Lentils are traditionally eaten in Italy at New Year's Eve to symbolize wealth.
Their round, coin-like shape makes lentils a symbol of money and prosperity. Many Italian New Year's meals serve them with cotechino, a seasoned pork sausage, or zampone, a stuffed pig's trotter. The meal is associated with hopes for abundance in the coming year and is commonly eaten after midnight or around the transition into January 1.
Cotechino and zampone are especially associated with northern Italian culinary traditions, including Modena. Lentils may also appear in other regional menus and do not require one universal preparation. Some families serve a small portion as part of a much larger festive meal.
The tradition is symbolic rather than a promise of financial success. It is also distinct from Spain's twelve-grape custom: Italian lentils represent prosperity through their appearance and abundance, while the Spanish ritual uses twelve grapes timed to twelve clock chimes. Both are New Year's foods, but they belong to different national traditions.