What do you eat New Years Day?

[disneydrmr]

I got a shock this AM at work when I learned that several co-workers had NEVER heard of eating Sauerkraut and Ribs on New Years day.. so we started a poll to see how many others eat it.... I thought I'd ask the question here... do you eat Sauerkraut and Ribs on New Years Day? or Black Eyed Peas? or do you have another 'traditional' food?

I ALWAYS have Sauerkraut and spareribs! YUM!

[ibrowse17]

Being from a German family, we have had sauerkraut many times on New Year's. Most of the time we have ham, and tons of black eyed peas:thumbsup:

[SBETigg]

Wow, that's so funny! Someone else with sauerkraut! No one ever understands our New Year's Day dinner, either. Sauerkraut with pork, dumplings, and carrots- and everything drizzled with molasses. My grandmother has always had it and said it's for good luck, and now that she is getting on in years, the tradition has passed down to me. I make it and host the whole family for New Year's Day.

Happy New Year!

[Strmchsr]

In the south you definitely have to have black eyed peas! Oh, and southerners also have a superstition that you can't do laundry on New Year's Day or, as the saying goes, "You'll be washing clothes for a corpse before the year is out." While I can't say I'm superstitious, it's a good excuse to watch football and not do laundry without feeling guilty. :D

[Marilyn Michetti]

Oh, YUCK !! My mother (82), ALWAYS get's her way - it will be sauerkraut and pork AGAIN ! She lives in an adult community, with absolutely no room, so she asked if she could cook her "dinner" at our house, and invite a friend. Who's going to say "no" ?

I hate the smell, and won't eat anything but the mashed potatoes, but it's only one day a year.:sick:

[crazypoohbear]

I've never heard of this tradition. Is is only German related?
What is the significance of this meal??
And the black eyed peas???

We don't have a traditional new years dinner.
Unless you count going out or ordering in Chinese:blush:

[ChipnDaleGal]

I have never in my life heard of traditional New Year Day food. Very interesting. Not being fond of sauerkraut in any way, shape, or form, I think I can safely say that I will not be adopting this as a new tradition. But wishing all of you that do partake, an enjoyable and satisfying meal.

[Strmchsr]

What is the significance of this meal?? And the black eyed peas??? We don't have a traditional new years dinner. Unless you count going out or ordering in Chinese:blush:

Well, I can't speak for the German tradition, but the black eyed peas are supposed to be combined with collard greens. It's a Deep South tradition. The peas represent copper coins and the collards represent green money. Eating these two items is supposed to bring health and prosperity. Of course, both items do contain properties which clean out the digestive system, so they do help with health. The tradition dates back to around Civil War times (or the War of Northern Aggression as we call it down here :D ). Apparently as some northern troops came through they often looted any food they found. However, they considered "field peas" and corn to be only suitable for animals. As a result, many southerners survived on black eyed peas and they became a symbol of good luck after the war. Because of only being able to make bread out of corn meal during the war, corn bread is also often a staple of the southern New Year's Day meal.

[mook3y]

Typical eats New Years morning - Water and Aspirin :ill: :blush:.

Black eyed beans and ham soup for us.

Also, lots of snack stuff, like cheese, crackers, beefstick, chips and dips, fruit, veggies and dip, etc.

Happy New Year all! :marg:

[bleukarma]

Our New Years Day tradition is corn beef and cabbage. According to my great-grandmother (who has passed on, so I keep the tradition alive) its supposed to mean good luck in the new year. It's also the only day of the year that I will eat cabbage :sick:. We have Irish in our family so I always assumed it was an Irish thing, but I have no idea if it really is or not. I really don't know where the tradition came from, besides my great-grandmother. Now I kind of wished I wouldn't asked her instead of complaining about eating cabbage once a year. :(

[SBETigg]

I've heard the sauerkraut and pork is a Pennsylvania Dutch tradition. My grandparents grew up in PA, so maybe it's that. Otherwise, my grandmother's family comes from Sweden, no German roots in our family. So I really don't know where it comes from.


