How To Become A Nutrition Assistant: What It Is and Career Path

What is a nutrition assistant and how to become one

Updated January 8, 2025

3 min read

A Nutrition Assistant is a specialist that uses diagnostic procedures to identify nutrition deficiencies in patients. They work closely with nutritionists and dietitians to improve the well-being of patients through proper nutrition. Nutritionists need to determine their patients' needs through interviewing them and giving them the best meal plans after assessing all risk factors. They must also monitor their progress through follow-ups.

A Nutrition assistant interacts directly with patients to note their habits and lifestyles, enabling them to make informed decisions. They can find work in hospitals, outpatient clinics, rehabilitation centers, schools, health clubs, or assisted living facilities. A successful nutrition assistant should be equipped with nutritional experience, communication skills, and organizational skills.

Nutrition assistants work an average of 40 hours a week, Monday to Friday, from 9 a.m. to 5 a.m. Some Nutrition assistants work independently when called by physicians or dieticians.

ScoreNutrition AssistantUS Average

Salary

2.5

Avg. Salary $32,229

Avg. Salary $59,228

Stability Level

6.7

Growth Rate 2%

Growth Rate 0.3%

Diversity

9.7

Race

American Indian and Alaska Native 0.58%

Asian 5.85%

Black or African American 14.47%

Hispanic or Latino 12.28%

Unknown 4.68%

White 62.13%

Gender

female 82.77%

male 17.23%

Age - 40

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 - 40

Stress Level

6.7

Stress level is high

7.1 - high

Complexity Level

6.5

Complexity Level is challenging

7 - challenging

Work Life Balance

7.8

Work Life balance is good

6.4 - fair

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Key steps to become a nutrition assistant

Explore nutrition assistant education requirements

Most common nutrition assistant degrees

Bachelor's

41.1 %

High School Diploma

23.3 %

Associate

20.0 %

Start to develop specific nutrition assistant skills

Skills	Percentages
Patients	20.12%
Kitchen Equipment	9.75%
Food Service	7.55%
Compassion	6.96%
Food Intake	4.93%

Complete relevant nutrition assistant training and internships

Accountants spend an average of Less than 1 month on post-employment, on-the-job training. New nutrition assistants 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 nutrition assistant based on U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics data and data from real nutrition assistant resumes.

Gain additional nutrition assistant certifications

Nutrition assistant certifications can show employers you have a baseline of knowledge expected for the position. Certifications can also make you a more competitive candidate. Even if employers don't require a specific nutrition assistant certification, having one may help you stand out relative to other applicants.

The most common certifications for nutrition assistants include Certified Nurse Assistant (CNA) and Medical Assistant.

More About Certifications

Research nutrition assistant duties and responsibilities

Coordinate all walk-through visible inspections to achieve overall cleanliness and order within each facility.
Initiate customer relations and assist patients with their dietary menu selections and restrictions.
Input children diet and cost via POS system.
Inform other DTR members and students of career opportunities and CEU events.

Prepare your nutrition assistant resume

When your background is strong enough, you can start writing your nutrition assistant 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 nutrition assistant resume. You'll find resume tips and examples of skills, responsibilities, and summaries, all provided by Zippi, your career sidekick.

Choose From 10+ Customizable Nutrition Assistant Resume templates

Build a professional Nutrition Assistant 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 Nutrition Assistant resume.

Apply for nutrition assistant jobs

Now it's time to start searching for a nutrition assistant 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

How do nutrition assistants rate their job?

-/5

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Nutrition Assistant reviews

A zippia user wrote a review on Jan 2020

Cons

At the end of the day, you’re body is so tired. From doing this much heavy work you’d expect a decent pay check. You won’t make enough to rent an apartment with this job.