What is the traditional New Year's Eve meal of lentils in Italy commonly believed to symbolize?

In Italy, the traditional New Year’s Eve association of lentils is with wealth or prosperity.

Lentils are commonly served with cotechino, a cooked pork sausage, or with zampone, a stuffed pig’s trotter. Their round, coin-like shape is interpreted as a symbol of money and abundance, so eating them around the New Year is linked with hopes for financial good fortune. The meal is especially associated with celebrations on New Year’s Eve and New Year’s Day.

The pork accompaniment adds another layer of symbolism in popular tradition: the pig is associated with abundance and getting ahead. Regional recipes and serving times vary, and the belief is cultural rather than a claim that lentils cause wealth. This custom is separate from Italy’s public countdowns, fireworks, and local festivals, which differ among cities and regions.