Food Preparation Workers
35-2021.00
Bright Outlook Updated 2025

Perform a variety of food preparation duties other than cooking, such as preparing cold foods and shellfish, slicing meat, and brewing coffee or tea.

Sample of reported job titles: Cook, Cook Aide, Deli Clerk (Delicatessen Clerk), Diet Aide, Dietary Aide, Food Prep (Food Preparer), Food Service Aide, Food Service Worker (FSW), Line Cook, Nutrition Aide

Occupation-Specific Information

Tasks

  • Clean and sanitize work areas, equipment, utensils, dishes, or silverware.
  • Assist cooks and kitchen staff with various tasks as needed, and provide cooks with needed items.
  • Take and record temperature of food and food storage areas, such as refrigerators and freezers.
  • Carry food supplies, equipment, and utensils to and from storage and work areas.
  • Remove trash and clean kitchen garbage containers.
  • Store food in designated containers and storage areas to prevent spoilage.
  • Weigh or measure ingredients.
  • Vacuum dining area and sweep and mop kitchen floor.
  • Inform supervisors when equipment is not working properly and when food and supplies are getting low, and order needed items.
  • Wash, peel, and cut various foods, such as fruits and vegetables, to prepare for cooking or serving.
  • Prepare a variety of foods, such as meats, vegetables, or desserts, according to customers' orders or supervisors' instructions, following approved procedures.
  • Assemble meal trays with foods in accordance with patients' diets.
  • Stock cupboards and refrigerators, and tend salad bars and buffet meals.
  • Use manual or electric appliances to clean, peel, slice, and trim foods.
  • Load dishes, glasses, and tableware into dishwashing machines.
  • Portion and wrap food, or place it directly on plates for service to patrons.
  • Add cutlery, napkins, food, and other items to trays on assembly lines in hospitals, cafeterias, airline kitchens, and similar establishments.
  • Place food trays over food warmers for immediate service, or store them in refrigerated storage cabinets.
  • Prepare and serve a variety of beverages, such as coffee, tea, and soft drinks.
  • Mix ingredients for green salads, molded fruit salads, vegetable salads, and pasta salads.
  • Receive and store food supplies, equipment, and utensils in refrigerators, cupboards, and other storage areas.
  • Stir and strain soups and sauces.
  • Make special dressings and sauces as condiments for sandwiches.
  • Scrape leftovers from dishes into garbage containers.
  • Distribute food to waiters and waitresses to serve to customers.
  • Operate cash register, handle money, and give correct change.
  • Distribute menus to hospital patients, collect diet sheets, and deliver food trays and snacks to nursing units or directly to patients.
  • Package take-out foods or serve food to customers.
  • Cut, slice or grind meat, poultry, and seafood to prepare for cooking.
  • Butcher and clean fowl, fish, poultry, and shellfish to prepare for cooking or serving.
  • Keep records of the quantities of food used.
  • Check and log refrigerator, freezer, and cooler temperatures.
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Technology Skills

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Hot Technologies are requirements most frequently included across all employer job postings.

Occupational Requirements

Work Activities

  • Getting Information — Observing, receiving, and otherwise obtaining information from all relevant sources.
  • Making Decisions and Solving Problems — Analyzing information and evaluating results to choose the best solution and solve problems.
  • Evaluating Information to Determine Compliance with Standards — Using relevant information and individual judgment to determine whether events or processes comply with laws, regulations, or standards.
  • Performing General Physical Activities — Performing general physical activities includes doing activities that require considerable use of your arms and legs and moving your whole body, such as climbing, lifting, balancing, walking, stooping, and handling materials.
  • Establishing and Maintaining Interpersonal Relationships — Developing constructive and cooperative working relationships with others, and maintaining them over time.
  • Guiding, Directing, and Motivating Subordinates — Providing guidance and direction to subordinates, including setting performance standards and monitoring performance.
  • Estimating the Quantifiable Characteristics of Products, Events, or Information — Estimating sizes, distances, and quantities; or determining time, costs, resources, or materials needed to perform a work activity.
  • Communicating with Supervisors, Peers, or Subordinates — Providing information to supervisors, co-workers, and subordinates by telephone, in written form, e-mail, or in person.
  • Handling and Moving Objects — Using hands and arms in handling, installing, positioning, and moving materials, and manipulating things.
  • Organizing, Planning, and Prioritizing Work — Developing specific goals and plans to prioritize, organize, and accomplish your work.
  • Monitoring Processes, Materials, or Surroundings — Monitoring and reviewing information from materials, events, or the environment, to detect or assess problems.
  • Training and Teaching Others — Identifying the educational needs of others, developing formal educational or training programs or classes, and teaching or instructing others.
  • Coaching and Developing Others — Identifying the developmental needs of others and coaching, mentoring, or otherwise helping others to improve their knowledge or skills.
  • Inspecting Equipment, Structures, or Materials — Inspecting equipment, structures, or materials to identify the cause of errors or other problems or defects.

