Why Do We Eat Black-Eyed Peas On New Year’s Day?

Southern superstition holds that people who eat black-eyed peas on New Year’s Day will be blessed with a year›s worth of good luck. But why, exactly, are black-eyed peas lucky — and what›s the story behind the tasty tradition? Here›s what you need to know: Black-eyed peas’ history can be traced back to Africa, but trade routes made them common throughout Europe and India. The medium-sized bean (yes, black-eyed peas are technically beans) made its way to North America via slave ships by the 1700s, according to “Soul Food: The Surprising Story of an American Cuisine One Plate at a Time” by Adrian Miller. The crop became so popular in the Southern U.S., particularly among Native Americans, that many people believed it was native to the Americas.