Black Eyed Peas for Good Luck
By CarolDM
@CarolDM (203422)
Nashville, Tennessee
January 1, 2019 12:18pm CST
No one knows for sure exactly how Southerners came to eat black-eyed peas for luck on New Year's Day.
Many food historians suggest the practice came about during the Civil War when cowpeas and corn were all that were left in war ravaged Southern fields, leading to these foods being thought of as lucky.
Photo from pixabay. My peas have not been cooked yet.
Do you eat black eyed peas on New Year's day? I remember my aunt used to put a penny in hers for good luck. What are your traditions for today, January 1st?
30 people like this
33 responses
Happy New Year to you and your family
@GardenGerty (160978)
• United States
1 Jan 19
That sort of matches what I read. They were left and not taken by invading armies because they were only fit for animals to eat. . . and the remaining crops were then what the South lived off of until they rebuilt so yes, indeed lucky.
2 people like this
@GardenGerty (160978)
• United States
2 Jan 19
@CarolDM Me too. I had some today, with lots of other lucky food. I do not necessarily believe in luck, but it was good to get some different food to eat.
1 person likes this
@CarolDM (203422)
• Nashville, Tennessee
2 Jan 19
@GardenGerty Yeah same here actually, luck is something that others say happen to them.
@jeanena (2198)
• Bucklin, Kansas
1 Jan 19
My Black Eye Peas are on the stove cooking right now . I will make corn bread to go with them when they get closer to being done. Good luck and Prosperity for the New Year. We have been doing this since my mom married my last step dad. He was from Louisiana and that was a tradition that his mom Grandma Macie passed on to my mom and I .
2 people like this
@xander6464 (44422)
• Wapello, Iowa
2 Jan 19
I've often wondered why black-eyed peas are considered lucky. That Civil War theory seems to make sense.
1 person likes this
@xander6464 (44422)
• Wapello, Iowa
2 Jan 19
@CarolDM We do have a lot of those silly traditions, don't we?
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@CarolDM (203422)
• Nashville, Tennessee
2 Jan 19
@xander6464 Yes, sort of like "what we celebrate today".
1 person likes this
@andriaperry (117146)
• Anniston, Alabama
1 Jan 19
Yes! I have my black eyed peas cook with hog jowl, I also will have greens and cornbread. 
2 people like this
@Debscrochet (1947)
• United States
2 Jan 19
@CarolDM I live in Florida now, but born and raised in NY
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@LeaPea2417 (37381)
• Toccoa, Georgia
1 Jan 19
Yes, as a Southerner, I love black eyed peas, collard greens and corn bread.
1 person likes this
@Jeanniemaries (8237)
• United States
1 Jan 19
I don't like them and have never fixed them. I do fix sauerkraut and pork for New Years, my husbands family tradition and I have learned to like sauerkraut. I had never had it before my marriage. I do fix it with apples and onions to sweeten it.
1 person likes this
@Jeanniemaries (8237)
• United States
5 Jan 19
@CarolDM Several times, just can't swallow them. Same with Okra.
@responsiveme (22926)
• India
2 Jan 19
I forgot though I thought I would make it after reading a post here. Had lentils instead. Actually it was most left overs from the previous night's dinner.
We call it lobia here
1 person likes this
@hillhjill (23714)
• United States
1 Jan 19
No I don't have any tradition's for new years day, enjoy your black eye peas later when they are done.
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@GardenGerty (160978)
• United States
1 Jan 19
@CarolDM Sounds yummy and mine are cooking.
2 people like this
@snowy22315 (182204)
• United States
2 Jan 19
The only tradition I have heard of was pork and sauerkraut for New Years, and I know about the black eyed peas thing as well.
1 person likes this
@wolfgirl569 (108196)
• Marion, Ohio
1 Jan 19
I grew up eating cabbage on New Years Day. It is supposed to keep you in money all year.
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@Lignitecityabishek96 (7119)
• Cuddalore, India
2 Jan 19
The picture is attractive.
1 person likes this
