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NEW FOOD PACKAGING IN STORE NOW

From August 2018, customers will notice our rebranded food packaging start to appear on shelf in all major stockists.

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We are excited to announce our new packaging will start to appear on shelf from August 2018. This transition to new packaging will occur over a number of months. During this time there will be a mix of current and new packaging on shelf.

There are no major changes to these products, in some instances there is a small name change or slight recipe improvement, see below for the full details.

Products purchased via the website will be delivered to customers in our old packaging until the end of October. From November, products ordered from the website will be delivered in the new packaging.

Please note, our Infant Formula packaging will not be rebranded until later in 2019.

For any questions, connect with our team of accredited practising Dietitians on +61 3 6332 9200

Product name changes

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  • CURRENT Packaging Organic Baby Rice
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  • NEW Packaging Organic Milk & Vanilla Baby Rice
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  • NEW Packaging Organic Apple & Cinnamon Baby Porridge
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  • CURRENT Packaging Organic Banana, Pear & Mango
  • New Packaging Organic Banana, Pear, Apple & Mango
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  • New Packaging Organic Blueberry, Mango & Apple
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  • CURRENT Packaging Organic Pumpkin & Tomato Risotto
  • New Packaging Organic Pumpkin, Sweet Potato & Tomato
  • CURRENT Packaging Organic Broccoli, Beef & Brown Rice
  • New Packaging Organic Beef & Vegetables
  • Note: We have also upgraded some of our RTS recipes to remove added sugars and to remove some of the more complex ingredients that are not required for young children such as Tamari.
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  • New Packaging Organic Milk Rusks
Home/Nutrition & Recipes/Articles/Preparing For and Celebrating Chinese New Year in Singapore

Preparing For and Celebrating Chinese New Year in Singapore

Thean Hou Chinese Temple, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, Southeast Asia, Asia

Thean Hou Chinese Temple, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, Southeast Asia, Asia

Chinese New Year is the most important holiday in Chinese culture, meaning many families start preparations early. It’s not uncommon for families to start celebrating months in advance!

The Chinese New Year is an annual celebration that coincides with the first New Moon of the year. Considered the ‘birthday’ of the New Year, it is believed to usher in good luck and abundance when celebrated the right way.

The Chinese calendar is based on a lunar and solar calendar, which explains why Chinese New Year falls on a different day each year. Under this system, a calendar month usually lasts 29.5 days, so after a period of years, there is a lag. This creates an ‘extra month’ every few years.

Chinese New Year usually falls between January 21 and February 20.

Preparing for a traditional Chinese New Year

Chinese New Year is not a celebration of just one day, and as mentioned above, many families plan long in advance for it. The celebration period leading up is packed full of important days, including: The 20th day of the 12th lunar month, known as ‘the day for sweeping floors’ and the 24th day of the twelfth lunar month, a day to burn incense and give the Kitchen God offerings before burning his effigy.

There are also many things expected of a person celebrating Chinese New Year, such as:

Go to a fortune teller

In Chinese culture, knowing your zodiac sign, your element, and if your predisposition is hot, cold, or neutral are all used to find out what your year may be like. In the West, they make New Year’s resolutions, saying they we will modify their own (usually bad) behaviour to improve their lives in the coming year. In China, however, consulting a fortune teller involves something of the reverse. You do it to find out what is likely to happen, and then you can act accordingly.

Get a haircut

Cutting anything during Chinese New Year is considered bad luck, so if you don’t want to look shabby during the holiday, get a trim before the celebrations start.

Clean the house

It’s bad luck to enter the New Year with any dirt in the house, so get organised and start cleaning. Every nook and cranny should be scrubbed clean and any broken furnishings, crockery or appliances discarded. Some families also adhere to Chinese New Year feng shui practices, thought to bring positive energy into your life.

Go shopping

Before Chinese New Year arrives, the following items must be bought: food for the celebrations, new clothes to usher in the New Year, and gifts and red envelopes to distribute to family and friends. It is customary to give a gift if you are visiting someone’s home during the festivities, so plan ahead and buy gifts for any impromptu visits. The significance of the red envelopes is that wrapping money in red packets is hoped to bring more happiness and blessing to the receivers. The red packet is called yasui qian, which means ‘suppressing ghosts money’. Those who receive a red packet are wished another year negotiated safely and peacefully.

Purchase flowers

One or two days before the New Year, purchase bulbs such as daffodils and hyacinths, which are especially auspicious. Display these bulbs or other flowers, such as azalea, pussy willow, lotus or peony, in your home.

Eat well

The Reunion Dinner is held on the eve of the New Year and requires families to gather together for one big final meal of the year. This dinner is very large, and traditionally includes dumplings, chicken and pork.

Celebrating Chinese New Year

The Chinese traditionally celebrate the first 15 days of the New Year, and if you plan on celebrating properly you’ll need to take this into account. While many of these practices are no longer observed, there are some traditions and events that are popular in Singapore today.

The Chingay Parade

Held on the 19th and 20th February, the Chingay Parade is a loud and boisterous display of Singapore’s multicultural heritage. Featuring dancing dragons, stilt walkers, and a continuous parade of dazzling floats, this event is a proud display of Singaporean culture and not just an observance of the Chinese New Year.

It’s the largest street performance and float parade in Asia, and gives residents and visitors alike an insight into what makes Singapore unique.

River Hongbao

The River Hongbao iconic event ushers in the Chinese New Year each year at the Floating Platform @ Marina Bay, and features larger-than-life floating lanterns that have been handcrafted by expert craftsmen from China.

As well as the amazing lantern display, there are a number of other activities including carnival games and amusement rides to keep the whole family entertained. Held in 2017 from 26th January to 4th February, make sure you take the family down to visit.

Chinese New Year in Singapore

Chinese New Year in Singapore is a celebration not to be missed. For three weeks prior to the Chinese New Year you can soak in the festive mood throughout the island, with celebrations in the form of colourful processions, seasonal markets, riotous lion dances, and the exchanging of mandarins. Red is undoubtedly the colour of the season, and throughout Singapore you will see scarlet paper packets, lanterns and bright ribbons.

Chinatown is of course the place to be, but other must sees include The Chingay Parade at the Formula One Pit Building by the Marina Bay Waterfront and the Floating Platform on River Hongbao.

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