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- Diet cook salary
Diet cook salary
Latest available salary statistics are for 2025. Compare average pay, salary range and related job listings.
30 200 - 40 400 SEK / month
Women earn 95% of what men do.
Hotell, restaurang
Related tools
Salary progression Diet cook
What does a diet cook do? – Tasks and work environment
A diet cook is responsible for planning, preparing, and serving food tailored to specific dietary needs, for example for individuals with allergies, intolerances, or medical conditions. Tasks include close collaboration with dietitians and other healthcare staff to ensure meals meet both nutritional and medical requirements. Diet cooks often work in large kitchens, schools, elderly care homes, or hospitals where special dietary needs are common. The work environment is characterized by a fast pace and a high level of responsibility, where accuracy and hygiene are central parts of daily work.
Salary development over time
The salary for diet cooks has shown a positive trend over the past three years. In 2022, the average salary was 29,000 SEK per month, increasing to 31 400 SEK in 2023 and further to 32 800 SEK in 2024. The total increase during this period is approximately 8.3%, a noticeable rise compared to several other professions within the restaurant and large kitchen sectors. The increase can partly be explained by a growing demand for specialized dietary staff in the public sector, as well as the increasing value of expertise in nutrition and allergy-friendly diets. Salary development also follows the general trend in the healthcare and social care sectors, where specialization is often rewarded.
Diet Cook salary – comprehensive overview
- Average salary: 32 800 SEK/month
- Lowest salary: 27,100 SEK/month (woman, pre-secondary education)
- Highest salary: 44,700 SEK/month (man, public sector, post-secondary education less than three years)
- Average salary men: 33 600 SEK/month
- Average salary women: 31 900 SEK/month
- Women’s salary as a percentage of men’s: 95%
- Hourly wage (average): 189 SEK
Diet cooks often play a key role in promoting food enjoyment and nutritious choices for individuals with special dietary needs. Close collaboration with both guests and healthcare staff makes the profession both social and rewarding – many diet cooks feel they make a tangible difference in people's everyday lives.
Education and qualifications
To work as a diet cook, a high school education in restaurant and food studies is usually required, supplemented with specialization in diet and special diets. Many employers also seek practical experience from large kitchens or healthcare environments, and further education in nutrition or allergy diets is often requested. Certifications and short courses can be advantageous to broaden competence further.
- High school education: Restaurant and Food Program (3 years)
- Further education: Courses in special diets, nutrition, and food hygiene
- Practical experience: Experience from large kitchens, hospitals, or elderly care
- Certifications: Food hygiene, allergy diets, special diets
- Prerequisites: Usually completed high school education
Common benefits and compensations
Diet cooks are often offered benefits such as extra vacation days, wellness allowances, and opportunities for professional development through courses or training. Many employers in the public sector also provide favorable pension schemes and subsidized lunches. Shift work may occur, but working hours are often more regular compared to the broader restaurant industry.
Competition and challenges
The competition for positions as a diet cook is relatively moderate, but the availability of qualified personnel varies across the country. There is a paradoxical recruitment situation where some employers struggle to find the right competence, while the proportion of part-time workers and those leaving the profession is high. Challenges include high demands for specialized knowledge in diet and nutrition, as well as the ability to adapt menus to individual needs. The profession also requires good knowledge of food hygiene and the ability to handle stressful situations, especially in large kitchens with high tempo.
Tips for those who want to become a diet cook
To succeed as a diet cook, it is beneficial to combine an interest in cooking with a strong sense of responsibility and precision. Good collaboration skills facilitate teamwork with dietitians and colleagues, while flexibility and initiative make it easier to adapt menus to various needs. Being attentive and service-oriented is also advantageous, as contact with guests and patients is often close. Keeping up-to-date with new research in nutrition and special diets increases opportunities for development within the profession. Finally, a structured work approach is crucial to maintaining high quality and safety in kitchen work.
