Ready-to-eat foods are those that do not require preparation by heat employment before being ingested by the consumer. The present study focused to assess the occurrence of L. monocytogenes in ready-to-eat food products available in the local markets in Chikkaballapura, Karnataka, and to improve the basic knowledge of the incidence and characteristics of L. monocytogenes. Samples comprising of locally prepared and sold ready-to-eat packed food products being consumed by Childrens were collected and subjected to serial dilution and inoculated to nutrient agar medium, Palcam selective agar base medium and Tryptic soy broth. The growth with the typical colony characteristics were further identified up to species level based on their morphological and biochemical characteristics. The bacteria isolated from different ready-to-eat food products was found to be gram-positive bacilli, motile. The results of biochemical assay of bacteria isolated from different ready-to-eat food products showed positive for catalase, oxidase, methyl red, Voges Proskauer, and CAMP tests. Whereas, isolated strains were negative for indole and citrate utilization tests. Based on the morphological and biochemical characterization, isolated strain was identified as L. monocytogenes. In conclusion, results of the presented study suggested that L. monocytogenes is prevalent in ready-to-eat food products and sheds new light on the growth of food pathogens and spoilage microbes in a variety of ready-to-eat food products. These findings could be considered in estimating the risks associated with the production and consumption of ready-to-eat food products.