Luck and Money: Traditional Foods for New Year’s Day

Delicious Blackeye Pea Recipes & More To Start Off The Year Lucky

Who doesn’t hope for a new year filled with good fortune and prosperity? In most cultures, foods prepared for New Year’s Day are said to bring good luck. Every culture has variations, but the recurring themes are: beans – resembling coins or closed circles signifying the end of one year and prosperity in the next;  greens – representing wealth; and pork products because pigs root forward as they eat – symbolizing a positive direction in the upcoming year.

African Americans in the 18th and 19th centuries made one of the most enduring contributions to the modern holiday. Starting in the Carolinas – but later extending throughout the South – Hoppin’ John (blackeye peas and rice) and greens (collard, mustard, or turnip,) became traditional New Year’s fare. Blackeye peas to bring luck, and greens to represent money and prosperity. The tradition of using ham, salt pork, or sausage used to flavor the greens and the blackeye peas started as a frugal way to use less popular cuts from the pig, but the smoky flavor and richness they impart have become an essential and beloved flavor in the dishes.

Garlicky Shrimp & Blackeye Peas

Southern Blackeye Peas

Blackeye Peas One Pot Meal Recipe

Pork, Collards and Black Eye Pea Gumbo Recipe

New Orleans Style Blackeye Peas Recipe

Blackeye Peas and Spinach

Bessie’s Best New Year Blackeyes

Hoppin’ John Recipe

Slow Cooker Spicy Blackeye Peas

Cowboy Caviar

Blackeye Pea Salad

Camellia Brand Black-Eyed Peas

Southern Collard Greens

Braised Collard Greens Recipe

Ana’s Brazilian Style Collard Greens Recipe

Easy Pan Fried Pork Chops

Pork for the New Year