Key facts about Diet Cook
- Education level: High school education with specialization in nutrition
- Work environment: Large kitchens, schools, hospitals, and elderly care homes
- Demand: Great opportunities for employment nationwide
- Specialized knowledge: Nutrition science, special diets, food hygiene
- Available jobs: 123 advertised positions within the profession
Career paths and future prospects
After three to five years in the profession, a diet cook can advance to supervisory roles within kitchens, such as head chef or responsible for special diets in larger operations. There are also opportunities to further specialize in nutrition and work as a dietary advisor or in education. Forecasts from the Employment Service indicate that demand for diet cooks and related roles is expected to remain unchanged over the next five years, with continued good job prospects, especially in the public sector. There is also potential to specialize further in specific diet areas, such as child or elderly care, thereby broadening career opportunities.
Frequently asked questions about Diet Cook
- What does a Diet Cook earn?
- A diet cook has an average salary of 32 800 SEK per month, with variation depending on experience, education, and workplace. - How does one become a diet cook?
- The most common path is to attend the restaurant and food program at high school and then specialize in special diets or nutrition science. - Are there many jobs for diet cooks?
- Yes, there are 123 available jobs in the profession, and demand is considered high nationwide. - Which workplaces employ diet cooks?
- Diet cooks mainly work in large kitchens, schools, hospitals, and elderly care homes. - Are there salary differences between men and women?
- Yes, women earn on average 95% of men's salaries within the profession. - What is the highest salary for a diet cook?
- The highest salary is 44,700 SEK per month and belongs to a man in the public sector with post-secondary education shorter than three years. - What education is required to become a diet cook?
- High school education in restaurant and food studies, supplemented with specialization in diet and special diets, is recommended.
Salary distributed by age and sector
| Age | Base salary | Monthly salary | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 18-24 | 97% | 28300 kr | 30600 kr |
| 25-34 | 93% | 31000 kr | 32600 kr |
| 35-44 | 94% | 32000 kr | 33200 kr |
| 45-54 | 95% | 32400 kr | 33200 kr |
| 55-64 | 92% | 32200 kr | 32700 kr |
| 65-68 | 96% | 31300 kr | 32400 kr |
| Snitt | 95% | 31600 kr | 32800 kr |
| Age | Base salary | Monthly salary | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 18-24 | 102% | 27500 kr | 28100 kr |
| 25-34 | 98% | 30400 kr | 30900 kr |
| 35-44 | 97% | 31500 kr | 31800 kr |
| 45-54 | 96% | 32000 kr | 32400 kr |
| 55-64 | 97% | 32200 kr | 32600 kr |
| 65-68 | 98% | 31900 kr | 32500 kr |
| Snitt | 98% | 31700 kr | 32100 kr |
| Age | Base salary | Monthly salary | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 25-34 | 35100 kr | 36400 kr | |
| 35-44 | 94% | 36200 kr | 36500 kr |
| 45-54 | 94% | 36000 kr | 36700 kr |
| 55-64 | 88% | 35300 kr | 37000 kr |
| Snitt | 93% | 35600 kr | 36700 kr |
| Age | Base salary | Monthly salary | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 18-24 | 101% | 27600 kr | 28200 kr |
