What Does a Dietary Aide Do?
Dietary aides work in hospitals, long-term care facilities, assisted living facilities, and more. Dietary aide job duties range from working in the kitchen to working with patients directly. Entry-level dietary aides generally start out working in the kitchen of a facility, prepping food, cleaning up, serving, taking inventory, and sometimes even helping residents eat. Dietary aides who are studying for nutrition-related degrees may work directly with dietitians to ensure that patients get the right meals for special diets, to plan menus, to keep track of caloric and nutrient intake, and to educate staff and patients about nutrition and wellness topics. Often dietary aides who wish to advance to diet techs are required to do continuing education related to their jobs.
Dietary Aide Key Skills
The key skills for dietary aides include:
- Food service, including food safety, preparation, hygiene, and inventory protocols
- Ability to lift and move heavy objects
- Detail-orientation
- An interest in helping others
- Time management
- Patience
- Respect
Dietary Aide Requirements
The requirements to become a dietary aide are:
- High school diploma or GED
- Food handler's permit or license
- One year previous food service experience (required by some facilities)
Dietary Aide Certificate
There is no specific dietary aide program certification, but there are other certification requirements for this type of job. Food handler certification can be obtained through the National Restaurant Association's ServSafe program or your local health department. Additionally, some health care facilities require their employees to be certified in CPR and possibly even First Aid. Those who want to help others achieve their nutrition and wellness goals through careers as dietary technicians can earn an associate's degree or bachelor's degree in nutrition. Many people interested in becoming dietitians or nutritionists start their career as a diet aide or diet tech. This is an excellent way to see if this kind of career is right for you.
Dietary Aide Training and Education
Learning how to be a dietary aide generally involves on-the-job training for entry-level positions, and does not require any special dietary aide classes. However, some facilities may require diet aides and diet techs to be students of nutrition or another health-related subject.
Students in associate's-level dietetic technology programs learn to supervise food production, plan menus according to nutritional and medical guidelines, and manage cost control procedures. Typically, these programs take two years to complete. Students need a high school diploma or equivalent. Sometimes chemistry is recommended as a prerequisite.
Students in these programs learn about meal preparation, nutrition standards, and how to supervise others in food production. These programs often incorporate certification training, which many states require for food handlers. Additionally, they help students develop the ability to work well with others, as well as the authority to work as supervisors. Students complete a combination of general education and professional courses in order to meet degree requirements. Common courses include:
- Principles of nutrition
- Life cycle nutrition
- Clinical nutrition
- Food systems management
- Medical nutrition therapy
Dietary Aide Salary and Job Outlook
An entry-level dietary aide falls under the category of food preparation worker, and according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), these workers averaged $24,800 per year in 2019. Those who progress to dietetic technician made an average of $31,180 in the same year. Food preparation worker jobs are projected to have a 1% decline over the next ten years, but dietetic technician job opportunities are expected to grow by 6%, which is faster than average.
Skilled nursing facilities employed the greatest number of dietary aides and hospitals employed the greatest number of dietary technicians. The states with the highest paying food preparation worker jobs include Washington D.C., Washington, Massachusetts, Alaska, and Rhode Island. The states with the highest pay jobs for diet techs include Oregon, Rhode Island, Alaska, New York, and Washington.