Southern New Year’s Menu
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This Southern New Year’s Menu is perfect for celebrating the first day of the new year! Said to bring money, luck, and prosperity in the new year! Whether it does or not, it is always a favorite family meal full of delicious dishes!
Planning and Serving Tips for Southern New Year’s Menu
- Estimate the number of people and servings: A traditional Southern New Year’s meal usually includes pork, such as ham or pork roast, turnip greens, black eyed peas, mashed potatoes, cornbread, and a dessert. When I plan to serve my baked ham, I estimate the size of ham I need based upon these guidelines: 1/4 – 1/3 lb. per serving of boneless ham, and 1/3 – 1/2 lb. of meat per serving of bone-in ham. I plan for 4-6 ounces of cooked ham, 1 cup each of turnip greens, peas, and potatoes, and smaller servings of dessert per person.
- Traditions or superstitions: Pork symbolizes prosperity, some say good health in the coming year. Turnip greens represent money, such as folding money, and black-eyed peas represent coins. Cornbread represents money as well, such as gold.
- Make Ahead: Prepare as much of the food as possible before the New Year’s Day meal. Many of the recipes below list make-ahead options.
- Serving: Serve family-style on a buffet for easier access and mingling. Don’t forget the sweet tea!
Southern New Year’s Menu
Warm Brie with Honeyed Fruit Compote
Warm Brie with Honeyed Cranberry Walnut Fruit Compote Recipe
Warm Brie with Honeyed Fruit Compote makes a beautiful, quick and easy appetizer. Made with a honeyed cranberry walnut fruit compote, this warm brie recipe is festive for the holidays!
Baked Ham
Best Baked Ham Recipe
This baked Ham recipe makes the most juicy, savory, and BEST ham! Easy variations for copycat Honey Baked Ham recipe or a cola glazed ham!
Optional: Pork Roast
Pork Roast Recipe
This Pork Roast recipe is tender, delicious and versatile to serve many ways. Made in the slow cooker from 3 ingredients for the best pork roast!
Turnip Greens
Slow Cooker Turnip Greens Recipe
Slow Cooker Turnip Greens makes easy work of a delicious Southern dish. This turnip greens recipe is a favorite and perfect for busy weeknights, Sunday suppers and New Year’s Day!
Black Eyed Peas
Black Eyed Peas Recipe
This Southern Black Eyed Peas recipe is full of flavor and has stovetop, slow cooker and Instant Pot methods! They are a Southern classic dish and family favorite! Delicious year-round, they are traditionally served on New Year's Day to bring luck.
Mashed Potatoes
Easy Mashed Potatoes Recipe
This Best Mashed Potatoes Recipe makes creamy, fluffy mashed potatoes with just 5 ingredients! A rich, delicious side dish for holidays or weeknights, and incredibly easy to make with proven tips for a foolproof recipe.
Southern Buttermilk Cornbread
Southern Cornbread Recipe
This Southern Cornbread Recipe delivers a crispy, golden crust and a tender center with just 5 ingredients. Baked in a cast iron skillet and ready in 30 minutes, it’s the perfect delicious partner for chili, soup, greens, and many Southern recipe favorites.
Deviled Eggs
Classic Deviled Eggs
Deviled eggs make the perfect appetizer or side dish for family meals, parties, showers, and other events. Get this family favorite deviled eggs recipe you are sure to love.
New Year’s Day Desserts
Lemon Pound Cake
Lemon Pound Cake Recipe
This easy Lemon Pound Cake recipe makes a dream dessert for lemon lovers! Made with fresh lemon juice and zest and topped with a lemon buttermilk glaze, this moist pound cake is bursting with delicious flavor!
Cinnamon Roll Biscuit Wreath
Cinnamon Roll Biscuit Wreath Recipe
Cinnamon Roll Biscuit Wreath Recipe – Quick and easy this treat has everything you love about a cinnamon roll with the ease of a biscuit in the shape of a festive wreath!
Hope you and your family have a Happy New Year!
Robyn xo
From the Add a Pinch recipe archives. Originally published 2014.
When I lived on the East Coast of Canada, many folks ate roasted or stewed rabbit for New Year’s Day, representing as a symbol of renewal and hope.
When I lived in another area the traditional fluffy mashed potatoes had charms hidden in it: (a coin for prosper, a ring predicting a marriage, a tiny little diaper pin to predict a coming baby, a button for assurance of remaining a batchelor, a spool for spinster, a heart for love, a cross for Faith). I don’t remember all of the charms but it you could easily make your own. It was all in fun and adults and children both enjoyed it.
The fun didn’t end there. Dessert was a money cake for wealth. Tightly plastic wrapped coins were slid into the cake before icing it.
We just use party crackers and fortune cookies now at our New Year’s Day dinner.
I’m from southern Oklahoma and my menu includes black eyed peas and hog jowl, pork chops, sauerkraut and wieners, turnip greens, cornbread, and banana pudding. We just can’t wait.
Sounds delicious, Debby! Happy New Year! xo
Shannon, I am from the state of Louisiana, deep south. Tradition states the black-eyed peas bring luck and only eat cabbage because it represents money and if you eat the cabbage you will always have a dollar bill in your purse or wallet.
Got to love those Southern traditions and New Year superstitions, right, Chris?! Happy New Year! 🙂
Hey Robyn. Happy New Years! I have to make a correction. We here in the south don’t have turnip greens for New Years, we have cabbage. It is suppose to promote good luck to have cabbage, black eyed peas and corn bread. I don’t eat turnip greens or cabbage so I guess I’m out of luck LOL. But gimme the black eyed peas with bacon tossed in all day long!!
This is Shannon, and we here in the South always do have collard or turnip greens. Have never had cabbage.
Looks Delicious!!! I think all your subscribers are all ready to come to your house! LOL!!!
Hi,
I enjoy your site so much, your food always looks so good. Thanks for sharing, really enjoyed how you shared about your handsome son and wonderful husband. Nice to hear about your love for him and how prayer guides you. I enjoy trying your wonderful recipes out. Thanks again
Have a very Happy New Year
Linda
Your note means so much to me, Linda. Thank you for taking the time to share this with me. I truly appreciate you!
Happy New Year to you too!
Robyn xo
Happy New Year to all from Georgia. I think all states and families have their own traditions and they are all Great! My family has collards, black eyed peas, corn bread and ham.