In this study, we present findings on the main food categories and dietary patterns practiced by alcoholics’ in Kenya. Eleven main food categories consumed by the study respondents were derived from high calorie, composite and low calorie foods that formed the dietary patterns. The consumption of these food categories was further explored by dividing the respondents into three groups referring to three dietary patterns adopted based on the food categories. Identified dietary patterns in our study were relatively similar to those reported in other studies on alcoholics 3. According to Mathew 10 three dietary patterns were identified; these were mainly the western, prudent, and traditional, as well as alcohol dietary patterns. Azadbakht 13 showed that alcoholics adopted four similar patterns: fast food and meat, refined grains and cereals, traditional, and alcohol 15. Furthermore, similar patterns were found among alcoholics in other countries, where “vegetable,” “fruit,” “sweet/salty snack foods,” and “starchy foods” were reported 1, whereas “western,” “traditional,” and “mixed” diets were found 4. These differences in identified patterns between different studies and settings may be due to numerous environmental-factors including the availability, affordability and access to certain types of foods in addition to the nutrition transition status which requires further research. The dietary patterns we found were adopted differently by alcoholics. Thus these significantly impacts on the alcoholism status and rehabilitation of the respective alcoholic. High and low calorie dietary patterns have been associated with persistent alcohol cravings, increased risk of relapsing after rehabilitation and likelihood of developing chronic diseases 1, 3, 14, 16. Because alcoholics frequently have poor nutritional status, which is further exacerbated by alcohol’s effects on the body’s metabolism, nutritional approaches are useful in the treatment of recuperating alcoholic 17. However optimal dietary intake should include a diet that is balanced, varied and sufficiently compensates for deficits in nutrients, as well as counteracts the alcohol-induced increase in oxidative stress 1. Several limitations could, however, be stated for this study: reporting bias is possible given that food consumption frequencies were self-reported by respondents. Food consumption may be differentially reported since there is a well-established evidence of underreporting of dietary intakes among females and over-reporting of dietary intakes among males, which may lead to an additional reporting bias 18. The relationship between dietary patterns and the nutritional status of alcoholics, in addition to other nutritional parameters, remains to be established by appropriate prospective studies 4.