We midwesterners aren’t known for harboring a lot of superstitions. We’re a little too practical to believe in things like that (except where football is concerned, of course). But on New Year’s Day, a lot of us indulge in a little superstitious dining that’s been passed down through generations of Nebraskans. We may not have the collard greens and black eyed peas of the South, but we do have our own tasty traditions.

The tradition of eating ham on New Year's Day is said to bring luck for the new year.
flickr/Simon Huggins
It seems to have roots in the way pigs eat: they constantly move forward as they look for food, as opposed to birds, which kick backwards to uncover food. Hams grace the table of many a Nebraskan come January 1st.
Sauerkraut is another staple in the New Year's Day celebration.
flickr/JaBB
Cabbage - before being fermented into lovely, tangy sauerkraut, is green, so it is said to represent money and good fortune for the coming year. The longer pieces are supposedly full of even more good luck.

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Sauerkraut is a common food among people with German and Eastern European heritage, which makes up a pretty large portion of Nebraskans.
flickr/jeffreyw
On New Year's Day, it's fairly common for the celebratory meal to consist of some kind of pork along with sauerkraut. Sausage and kraut is a classic, and if you clean your plate, you'll enjoy a happy and prosperous new year...if you believe the superstition.
Although different families have their own versions of this superstitious meal, the idea is always the same: the first major meal on January 1st sets the stage for the entire new year.
flickr/Walter A. Aue
In my Czech family, my grandmother always made pork featherbones with big, fat flour dumplings (knedliky) and sauerkraut (zeli). I don't know if it really made our years any more prosperous, but everyone looked forward to the special feast.
Another tradition that has become increasingly popular in the midwest is eating 12 green grapes at midnight.
flickr/Dennis Hill
Again, the color green represents money. The 12 grapes each also signify a month of the year. If the sixth grape is sour, you'll have back luck in June, for example. The tradition is common in Hispanic and Latino cultures, and it seems like a delightful little superstition that's right up there with clinking champagne glasses.

What’s your family’s traditional New Year’s Day meal? Tell us about your superstitious meals in the comments – and happy new year to everyone!

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