Lentils symbolize coins and prosperity in the Italian New Year's Eve tradition.
Italian New Year's Eve meals often include lentils, especially alongside cotechino or zampone, regional pork specialties. Their small, round, coin-like shape is associated with money and financial good fortune. Eating them near midnight or on New Year's Day expresses a wish for prosperity in the year ahead.
The custom belongs to a wider group of food traditions that connect New Year celebrations with abundance. Beans, peas, and other legumes are similarly used in different cultures because they are plentiful, nourishing, and sometimes resemble coins. Italian regional customs differ, so not every household serves the same dish or follows the same timing.
Lentils are not a substitute for the pork dish in the traditional pairing; they are commonly served together. The food custom also differs from Spain's twelve grapes, where the number and timing of the fruit are central. In Italy, the symbolic meaning of lentils comes mainly from their shape and association with wealth.