Lentils are the traditional Italian New Year’s Eve food associated with prosperity.
Italian families commonly serve lentils around New Year, often with cotechino or zampone, two pork specialties. The small, round lentils are thought to resemble coins, so eating them symbolizes hopes for wealth in the coming year.
Cotechino is a seasoned pork sausage, while zampone is a stuffed pig’s trotter. These foods are especially associated with northern Italian culinary traditions, although New Year’s lentils are enjoyed much more widely across Italy.
The custom is part of a broader European pattern connecting New Year foods with abundance, money, and good fortune. Lentils are a useful symbol because they expand when cooked, suggesting growth and increasing prosperity.