Hoppin' John is the Southern U.S. New Year's Eve and New Year's Day dish featuring black-eyed peas and rice.
The dish is strongly associated with good luck and prosperity, especially in the American South. Black-eyed peas are often served with greens, whose color suggests money, while cornbread can represent gold. The exact symbolism varies by family and region, but the combination has become a widely recognized New Year food tradition.
Hoppin' John is generally made from black-eyed peas, rice, and pork such as bacon or ham hock, though recipes differ. Its history reflects the foodways of the African American South and the broader culinary traditions of the Lowcountry.
The dish is sometimes confused with the separate custom of eating black-eyed peas alone. Hoppin' John specifically refers to the prepared pea-and-rice dish, while black-eyed peas with greens and cornbread may be served alongside it.