Which traditional New Year’s Eve food is eaten in the southern United States for prosperity?

Black-eyed peas are the traditional New Year’s Eve food eaten in the southern United States for prosperity.

The custom is especially associated with the American South, where black-eyed peas are commonly served on New Year’s Day or as the year turns. Their symbolism is often linked with coins or financial prosperity. A familiar dish is Hoppin’ John, made with black-eyed peas, rice, and often pork; greens may be served alongside it because their color suggests money.

The tradition has several historical explanations, and no single origin story is universally accepted. Black-eyed peas were long an important food in West African and Southern foodways, and their association with New Year luck developed through regional history and folklore. They are legumes, not true peas, and belong to the cowpea group. Lentils and other beans also symbolize wealth in different cultures, but black-eyed peas are the characteristic Southern U.S. answer.