ST readers share their first meals of 2018

From nasi lemak to porridge, here are some posts of what they ate on New Year's Day

PHOTOS: INSTAGRAM/@WILLCOOKWILLEAT, @ANDREHUBER, @SUNKIMCHI, @SANGEETAMADHAV, @BAEYYAMKENG, @FANNAL, @ZAQYM, @JEREMYMONTEIRO
PHOTOS: INSTAGRAM/@WILLCOOKWILLEAT, @ANDREHUBER, @SUNKIMCHI, @SANGEETAMADHAV, @BAEYYAMKENG, @FANNAL, @ZAQYM, @JEREMYMONTEIRO
PHOTOS: INSTAGRAM/@WILLCOOKWILLEAT, @ANDREHUBER, @SUNKIMCHI, @SANGEETAMADHAV, @BAEYYAMKENG, @FANNAL, @ZAQYM, @JEREMYMONTEIRO
PHOTOS: INSTAGRAM/@WILLCOOKWILLEAT, @ANDREHUBER, @SUNKIMCHI, @SANGEETAMADHAV, @BAEYYAMKENG, @FANNAL, @ZAQYM, @JEREMYMONTEIRO
PHOTOS: INSTAGRAM/@WILLCOOKWILLEAT, @ANDREHUBER, @SUNKIMCHI, @SANGEETAMADHAV, @BAEYYAMKENG, @FANNAL, @ZAQYM, @JEREMYMONTEIRO
PHOTOS: INSTAGRAM/@WILLCOOKWILLEAT, @ANDREHUBER, @SUNKIMCHI, @SANGEETAMADHAV, @BAEYYAMKENG, @FANNAL, @ZAQYM, @JEREMYMONTEIRO
PHOTOS: INSTAGRAM/@WILLCOOKWILLEAT, @ANDREHUBER, @SUNKIMCHI, @SANGEETAMADHAV, @BAEYYAMKENG, @FANNAL, @ZAQYM, @JEREMYMONTEIRO
PHOTOS: INSTAGRAM/@WILLCOOKWILLEAT, @ANDREHUBER, @SUNKIMCHI, @SANGEETAMADHAV, @BAEYYAMKENG, @FANNAL, @ZAQYM, @JEREMYMONTEIRO

To start off the year on a hearty note, The Straits Times asked its readers to post photos of what they ate for their first meal in the new year on Instagram.

To participate, readers needed to post photos on their public accounts and add the hashtags #firstmeal2018 and #stfoodtrending.

By 5.30pm yesterday, there were about 400 posts showing an array of food from the comforting and familiar - think roti prata and laksa - to more decadent dishes such as buttered scallops and crispy pork leg.

Some even paid homage to new year traditions of other countries: Sun Kim (@sunkimchi), chef and owner of the one-Michelin-starred restaurant Meta in Keong Saik Road, had a hearty tteokguk or sliced rice cake soup, a dish traditionally eaten during the Korean New Year.

Life editor Tan Hsueh Yun (@msposhnosh) began her year with a brightly coloured ozoni soup. Her version of the traditional Japanese New Year's Day dish came with homemade dashi broth, vegetables, chicken, mushroom and toasted mochi.

Chef-owner Mervin Goh (@mervaka) of Japanese restaurant Akashi at Orchard Parade Hotel, gave a shout-out to hawker food with his bowl of bak chor mee.

His flat egg noodles came with a side of fish cake and bowls of soup.

Tampines GRC Member of Parliament Baey Yam Keng (@baeyyamkeng) shared that he returned to his parents' home for his first meal of the year.

"True to the Pioneer Generation's thrifty nature, they bought a Christmas meal package on special offer at a supermarket," he wrote.

The spread included turkey, pork ribs and knuckles, achar, mixed vegetables and prawns.

Jazz musician Jeremy Monteiro (@jeremymonteiro) had his first meal in Petaling Jaya, Malaysia, after a party there. Posting a photo of fried maggi mee with a sunny-side-up egg cracked over the top, Monteiro wrote: "Happy New Year everyone! No food resolutions for me. Just whack!"

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A version of this article appeared in the print edition of The Straits Times on January 02, 2018, with the headline ST readers share their first meals of 2018. Subscribe