired with the Fire element, which appears once every 60 years.

Fire represents warmth, vitality, and transformation. Together, Fire and Horse reflect a year of renewed energy, optimism, and rebuilding. From a farming perspective, it mirrors the return of the sun and the warming of the soil. It’s the signal that planting and growth are not far behind.

Food, family, and renewal

Food has always been central to Lunar New Year celebrations. Ingredients like eggs and quail eggs symbolize prosperity, longevity, and new beginnings, adding layers of meaning to festive meals.

Eggs, especially quail eggs, symbolize life, wholeness, and new beginnings. Their presence can inspire hope and a sense of continuity during this season.

Quail eggs have long been part of food traditions across Asia. Tiny and nutrient-dense, they’ve been valued for generations and prepared in countless ways. Today, they continue to play a role in Lunar New Year cooking, especially in Chinese households across Canada and the U.S., where family recipes and traditions are lovingly passed down.

At Spring Creek Quail, we see quail eggs as a reflection of the season itself. They’re modest in size, but full of nourishment. They remind us that good food doesn’t need to be complicated to be meaningful.

Celebrating with Spring Creek quail eggs

Every year, our team of chefs develops recipes inspired by traditional Chinese flavours and techniques to celebrate the Lunar New Year. They’re simple, comforting, and designed to be shared.

Here are a few favourites we return to every year:

Chinese Tea Quail Eggs

A classic preparation often enjoyed during Lunar New Year, simmered in tea and spices for an intensely aromatic snack.

Quail Egg Drop Soup

A comforting twist on a familiar favourite, featuring delicate ribbons of quail egg in a light, nourishing broth.

Yang Zhou Fried Rice with Quail Eggs

A celebratory dish that brings together rice, vegetables, and quail eggs in a balanced, satisfying meal.

These recipes are designed to be approachable, with tips for customizing flavours or ingredients, whether you’re honouring tradition or trying something new in your kitchen.

Quail eggs are perfect in many Asian and Asian-inspired dishes, such as fried rice, stir-fry, ramen, hot pot, congee, laksa, sushi, bento boxes, and Korean bibimbap, where their rich yolk and bite-sized shape add both flavour and visual appeal.

If you’re looking for more inspiration, we’ll be sharing additional recipes on Instagram, YouTube, TikTok, and Facebook. You can also explore our full recipe collection on the website.

Welcoming the year ahead

From our farm to your table, we wish you a joyful, nourishing Lunar New Year. May this season bring warmth, momentum, and a renewed appreciation for the cycles that sustain us all.

Here’s to new beginnings, shared meals, and the simple foods that bring us together.

You can find Spring Creek quail eggs in thousands of local grocery stores, including T&T and local Asian and Chinese food markets. You can find the closest one to you in our store finder!