Menu planner vs nutrition counselor

The differences between menu planners and nutrition counselors can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. While it typically takes 4-6 years to become a menu planner, becoming a nutrition counselor takes usually requires 1-2 years. Additionally, a menu planner has an average salary of $67,011, which is higher than the $49,744 average annual salary of a nutrition counselor.

The top three skills for a menu planner include plan menus, and . The most important skills for a nutrition counselor are patients, counsel clients, and blood pressure.

Menu planner vs nutrition counselor overview

	Menu Planner	Nutrition Counselor
Yearly salary	$67,011	$49,744
Hourly rate	$32.22	$23.92
Growth rate	15%	7%
Number of jobs	13,662	34,105
Job satisfaction	-	-
Most common degree	Bachelor's Degree, 50%	Bachelor's Degree, 68%
Average age	42	42
Years of experience	6	2

Menu planner vs nutrition counselor salary

Menu planners and nutrition counselors have different pay scales, as shown below.

	Menu Planner	Nutrition Counselor
Average salary	$67,011	$49,744
Salary range	Between $48,000 And $92,000	Between $30,000 And $82,000
Highest paying City	-	-
Highest paying state	-	-
Best paying company	-	-
Best paying industry	-	-

Differences between menu planner and nutrition counselor education

There are a few differences between a menu planner and a nutrition counselor in terms of educational background:

	Menu Planner	Nutrition Counselor
Most common degree	Bachelor's Degree, 50%	Bachelor's Degree, 68%
Most common major	Culinary Arts	Dietetics
Most common college	Cornell University	Purdue University

Menu planner vs nutrition counselor demographics

Here are the differences between menu planners' and nutrition counselors' demographics:

	Menu Planner	Nutrition Counselor
Average age	42	42
Gender ratio	Male, 45.1% Female, 54.9%	Male, 14.2% Female, 85.8%
Race ratio	Black or African American, 11.9% Unknown, 5.1% Hispanic or Latino, 16.6% Asian, 9.8% White, 55.9% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.6%	Black or African American, 8.6% Unknown, 3.7% Hispanic or Latino, 11.7% Asian, 8.8% White, 66.5% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.9%
LGBT Percentage	9%	8%

Differences between menu planner and nutrition counselor duties and responsibilities

Menu planner example responsibilities.

Guide production planning activities ranging from developing and revising production schedules, forecasting trends and customer demand, and managing logistics.
Develop variety of menu items catering to food allergies and diet restrictions (gluten-free, vegan, etc . )
Create the LLC and obtain all necessary food and operating licenses.
Direct inbound or outbound logistics operations, such as transportation or warehouse activities, safety performance, or logistics quality management.
Develop store receipt projections that tie to the total OTB projection for the month being allocate.
Follow and adhere to facility policies and procedures implementing HIPAA requirements

Nutrition counselor example responsibilities.

Provide ambulatory care to all outpatients including, diabetics, pediatric, allergy / GI issues, weight loss.
Take measurements for BMI as needed.
Assist and develop custom/specialized menus for participants who require meal accommodations due to allergies, intolerances, or medical conditions.
Assist in clinical inpatient setting as needed, where TPN consultations are frequently perform.

Menu planner vs nutrition counselor skills

Common menu planner skills

Plan Menus, 100%

Common nutrition counselor skills

Patients, 29%
Counsel Clients, 8%
Blood Pressure, 6%
Weight Management, 5%
Diabetes Management, 4%
Eating Disorders, 4%

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Menu Planner vs Nutrition Counselor

Updated January 8, 2025

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