A variety of cornbread and collard greens can be tasted during the 18th annual Mac Arnold Cornbread and Collard Greens Blues Festival Saturday.

There are all sorts of traditions that ring in the new year, but I can’t think of one tastier than the custom of eating black-eyed peas, collard greens, and cornbread on Jan. 1.

A variety of cornbread and collard greens can be tasted during the 18th annual Mac Arnold Cornbread and Collard Greens Blues Festival Saturday.

On Jan. 1, they gathered for a meal of collard greens, black-eyed peas, and rice, a dish now known as “Hoppin’ John,” according to the National Museum of African American History and Culture.

Ever wondered why black-eyed peas and greens are a must-have in Black households celebrating the new year? TheGrio breaks it down for you.