While New Year’s Eve is spent counting down until midnight waiting for the ball to drop (and perhaps celebrating with the popping of a champagne bottle!), New Year’s Day is filled with people making specialty dishes believing certain foods will help usher in different successes in the new year. Read below to find out what certain foods are supposed to represent!

Pork: Many people choose pork as the center piece of the meal due to the animal in which pork comes from. Pigs are known to “root forward” and forward is the direction you want to move in the new year!

Black Eyed Peas: Mostly popular in the south, black eyed peas are supposed to be a symbol of good fortune ahead.

Sauerkraut: For starters, it can pair well with pork! But in terms of “good luck” cabbage is the star of sauerkraut. Cabbage is a light green color—the color of money!

Cornbread: When cooked well, cornbread will look golden….Gold is good!

Ring Shaped Cakes: For dessert, you will often find a ring shaped cake. This is representative of everything coming full circle and for success going forward in the new year.