I've never heard of this tradition. Is is only German related?
What is the significance of this meal??
And the black eyed peas???

We don't have a traditional new years dinner.
Unless you count going out or ordering in Chinese:blush:

[SurferStitch]

We are definitely a pork and sauerkraut family! We also have dumplings that my mom cooks on top of the sauerkraut. :tasty:

I LOVE New Year's Day!! It's a fantastic meal!!

[Hammer]

Roast Pork on New Year's Day is a German tradition. We have always had it and this year is no exception. I make Pernil, or a Spanish/Cuban style Roast Pork, so I combine both of my ethnic backgrounds. I do not make sauerkraut, though. Usually we have black beans and rice as our side dish.

[RenDuran]

We've always had sauerkraut and black-eyed peas since I married my husband 14 years ago! I feel like a little kid when he makes me take a bite of each for good luck in the upcoming year! I thought we were the only idiots that ate that stuff!

Happy New Year! :)

[Pipalotta]

News Years day normally included black eyed peas and ham and snacking on anything from the night before. Never heard the ribs and sauerkraut thing before, sounds like a taste combo that wouldnt taste good to me:sick:

[MaryPoppinsFan]

We have had pork and sauerkraut since I can remember for New Year's Day. not one of my favorites but I'll eat anything to try and change my luck for 2008.
My husband also eats Herring at midight so I'm sure to get my New Years KIss in before that :newyear:

[hoop de do]

We have pork, sauerkraut, kolbassi, mashed potatoes and applesauce. :eat::eat:

[castlegirl]

I've had roast pork, sauerkraut, and mashed potatoes on New Year's Day ever since I was a child. Being from the PA Dutch area, I thought this was just traditional for our area, but after reading these posts, I see lots of folks all over eat the same thing. My grandmother once told me it was to bring you good luck for the new year. I love the holiday season and all it's wonderful traditions. Happy New Year everyone!

[disneydeb]

In southern middle Tennessee,it is traditional at least in my house, to have black eyed peas, hog jowl (slab bacon), and cooked cabbage. I usually serve potatoes with it and of course corn bread.:thumbsup:

My MIL never wanted us to do laundry, sweep or take out trash that day.

[daparish]

In southern middle Tennessee,it is traditional at least in my house, to have black eyed peas, hog jowl (slab bacon), and cooked cabbage. I usually serve potatoes with it and of course corn bread.:thumbsup:

I live in New Orleans and my mom always cookes black eyed peas, cabbage and pork. I can't remember but I think each represents something different: luck, health and prosperity.

[pink]

I'm German and yet I've never heard of eating special food on New Years either.


We don't have a traditional new years dinner. Unless you count going out or ordering in Chinese

That's exactly what we get! Haha:mickey:

[PAYROLL PRINCESS]

We usually get take out Chinese on New Year's Eve, but New Years day is whatever I have in the house.
And I like the tradition about not doing laundry that day. That's one I'm definitely going to adopt.

[princessjojo]

Well, I can't speak for the German tradition, but the black eyed peas are supposed to be combined with collard greens. It's a Deep South tradition.
Oh how I hate the collard greens. My grandmother was so religious about cooking them along with the black eyed peas, you'd thought she found it in the Bible as the one and only gateway to above. Even though I may cook black eyed peas, I don't cook the collard greens (:sick:) I will go to some restaurant like a Cracker Barrell and order a very small bowl for the luck they're suppose to bring. I don't know if it's worked, but I'd sure hate to know my financial status if it didn't.

BTW, I don't do laundry either for the same reasons. I also make sure that whatever I'm doing at midnight isn't bad, because it's what I'll be doing all year long. Go figure... Lately, I've been sleeping...

