How to Make a Traditional New Year’s Day Dinner

Can you believe how quickly we are approaching the New Year!? With the coming of a new year peaking around the corner, I begin to plan out our traditional New Year’s Day dinner. This dinner helps usher in the new year with a bit of luck and good fortune while sending the old year out with style and grace.

This year has been quieter than 2020 ever was, but still full of change.

We have continued to navigate our way through home construction. Thankfully, we are getting closer and closer to beginning our new life in a new home.

I have also learned about homesteading and blogging in a way that can only be learned through hands on trial and error.

We are excited to see how this year goes and continue to bring you along on our journey.

Southern Traditions and Superstitions

One of my favorite traditions this time of year is our traditional New Year’s Day dinner. But where did this tradition stem from? One simple answer, The South!

Over the centuries, the south has become a melting pot for cultures making it the epicenter for a host of traditions and superstitions.

One of these famous traditions is the Traditional New Years Day Dinner.

It is said that this tradition started during the Civil War after the Union Army raided the Confederate camp leaving only Black Eyed Peas and Salted Pork. They left these meager humble items believing they were no more than animal food. The Confederate Soldiers felt fortunate for the food left behind.

Whether or not this account is actually true, it is a long held belief that a meal prepared with the following traditional New Years Day food items is sure to bring you a years worth of luck and prosperity.

Our New Year’s Day Dinner

Every New Year’s Day I spend the day making our traditional dinner filled with good luck and fortune for the New Year.

This simple yet delicious southern meal is great any time of the year, but is extra special on New Year’s Day.

These are a few of our favorite menu items and the meanings behind them.

Black Eyed Peas

Black Eyed Peas are traditional southern New Year’s Day fare.

These little legumes are said to symbolize coins and are meant to bring prosperity into the new year. Who doesn’t need a little more prosperity in life?

Black eyed peas are a highly nutritional meal that is sure to fill you up and leave your family satisfied.

These delicious little coins are best when slow cooked with lots of butter and delicious ham like in our favorite Crockpot Black Eyed Peas Recipe. Which takes me to my next traditional New Year’s Eve dinner companion.

Pork

We always cook our black eyed peas with the bone and left over meat of our Christmas ham.

We do this in the hopes to bring forward the good times and memories from the year into the new year.

It is also said that pigs push their snouts forward into the dirt as they root. The use of pork symbolizes progress in the new year.

We always have a bone in ham at Christmas time. This year we did ours on Christmas Eve for Snack Day and made mini ham biscuits.

Snack Days are a wonderful tradition that we started a few years back and it has become our Christmas Eve. This year we shared our special day with my parents and it was so much fun snacking, gaming, and relaxing.

If you want to check out how we Snack Day, check out our post here. Feel free to share if you find something you like!

Cornbread

What goes better with black eyed peas and ham than cornbread?!

This buttery sweet addition symbolizes gold, which continues on our theme of prosperity in the new year.

Again, the more prosperity the better!

It also has been said that this golden bread is also a symbol of Leprechaun gold, which brings luck along with you as you enter into the new year.

Check out our easy recipe video for our favorite Cornbread on our YouTube Channel. While you are there make sure to hit the subscribe button!

Collard Greens

To round off our good luck, prosperity, and progress meal is the always delicious collard greens.

Many homes traditionally use cabbage or sauerkraut which are both delicious alternatives, but a true southern good luck meal would not be complete without Collards.

Sautéed in a mixture of bacon and onions until wilted and delicious, collards are the perfect pairing for the rest of this meal.

I had never had collard greens until I met my husband almost eight years ago. The first time I had them we were at the cabin in West Virginia.

I am not sure how a girl from West Virginia made it almost 25 years without ever trying collard greens, but I am a little upset with my momma that she didn’t introduce them to me earlier. They are so delicious!

Ring In the New Year!

As you devour your delicious, lucky, prosperous dinner do not forget to take a moment to be thankful for all the great things that happened to you and your family this past year.

While it has been a difficult one to navigate, there is always some good hidden in the turmoil.

Take a moment to celebrate those good times. Leave us a comment to let us know how you and your family celebrate the New Year. If you like our post, give it a share!

We hope you and your family love this meal. It has become one that we have looked forward to over the years. Don’t forget to check us out on Instagram and Pinterest for more great recipe ideas!

If you like these recipes, check out these great dessert recipes to round off this delicious dessert!

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