Traditional dishes from the local Moldavian cuisine can be classified by the purpose of their serving for specific holidays: during the fasting, or different events. For these occasions, the food is prepared in large quantities. In accordance with the tradition, delicious and diverse food is prepared for baptisms, weddings, funerals, and calendar holidays. Meals for family rites differ from the ordinary ones by their quantity, quality, preparation technology, as well as their function - some dishes and products were used as attributes in a number of rituals.

By the end of the XX-th century there were about 30 known recipes intended for family rituals; since then their number has increased. Among them are:

• Delicatessen: jellied meat, pastrami, ham, headcheese (saltison), meat rolls, mititei, salads, eggplant appetizer, roasted peppers, baskets with cheese and garlic, stuffed fish, etc.

• Hot dishes include: cabbage rolls, cutlets, roast meat, liver cutlets (chighiri), stuffed chicken, pies, dark baba (spongelike cake), bright baba, etc.

• Desserts: variety of pastries, cakes, cooked prunes stuffed with walnuts, baked apples, and more.

Hot dishes, mostly made from meat, take an honorable place on the holiday table. Since ancient times, the bread occupies the main place on the table, it's an important part of the family and holiday rituals. Ritual bread is made in form of rolls (colac) of different shapes and sizes. For example, the wedding bread for the bride and groom and for their parents was bigger than that of the rest of the guests, it was braided in 4, 6, 8, braids, and each of them had its own purpose. Also the bread baked for the winter holidays and Easter also differs.

For Christmas, the New Year, and the village temple festival (Hramul satului) the Moldavians, cook a lot of meat and vegetable dishes along with a variety of rolls (colaci).

If winter holidays mostly feature pork dishes, Easter's signature dishes are baked lamb, roast lamb, fresh unsalted sheep's cheese, etc. The main elements of Easter table are Pascha, kulich, lamb, and Easter eggs.

Many Moldavian dishes and products are known outside the country. Among them are cabbage rolls, Moldavian pies (plăcinte), rolls with sheep cheese, wine, and much more.