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Menu planner vs outpatient dietitian

The differences between menu planners and outpatient dietitians 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 an outpatient dietitian takes usually requires 1-2 years. Additionally, a menu planner has an average salary of $67,011, which is higher than the $62,717 average annual salary of an outpatient dietitian.

The top three skills for a menu planner include plan menus, and . The most important skills for an outpatient dietitian are patients, medical nutrition therapy, and patient care.

Menu planner vs outpatient dietitian overview

Menu PlannerOutpatient Dietitian
Yearly salary$67,011$62,717
Hourly rate$32.22$30.15
Growth rate15%7%
Number of jobs13,66210,972
Job satisfaction--
Most common degreeBachelor's Degree, 50%Bachelor's Degree, 69%
Average age4242
Years of experience62

Menu planner vs outpatient dietitian salary

Menu planners and outpatient dietitians have different pay scales, as shown below.

Menu PlannerOutpatient Dietitian
Average salary$67,011$62,717
Salary rangeBetween $48,000 And $92,000Between $38,000 And $102,000
Highest paying City--
Highest paying state--
Best paying company--
Best paying industry--

Differences between menu planner and outpatient dietitian education

There are a few differences between a menu planner and an outpatient dietitian in terms of educational background:

Menu PlannerOutpatient Dietitian
Most common degreeBachelor's Degree, 50%Bachelor's Degree, 69%
Most common majorCulinary ArtsDietetics
Most common collegeCornell UniversityUniversity of Maryland - College Park

Menu planner vs outpatient dietitian demographics

Here are the differences between menu planners' and outpatient dietitians' demographics:

Menu PlannerOutpatient Dietitian
Average age4242
Gender ratioMale, 45.1% Female, 54.9%Male, 7.5% Female, 92.5%
Race ratioBlack 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, 9.1% Unknown, 3.7% Hispanic or Latino, 12.1% Asian, 8.5% White, 65.7% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.9%
LGBT Percentage9%8%

Differences between menu planner and outpatient dietitian 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

Outpatient dietitian example responsibilities.

  • Manage the anemia status of patients by reviewing necessary lab data and initiating or adjusting medication doses.
  • Perform nutritional education, complete comprehensive assessments, calculate patient needs for nutrition support and determine patients at risk for malnutrition.
  • Create educational lesson discussing hypertension prevention, risk factors, MNT.
  • Monitor patients' nutrition status, laboratory values, diet tolerance, and motivate them to adhere to dietary/medications recommendations.
  • Provide clinical nutrition coverage as needed for medical-surgical, telemetry, intensive care unit, behavioral health and rehabilitative floors.

Menu planner vs outpatient dietitian skills

Common menu planner skills
  • Plan Menus, 100%
Common outpatient dietitian skills
  • Patients, 30%
  • Medical Nutrition Therapy, 11%
  • Patient Care, 6%
  • Nutrition Services, 5%
  • Home Health, 4%
  • Healthcare Professionals, 4%

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