Happy New Year! The best way to get the year off on the right foot is with some amazing New Year’s Day recipes! Today I’ll be sharing some traditional New Year’s Day recipe ideas along with some of my favorites!
New Year’s Day Traditions
It’s a tradition in the South to have two types of food on New Year’s Day: greens and peas. Greens are supposed to bring you money in the new year, and peas bring you luck. Any type of green will work, and black-eyed peas are the usual choice for peas.
Pork is a popular entre for the holiday. Pigs root forward, which is supposed to represent progress in the new year. They are also rotund which is said to represent prosperity.
Fortunately, there are several delicious combinations you can make with these choices, and today we will look at some New Year’s Day recipe ideas.
Greens
My favorite type of greens is turnip greens. My mouthwatering Southern turnip greens recipe is a great option for the greens portion of the meal. However, we usually have them over the Christmas holiday and don’t want them again so soon, so we usually opt for something different.
Cabbage is an easy alternative. You can steam cabbage with salt, pepper, and bacon and have a delectable side. Another idea is my Southern fried cabbage recipe.
Other good choices are collards and mustard greens. If your New Year’s resolutions include eating healthier, you could always go with a nice green salad. Just don’t over do it with the salad dressing, or you will be defeating the purpose!
Peas
Black-eyed peas are a staple of New Year’s Day in the South. It’s easy to see why, they are delicious! Paired with Southern collard or turnip greens, they are sure to leave you full and satisfied with your meal.
My Southern-style black-eyed peas recipe is both simple and delicious. If you pair them with the turnip greens recipe I shared earlier, you can even share some ingredients between recipes, namely the smoked sausage which can be used in place of bacon, or vice versa. With food prices remaining high due to inflation, every bit of savings helps.
While black-eyed peas are the tradition, there are other options if they are not your cup of tea. You could always go with sweet peas instead. Who knows, maybe going with a green pea will double your luck with money in the new year!
Cornbread
If you really want to make sure you’re new year is filled with riches, add cornbread to the menu. Cornbread is meant to represent gold. It also happens to go great with both greens and black-eyed peas.
The cornbread recipe that comes on the back of the bag of cornmeal will suffice for most occasions. Everyone has their own take on the dish, but most variations are only different in the amount of sugar they add.
One of our favorite brands of cornbread mix is Jiffy. You should be able to find it at most supermarkets.
Entrees
For entrees, pork is the traditional choice in the South. This is not really surprising considering how popular pork is in general. The best choice in my opinion is fried pork chops. I love this combo with greens and black-eyed peas. My Southern fried pork choice recipe will not disappoint you.
If you are looking to avoid fried food, try my pork steaks and rutabagas recipe instead. The rutabagas add an additional side in case someone at your table doesn’t care for greens or peas.
Pork isn’t for everybody, so you could always swap out the fried pork chops for fried chicken! I also have a great chicken and dumplings recipe that will surely start your new year with a smile.
Desserts
Dessert isn’t the most popular dish on January 1st, as many are starting new diets to begin the year. But if you want to satisfy your sweet tooth, check out my top 5 Southern desserts.
There are healthy options to consider as well, such as fruit and yogurt. Whatever you choose, I hope you all have a happy New Year and enjoy these New Year’s Day recipe ideas!
