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New Years Day Food: Traditions to Bring Good Luck in the New Year

by Amy Judd | December 31, 2009 at 09:50 am

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Despite whether you may have a hangover or not on New Year's Day, the tradition of eating certain foods on New Year's Day to bring good luck is one that many people observe and as we start a new decade this may be worth a try for sure.

New Year's Day Food Traditions:

Black-eyed peas: considered in many cultures to be good luck due to the fact that they symbolize prosperity, many people consume some black-eyed peas to start the new year right. Greens are often served with them, as the black-eyed peas represent copper coins and the greens represent paper money.

There are a few recipes for black-eyed peas; they are traditionally cooked with some kind of ham, but the Texas Caviar recipe below adds a southern twist on a New Year's classic:

1/2 medium onions, chopped

2 fresh tomatoes, chopped and drained

1/2 cup fresh cilantro, chopped

1 medium green bell peppers, chopped

2 medium garlic cloves, minced

4 fresh green onions, chopped

28 oz peas, black eyed, unsalted, canned, drained

14 oz hominy, yellow, canned, drained

8 fl oz salad dressing, Italian

1 whole jalapeno pepper, chopped

For the directions, click the above link.

Paula Deen also has a recipe for spicy black-eyed peas with a handy how-to video.

Cabbage is another food eaten on New Year's Day as cabbage is considered a sign of prosperity as it represents paper money.

In some cultures, rice is eaten on New Year's Day and is considered another good-luck food. It doesn't specificy any kind of rice, so any kind you want to eat should bring you at least some steps closer to a prosperous New Year.

Many cultures believe that any food in the shape of a ring will bring good luck, as the closing of the ring means 'coming full circle' and represents a fresh start in the New Year.

Foods in the shape of a ring include doughnuts so that gives us all an excuse to eat some sweet doughnuts.

In Japan, people often eat long noodles as they represent long life.

In the west, some people use New Year's Day as an opportunity to treat themselves to foods they normally wouldn't eat as it starts the New Year off in prosperity with a special treat.

Happy eating in 2010!