The objective of the present study was to analyze the food consumption pattern in Karnataka. The household consumer expenditure data of the 50th round of the NSSO conducted in 1993-94 and 61st round 2004-05 was used as the main source of secondary data for the study. Percentages were calculated to analyze the changes in the pattern of food consumption over years. In physical quantities, the monthly per capita cereal consumption has declined from 13.15 kgs to 10.73 kgs in rural areas, while the corresponding decrease in the urban sector was from 10.87 kgs to 9.7 kgs. Thus the consumption of cereals has declined in Karnataka over the periods. The monthly per capita consumption of pulses was almost stable over the two periods in rural and urban areas of Karnataka. The monthly per capita expenditure (MPCE) on food was Rs.167 during 1993-94 in rural areas and it increased to Rs.283 during 2004-05. In urban area, the MPCE increased from Rs.236 to Rs.447. The expenditure elasticities for all food groups were less than unity in urban areas with the highest value being 0.96 for vegetables. The lowest expenditure elasticity was observed for cereals (0.70 in rural and 0.72 in urban areas). This was because food is basic necessity of life.