Holidays & Occasions New Year's Why We Eat Black-Eyed Peas And Collard Greens On New Year's Day For anyone who has ever taken this tradition for granted, here's its origin. By Hannah Hayes Hannah Hayes Hannah Hayes is an Editor for Wildsam. Previously, she was the Travel + Culture Editor at Southern Living. Southern Living's editorial guidelines Updated on January 3, 2024 Reviewed by The Lifestyle Dietitian LLC, a nutrition private practice based in Atlanta. She has 15 years of experience in the field of nutrition and dietetics." tabindex="0" data-inline-tooltip="true"> Jerlyn Jones, MS, MPA, RDN, LD, CLT Reviewed by Jerlyn Jones, MS, MPA, RDN, LD, CLT Jerlyn Jones is a registered dietitian nutritionist and owner of The Lifestyle Dietitian LLC, a nutrition private practice based in Atlanta. She has 15 years of experience in the field of nutrition and dietetics. Learn more about the Southern Living Food & Nutrition Review Board Fact checked by Khara Scheppmann Fact checked by Khara Scheppmann Khara Scheppmann has 12 years of marketing and advertising experience, including proofreading and fact-checking. She previously worked at one of the largest advertising agencies in the southwest. brand's fact checking process In This Article View All In This Article Meaning Behind Black-Eyed Peas And Collard Greens What To Serve With Black-Eyed Peas Recipes The South is a region of long-held superstitions and traditions. However, one of our longest-held traditions is that of eating black-eyed peas and collard greens in some form on New Year's Day. In fact, this tradition is so pervasive throughout the Southeast that black-eyed peas appear in recipes as varied as Cowboy Caviar in Texas to Hoppin' John in Alabama to peas with ham up in North Carolina. Photo: Alison Miksch What Is The Meaning Of Black-Eyed Peas And Collard Greens? According to legendary Southern food researcher John Egerton's Southern Food: At Home, On the Road, In History, black-eyed peas are associated with a "mystical and mythical power to bring good luck" and have been a Southern staple for more than three centuries. As for collard greens, they're green like money and will ensure you a financially prosperous new year. And isn't that what we all want anyway? There's evidence that Jewish people ate black-eyed peas as a part of the holiday Rosh Hashanah, the Jewish New Year, for hundreds of years. But the tradition of cooking black-eyed peas with rice is African in origin. It spread throughout the South, especially in the Carolinas, in the form of pilaus or rice dishes simmered for a long time with chicken or shrimp. When black-eyed peas were added to the pilau, it became Hoppin' John. What To Serve With Your Black-Eyed Peas If you serve peas with cornbread, it represents gold, and if they are stewed with tomatoes, it symbolizes wealth and health. Although we don't endorse this practice, some people will even put a penny or a dime inside their pot of peas. Whoever is "lucky" enough to receive the coin will have the most luck for the rest of the year. Recipes For Black-Eyed Peas And Collard Greens The classic New Year 's Day pairing isn't confined to the home either. You'll find black-eyed peas and collards on restaurant menus and daily specials throughout the South as the New Year approaches. However, if you want practice the tradition yourself, here are a few of our favorite recipes to try at home. Classic Hoppin' John Recipe Hoppin' John Soup Hoppin' John Stew Southern-Style Collard Greens Slow Cooker Collard Greens with Ham Hocks Collard Greens with Garlic and Sippets Instant Pot Collard Greens Tia Mowry's Braised Collard Greens Easy Black-Eyed Peas Instant Pot Black-Eyed Pea Soup Was this page helpful? Thanks for your feedback! Tell us why! Other Submit Sources Southern Living is committed to using high-quality, reputable sources to support the facts in our articles. Read our editorial guidelines to learn more about how we fact check our content for accuracy. Egerton J. Southern Food: At Home, on the Road, in History. UNC Press Books; 1993. JUF News. Juf news : black-eyed peas for Rosh Hashanah. New Orleans School of Cooking. The story behind lucky new year’s recipes.