How To Become A Diet Clerk: What It Is and Career Path

What is a diet clerk and how to become one

Updated January 8, 2025

4 min read

Diet clerks are responsible for completing general cleaning, maintenance, and sanitation of the work area. They serve meals to patients and assist in various processes related to the preparation and delivery of meals. They mark tallies of specific foods, such as vegetables and meats to be prepared in the kitchen, and prepare dietary information for use by kitchen personnel to prepare foods for hospital patients. Diet clerks earn a median sum of $28,000 annually or $13 per hour.

Diet clerks perform various duties, and as such, they possess a moderate understanding of general aspects of the job. Their responsibilities may include assisting with preparing tasks, completing general cleaning, maintenance, and sanitation of the work area. They process new diets and changes, as required, and prepare formula and memorable meals to unit pantries. They also follow standards established by dietitians to prepare portions for patients based on diet orders.

In terms of academic qualifications, diet clerks hold at least an associate's degree in food science, clinical nutrition, or other relevant fields. They typically work under the supervision of a dietitian and are expected to have good communication and interpersonal skills as well as in-depth knowledge of diet and nutrition.

ScoreDiet ClerkUS Average

Salary

2.5

Avg. Salary $31,802

Avg. Salary $59,228

Stability Level

4.8

Growth Rate 2%

Growth Rate 0.3%

Diversity

7.0

Race

American Indian and Alaska Native 0.99%

Asian 7.52%

Black or African American 12.25%

Hispanic or Latino 18.41%

Unknown 4.97%

White 55.87%

Gender

female 86.98%

male 13.02%

Age - 34

Race

American Indian and Alaska Native 3.00%

Asian 7.00%

Black or African American 14.00%

Hispanic or Latino 19.00%

White 57.00%

Gender

female 47.00%

male 53.00%

Age - 34

Stress Level

4.8

Stress level is manageable

7.1 - high

Complexity Level

6.2

Complexity Level is intermediate

7 - challenging

Work Life Balance

6.6

Work Life balance is good

6.4 - fair

Key steps to become a diet clerk

Explore diet clerk education requirements

Most common diet clerk degrees

Bachelor's

47.7 %

Associate

19.6 %

High School Diploma

18.2 %

Start to develop specific diet clerk skills

Skills	Percentages
Patients	29.43%
Allergies	9.82%
Tube Feedings	8.92%
Customer Service	7.98%
Menu Selections	7.72%

Complete relevant diet clerk training and internships

Accountants spend an average of Less than 1 month on post-employment, on-the-job training. New diet clerks learn the skills and techniques required for their job and employer during this time. The chart below shows how long it takes to gain competency as a diet clerk based on U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics data and data from real diet clerk resumes.

Research diet clerk duties and responsibilities

Demonstrate strong math skills in managing inmate s accounts and calmly and effectively deescalating outbursts of belligerent inmates.
Assist patients with making menu choices in an informative and helpful fashion and keep track of patient's allergies and diet changes
Demonstrate ability to adjust patient menus base on food preferences, allergies, disease/condition according to physician specifications.
Develop and apply creative problem-solving methods for patients challenge with specialize diet regiments.

Prepare your diet clerk resume

When your background is strong enough, you can start writing your diet clerk resume.

You can use Zippia's AI resume builder to make the resume writing process easier while also making sure that you include key information that hiring managers expect to see on a diet clerk resume. You'll find resume tips and examples of skills, responsibilities, and summaries, all provided by Zippi, your career sidekick.

Choose From 10+ Customizable Diet Clerk Resume templates

Build a professional Diet Clerk resume in minutes. Browse through our resume examples to identify the best way to word your resume. Then choose from 10+ resume templates to create your Diet Clerk resume.

Apply for diet clerk jobs

Now it's time to start searching for a diet clerk job. Consider the tips below for a successful job search:

Browse job boards for relevant postings
Consult your professional network
Reach out to companies you're interested in working for directly
Watch out for job scams

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