Detailed Work Activities

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Work Context

  • Indoors, Environmentally Controlled — 88% responded “Every day.”
  • Spend Time Standing — 36% responded “More than half the time.”
  • Contact With Others — 42% responded “Constant contact with others.”
  • Wear Common Protective or Safety Equipment such as Safety Shoes, Glasses, Gloves, Hearing Protection, Hard Hats, or Life Jackets — 74% responded “Every day.”
  • Importance of Being Exact or Accurate — 46% responded “Very important.”
  • Face-to-Face Discussions with Individuals and Within Teams — 62% responded “Every day.”
  • Time Pressure — 36% responded “Every day.”
  • Work With or Contribute to a Work Group or Team — 41% responded “Very important.”
  • Coordinate or Lead Others in Accomplishing Work Activities — 48% responded “Important.”
  • Spend Time Using Your Hands to Handle, Control, or Feel Objects, Tools, or Controls — 34% responded “More than half the time.”
  • Spend Time Walking or Running — 35% responded “More than half the time.”
  • Health and Safety of Other Workers — 25% responded “High responsibility.”
  • Importance of Repeating Same Tasks — 47% responded “Very important.”
  • Physical Proximity — 38% responded “Moderately close (at arm's length).”
  • Spend Time Making Repetitive Motions — 17% responded “Continually or almost continually.”
  • Frequency of Decision Making — 37% responded “Never.”
  • Consequence of Error — 65% responded “Serious.”
  • Impact of Decisions on Co-workers or Company Results — 38% responded “Important results.”
  • Telephone Conversations — 46% responded “Every day.”

Experience Requirements

Job Zone

Title
Job Zone Two: Some Preparation Needed
Education
These occupations usually require a high school diploma.
Related Experience
Some previous work-related skill, knowledge, or experience is usually needed. For example, a teller would benefit from experience working directly with the public.
Job Training
Employees in these occupations need anywhere from a few months to one year of working with experienced employees. A recognized apprenticeship program may be associated with these occupations.
Job Zone Examples
These occupations often involve using your knowledge and skills to help others. Examples include orderlies, counter and rental clerks, customer service representatives, security guards, upholsterers, tellers, and dental laboratory technicians.
SVP Range
(4.0 to < 6.0)

Training & Credentials

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Certifications
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Apprenticeship Opportunities

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Worker Requirements

Skills

  • Active Listening — Giving full attention to what other people are saying, taking time to understand the points being made, asking questions as appropriate, and not interrupting at inappropriate times.
  • Service Orientation — Actively looking for ways to help people.
  • Time Management — Managing one's own time and the time of others.

Knowledge

  • Customer and Personal Service — Knowledge of principles and processes for providing customer and personal services. This includes customer needs assessment, meeting quality standards for services, and evaluation of customer satisfaction.

Education

How much education does a new hire need to perform a job in this occupation? Respondents said:

  • High school diploma or equivalent required for some jobs
  • Some college, no degree required for some jobs
  • Doctoral degree required for some jobs

Worker Characteristics

Abilities

  • Near Vision — The ability to see details at close range (within a few feet of the observer).
  • Oral Comprehension — The ability to listen to and understand information and ideas presented through spoken words and sentences.
  • Trunk Strength — The ability to use your abdominal and lower back muscles to support part of the body repeatedly or continuously over time without "giving out" or fatiguing.

Interests

Interest code: RC
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  • Realistic — Work involves designing, building, or repairing of equipment, materials, or structures, engaging in physical activity, or working outdoors. Realistic occupations are often associated with engineering, mechanics and electronics, construction, woodworking, transportation, machine operation, agriculture, animal services, physical or manual labor, athletics, or protective services.
  • Conventional — Work involves following procedures and regulations to organize information or data, typically in a business setting. Conventional occupations are often associated with office work, accounting, mathematics/statistics, information technology, finance, or human resources.

Work Values

  • Support — Occupations that satisfy this work value offer supportive management that stands behind employees. Corresponding needs are Company Policies, Supervision: Human Relations and Supervision: Technical.
  • Relationships — Occupations that satisfy this work value allow employees to provide service to others and work with co-workers in a friendly non-competitive environment. Corresponding needs are Co-workers, Moral Values and Social Service.
  • Working Conditions — Occupations that satisfy this work value offer job security and good working conditions. Corresponding needs are Activity, Compensation, Independence, Security, Variety and Working Conditions.

Work Styles

  • Attention to Detail — Job requires being careful about detail and thorough in completing work tasks.
  • Dependability — Job requires being reliable, responsible, and dependable, and fulfilling obligations.
  • Self-Control — Job requires maintaining composure, keeping emotions in check, controlling anger, and avoiding aggressive behavior, even in very difficult situations.
  • Independence — Job requires developing one's own ways of doing things, guiding oneself with little or no supervision, and depending on oneself to get things done.
  • Initiative — Job requires a willingness to take on responsibilities and challenges.
  • Integrity — Job requires being honest and ethical.
  • Cooperation — Job requires being pleasant with others on the job and displaying a good-natured, cooperative attitude.
  • Persistence — Job requires persistence in the face of obstacles.
  • Stress Tolerance — Job requires accepting criticism and dealing calmly and effectively with high-stress situations.
  • Achievement/Effort — Job requires establishing and maintaining personally challenging achievement goals and exerting effort toward mastering tasks.
  • Concern for Others — Job requires being sensitive to others' needs and feelings and being understanding and helpful on the job.
  • Adaptability/Flexibility — Job requires being open to change (positive or negative) and to considerable variety in the workplace.
  • Leadership — Job requires a willingness to lead, take charge, and offer opinions and direction.
  • Social Orientation — Job requires preferring to work with others rather than alone, and being personally connected with others on the job.

Workforce Characteristics

Wages & Employment Trends

Median wages (2024)
$16.45 hourly, $34,220 annual
State wages
Local wages
Employment (2023)
904,800 employees
Projected growth (2023-2033)
Decline (-1% or lower)
Projected job openings (2023-2033)
155,200
State trends
Top industries (2023)

Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics 2024 wage data and 2023-2033 employment projections . “Projected growth” represents the estimated change in total employment over the projections period (2023-2033). “Projected job openings” represent openings due to growth and replacement.

Job Openings on the Web

State job openings
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More Information

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Professional Associations

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