Lentils are traditionally associated with good luck and prosperity in Italy on New Year's Eve.
Italian New Year's meals often include lentils, commonly served with cotechino or zampone. Their small, round shape is said to resemble coins, so eating them symbolizes hopes for wealth and financial abundance in the coming year.
Cotechino is a seasoned pork sausage, while zampone is a similar preparation stuffed into a pig's trotter. Pork is also linked with prosperity because a pig's forward rooting motion can symbolize progress and because pork dishes have long featured in festive regional cooking.
The custom is especially associated with the meal after midnight or on New Year's Day, and recipes vary across Italy. The symbolism is cultural rather than a guarantee of financial success. In many households, the dish is valued as much for family tradition and regional flavor as for its good-luck meaning.