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Meals in Kerala consist mainly of the staple grain — rice, or wheat in the form of unleavened bread or ‘chapathis’, with stir-fried vegetables or cooked meat and fish, usually with spicy gravy. Each part of the state has its own cuisine, with difference in the spices and their mix, in the type of cooking oil and in favored vegetables or meats. In-season vegetables are usually used for cooking and the food is generally not stored. Food at weddings or other celebrations can be very elaborate, with soft drinks and snacks being brought in from the cities. The fermented toddy palm juice is a very popular drink among the village folks.

Meals in the urban areas are also based on the staple grain, but the variety and quantity of vegetables and meat are greater. Social visits in cities are also mainly to homes of relatives and close friends. Only the upper class entertains friends or business acquaintances at home or in clubs. Men of lower classes more often meet at restaurants or tea stalls to socialize.

The basic clothing for most Malayalis, both men and women, is a simple draped cloth. For women, it is known as the 'sari', worn with a blouse. Styles of wearing the sari vary among regions and communities. Except for widows, who usually wear plain white, the  saris are generally colorful and  can be made of cotton or the finest embroidered silks.

Traditional men and women in some urban areas of Kerala wear a cloth called a ‘mundu’ in its full-length form. It is wrapped around the waist, like an ankle-length skirt. Muslims tend to wear the half-cloth in colored cottons rather than the white with thin colored border favored by Hindus and Christians. Western outfits have virtually replaced the traditional dress for men, especially among the younger generations. With rare exceptions among the elite women, who wear western clothing on occasion, the  women continue to wear the sari or other Indian dresses such as the churidar.

During their leisure time, the upper and middle classes, go to the cinema halls and frequent expensive restaurants or amusement parks. During school holidays, families may visit relatives or go to the hill resorts where it is cooler. In rural areas, slack times in the agricultural cycle allow families to go on a pilgrimage or attend weddings, which include much feasting. India has many religious festivals, which provide occasions for more feasting and conversation, perhaps accompanied by music or a dance or folk theater performance such as ‘Kathakalli’ or ‘Kalaripaiyatu’.The popular harvest festival ‘Onam’, that is celebrated by people of all castes, religions and economic backgrounds, is commonly marked by a thrilling boat-race called ‘vallom-kalli'