All About Food Preparation Workers
Job Description & Duties Perform a variety of food preparation duties other than cooking, such as preparing cold foods and shellfish, slicing meat, and brewing coffee or tea.
What Do Food Preparation Workers Do On a Daily Basis?
- Stir and strain soups and sauces.
- Store food in designated containers and storage areas to prevent spoilage.
- Package take-out foods or serve food to customers.
- Make special dressings and sauces as condiments for sandwiches.
- Distribute food to waiters and waitresses to serve to customers.
- Cut, slice or grind meat, poultry, and seafood to prepare for cooking.
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Things a Food Preparation Worker Should Know How to Do
When polled, Food Preparation Workers say the following skills are most frequently used in their jobs:
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.
Speaking: Talking to others to convey information effectively.
Social Perceptiveness: Being aware of others’ reactions and understanding why they react as they do.
Coordination: Adjusting actions in relation to others’ actions.
Service Orientation: Actively looking for ways to help people.
Time Management: Managing one’s own time and the time of others.
Other Food Preparation Worker Job Titles
- Nutrition Aide
- Kitchen Team Member
- Pantry Cook
- Chicken and Fish Butcher
- Restaurant Worker
Is There Job Demand for Food Preparation Workers?
In the United States, there were 871,100 jobs for Food Preparation Worker in 2016. New jobs are being produced at a rate of 7.9% which is above the national average. The Bureau of Labor Statistics predicts 68,600 new jobs for Food Preparation Worker by 2026. Due to new job openings and attrition, there will be an average of 157,700 job openings in this field each year.

The states with the most job growth for Food Preparation Worker are Arizona, Utah, and Texas. Watch out if you plan on working in Maine, Ohio, or West Virginia. These states have the worst job growth for this type of profession.
Do Food Preparation Workers Make A Lot Of Money?
Food Preparation Workers make between $18,040 and $33,670 a year.

Food Preparation Workers who work in District of Columbia, Washington, or Nevada, make the highest salaries.
Below is a list of the median annual salaries for Food Preparation Workers in different U.S. states.
State | Annual Mean Salary |
---|---|
Alabama | $22,010 |
Alaska | $29,550 |
Arizona | $25,000 |
Arkansas | $22,810 |
California | $27,910 |
Colorado | $27,500 |
Connecticut | $28,940 |
Delaware | $22,360 |
District of Columbia | $31,510 |
Florida | $24,190 |
Georgia | $21,550 |
Hawaii | $28,660 |
Idaho | $22,910 |
Illinois | $25,200 |
Indiana | $22,070 |
Iowa | $22,930 |
Kansas | $21,360 |
Kentucky | $22,340 |
Louisiana | $18,820 |
Maine | $25,690 |
Maryland | $25,530 |
Massachusetts | $29,980 |
Michigan | $24,080 |
Minnesota | $27,450 |
Mississippi | $19,310 |
Missouri | $22,340 |
Montana | $22,600 |
Nebraska | $24,290 |
Nevada | $28,910 |
New Hampshire | $24,560 |
New Jersey | $24,450 |
New Mexico | $22,440 |
New York | $28,520 |
North Carolina | $22,490 |
North Dakota | $26,160 |
Ohio | $23,090 |
Oklahoma | $20,750 |
Oregon | $26,770 |
Pennsylvania | $23,100 |
Rhode Island | $29,730 |
South Carolina | $23,400 |
South Dakota | $22,710 |
Tennessee | $22,160 |
Texas | $23,540 |
Utah | $24,520 |
Vermont | $27,220 |
Virginia | $22,200 |
Washington | $30,340 |
West Virginia | $22,060 |
Wisconsin | $23,010 |
Wyoming | $23,780 |
What Tools do Food Preparation Workers Use?
Below is a list of the types of tools and technologies that Food Preparation Workers may use on a daily basis:
- Microsoft Excel
- Microsoft Office
- YouTube
- Culinary Software Services ChefTec
- ValuSoft MasterCook
- EGS CALCMENU
- iPro
- Barrington Software CookenPro Commercial
Becoming a Food Preparation Worker
What education or degrees do I need to become a Food Preparation Worker?

How many years of work experience do I need?

Where Food Preparation Workers Are Employed

The table below shows some of the most common industries where those employed in this career field work.

Similar Careers
Those thinking about becoming a Food Preparation Worker might also be interested in the following careers:
Are you already one of the many Food Preparation Worker in the United States? If you’re thinking about changing careers, these fields are worth exploring:
References:
More about our data sources and methodologies.
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