[merlinmagic4]

I have never heard of most of these traditions!! I was reading a feng shui based article on things to do in your home for the new year (I think I already lost it..........). I'm definitely looking into some of these. I'm sure I usually do laundry as my whole family goes back to school the next day.......I'll make sure I get it done the day before!

[J9]

We always have a lot of different courses.

1) Shrimp cocktail (which I don't eat)
2) Homemade manicotti that my Nonna makes - filled with ricotta and topped with cream sauce.
3) Roast beef (which I don't eat - I get a chicken breast with mayonnaise topping)

We also pick on potato fritters, provolone cheese, and and dried italian sausage.

And that's our new year's!!

[kakn7294]

We do pork and sauerkraut on New Year's Day. Usually my mom cooks for all of us but since I'm scheduled to work 7p - 7a both New Year's Eve and Day, I plan to cook for just the 4 of us this year.

[PirateLover]

We usually spend our New Years day trying to navigate around the Mummers Parade! But if we do cook it's usually ribs... Lots of families have open houses and cook up some kind of pork like hot dogs in beer and sauerkraut. I know my families favorite food (though not mine because I hate the smell) is kielbasa in sauerkraut. And we aren't German, we're Lithuanian.

[DisneyTwinsMommy]

Pork and sauerkraut here too!! Actually I went to Walmart today, and they had a ridiculous amount of both! lol

[hoop de do]

Right before New Year's day it looks to me like the pigs (especially in PA), know how the turkeys feel right before Thanksgiving day.
:turkey::piglet:

PS: sorry I had to use Piglet but it was the only thing I could find "piggy" in the smilies.

[dolphinmickey9170]

I guess we are crazy, because we have no new year's tradition. I have to work every other new years day, so it's whatever someone fixes. I know, we are boring.:D

[ncscgirl2005]

Born and raised in the South (and still here ) so it will be black-eyed peas, collard greens, and some kind of pork (I don't do ham hocks)! DD isnt looking forward to the black-eyed peas!

Never heard of the other traditions. Thanks to the OP for starting this thread!:thumbsup: You learn something new every day!

[rt207]

Gosh, I thought everyone did sauerkraut and pork on New Year's day. Maybe it's a regional thing. I'm in PA...

I love it and am looking forward to it!:eat:

[mrsHerbie53]

We have pork, sauerkraut, kolbassi, mashed potatoes and applesauce. :eat::eat:

Ha Ha!!! Hoop De Do, we live just down the mountain from you (outskirts of Altoona) and it will be the EXACT same menu at our house tomorrow!!

We have some German and Irish ancestory, but I don't know if it is from either of those or the PA Dutch area or what.... But that is tradition in these parts.....

HAPPY NEW YEAR to all Intercotees!!!

[chrisb26]

In the south you definitely have to have black eyed peas!

haha my Grandma is from the south and every year she makes black eyed peas says you have to eat 365 of them for good luck each day of the year of course this year you'll need to add one since is a leap year. The only bad thing is I'm not a big fan of them :sick:

[2Epcot]

haha my Grandma is from the south and every year she makes black eyed peas says you have to eat 365 of them for good luck each day of the year of course this year you'll need to add one since is a leap year. The only bad thing is I'm not a big fan of them :sick:

My grandma and parents are also from the south, so it was black eyed peas for us too. I didn't like them when I was younger, but I do now.

[Ed]

My husband also eats Herring at midight ...

My wife's grandmother absolutely insisted on having pickled herring :sick: at midnight. She said it was supposed to bring good luck and good health. It apparently worked for her; she was in her 90's when she passed away.

However, since neither my wife nor I can stand the smell, we have chosen to take a pass on that tradition. We'll take our chances. ;)

What I do eat on New Years Day is whatever ends up on the coffee table between me and the Bowl games on TV. :eat:

[Janmac]

I also grew up with the pickled herring. Had some at midnight on 31 Dec. 2007 - by myself! I'm married to a Southerner (black eyed peas, collards and hog jowls, he says). Our son-in-law is a pickled herring person too but they're up in Wisconsin. He and I are both from Scandinavian people, if that explains any thing.

