Updated: Nov. 17, 2023
Who wouldn't want a prosperous year? This classic New Year's tradition is said to bring good fortune to one lucky cabbage eater.
New Year’s Day always comes with a clever set of traditions—and cooking New Year’s foods for good luck has always been a favored way to celebrate across many cultures. Pork is served as a way to promise “fatty” success in the new year. Pomegranates represent life and fertility. Twelve grapes should be consumed during the last 12 seconds of the year, to ensure 12 months of good luck.
And then, of course, there’s the tradition of the leafy green cabbage on New Year’s, bringing luck and prosperity to whoever finds the hidden dime within the cooked cabbage dish!
Why Do People Eat Cabbage on New Year’s Day?
Cabbage is green, just like something else that people tend to desire on a regular basis. That’s right, you probably guessed it—money.
This eastern European tradition of eating cabbage on New Year’s—either as a dish or as cabbage rolls—is meant to signify luck, particularly on the financial side of things. People who eat cabbage on New Year’s believe that it’ll help them make more money in the year ahead.
While cabbage is the traditional green food eaten for wealth and financial well-being, other leafy green foods can also work as a substitute if you’re not a big fan of cabbage. Tradition states that collard greens, mustard greens and turnip greens are also acceptable for this lucky New Year’s Day tradition.
Why Do People Cook a Dime in Their New Year’s Cabbage?
But the tradition doesn’t just stop at leafy green vegetables—adding a dime is also key for this New Year’s cabbage tradition!
As tradition goes, the cook would hide silver in the dish. Prior to 1965, dimes were made with silver, so the use of dimes was an easy way to carry on the tradition. The cook would clean off a dime and mix it in, and the person to scoop it onto their plate would be the one to experience wealth and prosperity for their family in the coming year ahead.
How to Make Cooked Cabbage for New Year’s
Hoping to win a little prosperity yourself? While there are numerous cabbage recipes to choose from, the easiest—and most common—recipe to carry out this New Year’s tradition is fried cabbage.
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons butter
- 1 teaspoon white or brown sugar
- 1/4 teaspoon salt and pepper
- 6 cups coarsely chopped cabbage
- 1 tablespoon water
- 1 clove minced garlic (optional)
- 1 cup bacon bits (optional)
Directions
Step 1: Combine the butter and sugar
Melt the butter in a large skillet. Sprinkle in either white or brown sugar, as well as salt and pepper.
Step 2: Add the remaining ingredients
Add cabbage with water and cook until the cabbage is to your liking. Throw in some minced garlic for flavor, if you prefer.
Step 3: Add bacon (optional)
Another traditional way to serve fried cabbage is with bacon! Simply cook bacon bits in the skillet first, then remove the bacon but leave the fat for the cabbage to cook in. Add in some butter, sugar, salt, and pepper, then cook the cabbage and toss the bacon in to finish.
And that’s it! Hopefully, you’ll luck out with a dime on your plate this New Year’s, with the promise of a prosperous year ahead.
FAQs
This eastern European tradition of eating cabbage on New Year's—either as a dish or as cabbage rolls—is meant to signify luck, particularly on the financial side of things. People who eat cabbage on New Year's believe that it'll help them make more money in the year ahead.
What are you not supposed to eat on New Year's Day? ›
Lobster, cows, and chicken are all considered unlucky animals to eat on New Year's because of how they move. Read on for more foods superstitious people try to avoid on the holiday.
What do cabbage and black-eyed peas stand for? ›
But in the American South on one day of the year, cabbage is served with something else: black-eyed peas. The culinary pairing is eaten for good luck and health in the coming year.
Where is cabbage eaten as a new year tradition? ›
Cabbage. Right alongside the pork is often sauerkraut or some form of cabbage. This tradition also hails from Germany and Eastern Europe and is rooted in simple logistics: A late fall harvest coupled with a six-to-eight-week fermenting process means that sauerkraut is just about ready when New Year's rolls around.