| 25-34 | 98% | 30400 kr | 30900 kr |
| 35-44 | 97% | 31500 kr | 31800 kr |
| 45-54 | 97% | 31900 kr | 32300 kr |
| 55-64 | 97% | 32200 kr | 32500 kr |
| 65-68 | 98% | 31900 kr | 32400 kr |
| Snitt | 98% | 31700 kr | 32100 kr |
| Age | Base salary | Monthly salary | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 18-24 | 99% | 26000 kr | 27000 kr |
| 25-34 | 101% | 30000 kr | 31100 kr |
| 35-44 | 97% | 31800 kr | 32800 kr |
| 45-54 | 98% | 32400 kr | 33700 kr |
| 55-64 | 98% | 32800 kr | 33900 kr |
| 65-68 | 100% | 31500 kr | 33400 kr |
| Snitt | 100% | 31900 kr | 33100 kr |
| Age | Base salary | Monthly salary | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 18-24 | 97% | 28300 kr | 30700 kr |
| 25-34 | 93% | 31200 kr | 33100 kr |
| 35-44 | 96% | 32300 kr | 34000 kr |
| 45-54 | 97% | 32700 kr | 33900 kr |
| 55-64 | 88% | 32100 kr | 32900 kr |
| Snitt | 94% | 31600 kr | 33200 kr |
| Age | Base salary | Monthly salary | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 18-24 | 97% | 28300 kr | 30700 kr |
| 25-34 | 93% | 31200 kr | 33100 kr |
| 35-44 | 96% | 32300 kr | 34000 kr |
| 45-54 | 97% | 32700 kr | 33900 kr |
| 55-64 | 88% | 32100 kr | 32900 kr |
| Snitt | 94% | 31600 kr | 33200 kr |
| Age | Base salary | Monthly salary | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 18-24 | 97% | 28500 kr | 30900 kr |
| 25-34 | 93% | 31400 kr | 33300 kr |
| 35-44 | 94% | 32500 kr | 34000 kr |
| 45-54 | 95% | 33000 kr | 34000 kr |
| 55-64 | 92% | 34000 kr | 34700 kr |
| 65-68 | 96% | 31800 kr | 33300 kr |
| Snitt | 95% | 32100 kr | 33600 kr |
| Age | Base salary | Monthly salary | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 18-24 | 102% | 27200 kr | 27900 kr |
| 25-34 | 98% | 30700 kr | 31200 kr |
| 35-44 | 97% | 32200 kr | 32600 kr |
| 45-54 | 96% | 32800 kr | 33300 kr |
| 55-64 | 97% | 33000 kr | 33500 kr |
| 65-68 | 98% | 32300 kr | 32900 kr |
| Snitt | 98% | 32200 kr | 32700 kr |
| Age | Base salary | Monthly salary | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 25-34 | 35600 kr | 36300 kr | |
| 35-44 | 94% | 37400 kr | 37600 kr |
| 45-54 | 94% | 36800 kr | 37500 kr |
| 55-64 | 88% | 35600 kr | 40000 kr |
| Snitt | 93% | 36300 kr | 38100 kr |
| Age | Base salary | Monthly salary | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 18-24 | 101% | 27400 kr | 28000 kr |
| 25-34 | 98% | 30700 kr | 31200 kr |
| 35-44 | 97% | 32200 kr | 32500 kr |
| 45-54 | 97% | 32700 kr | 33100 kr |
| 55-64 | 97% | 32900 kr | 33300 kr |
| 65-68 | 98% | 32400 kr | 32900 kr |
| Snitt | 98% | 32200 kr | 32600 kr |
| Age | Base salary | Monthly salary | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 18-24 | 99% | 26200 kr | 27100 kr |
| 25-34 | 101% | 30000 kr | 31000 kr |
| 35-44 | 97% | 32300 kr | 33300 kr |
| 45-54 | 98% | 32600 kr | 34100 kr |
| 55-64 | 98% | 33500 kr | 34400 kr |
| 65-68 | 100% | 31400 kr | 33500 kr |
| Snitt | 100% | 31900 kr | 33100 kr |
| Age | Base salary | Monthly salary | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 18-24 | 97% | 28500 kr | 31000 kr |
| 25-34 | 93% | 31500 kr | 33500 kr |
| 35-44 | 96% | 32500 kr | 34200 kr |
| 45-54 | 97% | 33100 kr | 34200 kr |
| 55-64 | 88% | 34600 kr | 35400 kr |
| Snitt | 94% | 32100 kr | 33800 kr |