It just doesn't seem right to have New Year's Eve and no pickled herring. Around here in mid-Missouri it's very hard to find.

Jan

[rcaide]

We had pork, sauerkraut, kolbassi, and mashed potatoes . I am originally from PA so I guess that is why this is our traditional New Year's meal. I grew up in a Polish/Italian family so food is a huge part of our traditions. I live in South Carolina now and everyone brought in their leftover black eyed peas and collards today. When I have guests for New Year's Day, I always warn them to bring their own black eyed peas and collards because I won't be serving them :ack:.

[ncscgirl2005]

We had pork, sauerkraut, kolbassi, and mashed potatoes . I am originally from PA so I guess that is why this is our traditional New Year's meal. I grew up in a Polish/Italian family so food is a huge part of our traditions. I live in South Carolina now and everyone brought in their leftover black eyed peas and collards today. When I have guests for New Year's Day, I always warn them to bring their own black eyed peas and collards because I won't be serving them :ack:.


LOL! We must work at the same place because everyone at my job had their leftovers too! We are having our leftovers for dinner again tonight. Yummy! DD-7 hates them but mananged to eat exactly 8- I told her she needed to eat one black-eye pea for every year she's been alive plus one to grow on! That did the trick.

[MsMin]

Here we believe that you need pork for health, cabbage for money and black eyed peas and 7 greens for luck.
We had pulled pork and I usually hide the blk eyed peas in baked beans. I hate blk eyed peas and have to hide them. We have potato salad and fried cabbage.
Usually we have what the kids call dragon's tongue. It's a pork tenderloin stuffed with the trinity (green pepper, onion & celery) and lots of spices.
We usually throw in greens into a salad, some in the potato salad or anywhere else we can hide them but it's not a specific green.

[julyjewel]

I also being from the Pittsburgh area, have eaten saukraut, pork roast, kilebassa and mash potatoes on New Years. When I met my husband, his family also gets a New Years Pretzel. It's supposed to bring luck too. For those of you who never heard of the pretzel, it's like a danish but shaped like a pretzel.

[MaryPoppinsFan]

I also grew up with the pickled herring. Had some at midnight on 31 Dec. 2007 - by myself! I'm married to a Southerner (black eyed peas, collards and hog jowls, he says). Our son-in-law is a pickled herring person too but they're up in Wisconsin. He and I are both from Scandinavian people, if that explains any thing.

It just doesn't seem right to have New Year's Eve and no pickled herring. Around here in mid-Missouri it's very hard to find.

Jan

Since my DH's entire family eats it, I ended up with 4 jars in my fridge :( If I would have known you couldnt find it I would have sent you some :)

[bleukarma]

I also grew up with the pickled herring. Had some at midnight on 31 Dec. 2007 - by myself! I'm married to a Southerner (black eyed peas, collards and hog jowls, he says). Our son-in-law is a pickled herring person too but they're up in Wisconsin. He and I are both from Scandinavian people, if that explains any thing.

It just doesn't seem right to have New Year's Eve and no pickled herring. Around here in mid-Missouri it's very hard to find.

Jan

One of my good friends is from Estonia decent and she does pickled herring every year. It makes me glad for my corn beef and cabbage tradition!

On New Years when we were eating our cabbage my aunt was telling me how her mom (my great-grandma) used to cook the cabbage with dimes in it and the kids loved it. I thought it was discusting, considering how dirty money is. She said that she scrubbed them first, but still! yuck! :ack:

[animalkingdomguy]

We do catch as catch can or little bit of everything. Usually we don't have a big meal it's all day snacking.

[alphamommy]

We don't do anything special. My folks were from Alabama, and my mom always made black eyed peas, but I don't like them, so I didn't carry on the tradition.

I've never heard of sauerkraut and pork for New Years.

Tammy