What is traditional New Year's Day dinner? ›
Greens, pork, and cornbread, as well as black-eyed peas, cowpeas, or beans, are some of the typical symbolic foods served on New Year's Day. When planning your dinner menu, add the Southern foods that some say bring good luck and avoid those that may do just the opposite in the new year.
What is the luckiest food to eat on New Year's Day? ›
Black-Eyed Peas
Traditionally paired with collard greens and cornbread, black-eyed peas are a staple New Year's good luck food. The peas symbolize coins, and practices of consuming these legumes around celebrations date back to Ancient Egypt.
Why can't you wash on New Year's Day? ›
Another superstition, this is American folklore: don't wash clothes on New Year's Day. If you clean clothes on Jan. 1, you may wash away a member of your family in the coming year — meaning someone will die. Not to mention sending a year of good fortune down the drain.
Why do we eat ham on New Year's Day? ›
Pork and more so ham! That's because pork is considered lucky because of the way pigs “root forward.”Cornbread because the kernels represent coins. Ring-shaped items like doughnuts also symbolize good luck!
Why do you eat cornbread on New Year's Day? ›
If there was any corn left they made cornbread. So, theses three items have come to represent hope and prosperity for the New Year. The peas represent coins, the greens - paper money and the cornbread, gold.
Why pork on New Year's Day? ›
Pigs, Luck, and the Pennsylvania Dutch
According to lore, the forward movement of pigs when they root around for food on the ground signifies a “moving forward” trajectory in life, and thus pork is a favorable meat to enjoy to start the year off on the right track.
Tofu, eggs, rice, cauliflower, white cheeses—say goodbye to them for the night. Instead, fill your New Year's table with other colorful foods. Greens of all kinds are said to bring wealth into your life, while anything yellow (think cornbread or lemon curd) is supposed to foretell prosperity and happiness.
What brings good luck on New Year's Day? ›
Eating 12 grapes at the stroke of midnight comes from Spain. While most participants expected it to help them find love in the new year, the 12 grapes are supposed to bring you luck. However, if you don't finish all 12 grapes before the bells finish chiming you might not be granted the good fortune.
What two vegetables are traditionally eaten on New Year's Day? ›
A major New Year's food tradition in the American South, Hoppin' John is a dish of pork-flavored field peas or black-eyed peas (symbolizing coins) and rice, frequently served with collards or other cooked greens (as they're the color of money) and cornbread (the color of gold).
What are you not supposed to do on New Year's Day? ›
Don't Clean the House on New Year's Day - You will wash away any good luck coming your way.
What is traditionally eaten at midnight on New Year's? ›
Originating in Spain, the tradition of eating grapes at the stroke of midnight is believed to welcome good fortune and prosperity in the new year. It's known as "Las doce uvas de la suerte," or "The twelve grapes of luck,” and each of the 12 grapes represents a month of the new year.
What meat is eaten on New Year's Day? ›
Pork. Pork for progress! Pigs root around with their snouts moving in a forward motion, which is why many cultures around the world eat pork on New Year's Day to symbolize progress for the coming year.
What must you not do on New Year's Day? ›
Don't Do Those Dishes
Or take out the trash, or wash your clothes, or sweep your house... as the superstition goes, if you do, you might accidentally wash good luck and loved ones out of your life. Other beliefs state that whatever you do on New Year's is what you'll be doing the rest of the year.
Which foods are considered to be bad luck if consumed on New Year's? ›
Don't Eat Lobster, Crab or Chicken - Lobsters walk backwards; crabs walk sideways; and because chickens have wings, your good luck could “fly away.” Thought: Stick with the pig because he always moves forward – plus, I have a delicious pork chop recipe!
Can you wash your hair on New Year's Day? ›
No washing or cutting your hair
It is believed that if you wash your hair on New Year's day, you'd also be washing away all your luck. It's somewhat similar to if you cut your hair, you'd be cutting your life shorter!
Can I take a shower on New Year's Day? ›
Put that soap down! You could be washing your luck away…at least according to a Korean superstition that says you shouldn't bathe or shower on New Year's day.
