Cold Food Festival market in Hanoi sees variety, steady prices

From early morning on the third day of the third lunar month (April 19 this year), many residents in Hanoi flock to food streets and traditional markets such as Ngoc Ha, Nghia Tan, and Cho Hom – Duc Vien to shop for offerings and prepare ritual trays for the Cold Food Festival.

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At market stalls, traditional bánh trôi and bánh chay continue to dominate in both quantity and availability, drawing large numbers of customers, much like in previous years.

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This year, prices have risen only slightly. A plate of bánh trôi normally costs around VND20,000, while a plate of bánh chay is between VND20,000 and 25,000, VOV.VN has learned.

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Alongside traditional offerings, the market also features a wider variety of options such as five-coloured bánh trôi, “nine-layer cloud” cakes, sticky rice and sweet soups, bánh xu xê (Vietnamese wedding cakes), and bánh gio (ash cakes), adding diversity to offering trays for the Cold Food Festival.

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Alongside these offerings, visually appealing molded sticky rice and ceremonial boiled chicken are also widely available, remaining familiar offerings chosen by many families.

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Notably, colourful ready-to-make ingredient kits are widely available at many stalls, catering to customers who prefer to prepare the cakes at home.

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On ancestral offering trays for the Cold Food Festival, areca blossoms and jasmine are indispensable items.

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To meet rising demand, many trade vendors also offer ready-made sets of betel leaves, areca nuts, areca blossoms and roses, priced at around VND20,000–25,000 per set.

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According to trade vendors, this year’s consumption trends show a clear divide: middle-aged and older customers tend to favour traditional products, while younger consumers pay more attention to presentation, colours and convenience, and are more willing to spend on creative items or all-in-one service packages.

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Le Anh Tuyet, owner of a prepared food shop on Nghia Tan Street in Hanoi, says the number of buyers has declined compared to previous years. Despite rising input costs, her shop has kept prices unchanged while focusing on product quality and ensuring food safety.

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Despite the emergence of many new offerings, traditional bánh trôi and bánh chay continue to hold a central place. For many families, they are indispensable ritual foods for the Cold Food Festival, symbolising reunion and remembrance of one’s roots.

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Nguyen Thi Hong Van, from Cau Giay ward, shares that her family prepares bánh trôi and bánh chay for ancestral offerings every year. This year, to save time, she opts to buy ready-made cakes, while also choosing five-coloured varieties to bring a fresh touch for the children, all while preserving the traditional spirit of the occasion.