An investigation into the food and feeding habits of 5 species of penaeid prawns viz. Metapenaeus dobsoni, Penaeus indicus, Metapenaeus monoceros, Metapenaeus affinis, and Penaeus monodon found common along the Kerala coast has been carried out based on samples collected from the inshore regions of Cochin during 1971- 72. It has been observed that all the above species are omnivorous and detritus feeders, depending much on the benthos. The food in general consists of varying amounts of organic matter mixed with sand and mud. However, some amount of seasonal variation in the food and selective feeding has been noticed in some species particularly depending on the ecological conditions. Proportionately larger quantity of debris was noticed in the young prawns, while adults mostly depended on the common bottom animals including small molluscs and plant matter.