People wish their loved ones and themselves a healthy and happy new year. Some people go to religious spots to pray for a prosperous year, others choose to eat foods that are believed to bring good luck. Here are some of the dishes associated with good luck across the world.

1. Pork
With its rich, delicious fattiness, pork symbolizes wealth and prosperity. You can eat it in various ways including sausage, ribs, bacon and ham.

2. Lentils
Italians eat lentils on the first day of each year wishing for wealth and prosperity because the flat legumes look similar to Roman coins.

3. Soba noodles
In Japan, soba noodles signify a long life, but only if you eat them without breaking or chewing them. Eating these long noodles in one piece symbolizes a good long life.

By Um Yoon-sun (uys@heraldcorp.com)