| Age | Base salary | Monthly salary | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 18-24 | 97% | 28500 kr | 31000 kr |
| 25-34 | 93% | 31500 kr | 33500 kr |
| 35-44 | 96% | 32500 kr | 34200 kr |
| 45-54 | 97% | 33100 kr | 34200 kr |
| 55-64 | 88% | 34600 kr | 35400 kr |
| Snitt | 94% | 32100 kr | 33800 kr |
| Age | Base salary | Monthly salary | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 18-24 | 97% | 28000 kr | 30000 kr |
| 25-34 | 93% | 30100 kr | 31100 kr |
| 35-44 | 94% | 31300 kr | 32000 kr |
| 45-54 | 95% | 31700 kr | 32400 kr |
| 55-64 | 92% | 31400 kr | 32000 kr |
| 65-68 | 96% | 31100 kr | 32100 kr |
| Snitt | 95% | 31100 kr | 31900 kr |
| Age | Base salary | Monthly salary | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 18-24 | 102% | 27900 kr | 28300 kr |
| 25-34 | 98% | 30200 kr | 30700 kr |
| 35-44 | 97% | 31200 kr | 31500 kr |
| 45-54 | 96% | 31700 kr | 32100 kr |
| 55-64 | 97% | 32100 kr | 32400 kr |
| 65-68 | 98% | 31700 kr | 32300 kr |
| Snitt | 98% | 31500 kr | 31900 kr |
| Age | Base salary | Monthly salary | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 35-44 | 94% | 35100 kr | 35400 kr |
| 45-54 | 94% | 34800 kr | 35500 kr |
| 55-64 | 88% | 35200 kr | 35300 kr |
| Snitt | 93% | 35000 kr | 35400 kr |
| Age | Base salary | Monthly salary | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 18-24 | 101% | 27900 kr | 28300 kr |
| 25-34 | 98% | 30200 kr | 30700 kr |
| 35-44 | 97% | 31200 kr | 31500 kr |
| 45-54 | 97% | 31600 kr | 32000 kr |
| 55-64 | 97% | 32000 kr | 32400 kr |
| 65-68 | 98% | 31700 kr | 32300 kr |
| Snitt | 98% | 31500 kr | 31900 kr |
| Age | Base salary | Monthly salary | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 18-24 | 99% | 25600 kr | 26800 kr |
| 25-34 | 101% | 30000 kr | 31200 kr |
| 35-44 | 97% | 31400 kr | 32400 kr |
| 45-54 | 98% | 32300 kr | 33400 kr |
| 55-64 | 98% | 32500 kr | 33700 kr |
| 65-68 | 100% | 31500 kr | 33400 kr |
| Snitt | 100% | 31900 kr | 33000 kr |
| Age | Base salary | Monthly salary | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 18-24 | 97% | 28000 kr | 30100 kr |
| 25-34 | 93% | 29900 kr | 31300 kr |
| 35-44 | 96% | 31500 kr | 32900 kr |
| 45-54 | 97% | 31800 kr | 33300 kr |
| 55-64 | 88% | 30300 kr | 31100 kr |
| Snitt | 94% | 30400 kr | 31800 kr |
| Age | Base salary | Monthly salary | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 18-24 | 97% | 28000 kr | 30100 kr |
| 25-34 | 93% | 29900 kr | 31300 kr |
| 35-44 | 96% | 31500 kr | 32900 kr |
| 45-54 | 97% | 31800 kr | 33300 kr |
| 55-64 | 88% | 30300 kr | 31100 kr |
| Snitt | 94% | 30400 kr | 31800 kr |
About the data
All information displayed on this page is based on data from the Swedish Central Bureau of Statistics (SCB), the Swedish Tax Agency and the Swedish employment agency. Learn more about our data and data sources here.
All figures are gross salaries, meaning salaries before tax. The average salary, or mean salary, is calculated by adding up the total salary for all individuals within the profession and dividing it by the number of individuals. For specific job categories, we have also considered various criteria such as experience and education.
Profession Diet cook has the SSYK code 5120, which we use to match against the SCB database to obtain the latest salary statistics.
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