The New Year is right around the corner. One thing you may know is that some Italians can be superstitious and like to stay true to their traditions. Many traditions involve some type of food and the New Year’s Eve traditions are no exception! Italians like to enjoy hearty foods that will symbolize good fortune and prosperity in the New Year!
Lentils
Lentils have many symbols for this holiday meal. They are round like coins. Lentils are eaten for the hope of prosperity and good luck. This tradition can be linked back to the early days of Rome. In our family, my mother picked up the tradition from her mother and the matriarch of Angelo Caputo’s Fresh Markets, Romana Caputo. Nonna Romana would make lentil soup to be eaten after the clock strikes midnight as a sign of good luck and prosperity for the New Year.
Many people also eat sausage with their lentils. This is said to symbolize abundance. When sausage and lentils are eaten together, it means that the New Year will be even better than the last!
We offer dry lentils for you to make yourself or pick up one of our homemade lentil soups from our prepared foods section!
Grapes
Another way to ring in the New Year is by eating grapes! At midnight you eat 12 grapes, one for each month. When you eat each grape, you are supposed to make a wish for that month!
Don’t forget the panettone, nuts, and fruit!
Buona Fortuna e Buon Anno a tutti!
From Our Family To Yours
How fun! I especially like the idea of the 12 grapes/12 wishes. I’m going to do that this year, perhaps starting a new forever tradition.
Ahh, all the Italian traditions associated with our wonderful foods in ABONDANZA! But, the luckiest thing of all, is being of Italian decent, growing up Italian and carrying on such a rich heritage to future generations!
Don’t forget about the southern tradition for health and luck of Black Eye Peas at midnight New years.