Key Responsibilities and Required Skills for Daycare Cook

🎯 Role Definition

The Daycare Cook prepares, seasons and serves balanced meals and snacks in an early childhood center setting. This role combines practical kitchen skills, knowledge of pediatric nutrition and safety (CACFP/ServSafe/HACCP), and strong communication with childcare staff and families to create a safe, inclusive and developmentally appropriate food environment that supports children’s growth and learning.

📈 Career Progression

Typical Career Path

Entry Point From:

Kitchen Assistant / Food Service Worker in childcare or institutional settings
Childcare Assistant with food preparation experience
Line Cook or Short Order Cook transitioning into child-focused food service

Advancement To:

Head Cook / Lead Cook for multi-classroom centers
Food Service Manager or Meal Program Coordinator (CACFP specialist)
Nutrition Coordinator or Specialized Pediatric Food Services Supervisor

Lateral Moves:

Catering Cook for family-style or small-group events
Early Childhood Support Specialist with a focus on nutrition education

Core Responsibilities

Primary Functions

Plan and prepare nutritionally balanced breakfasts, lunches and snacks for infants, toddlers and preschool-age children in accordance with CACFP standards, state licensing rules and the center’s meal schedules, ensuring portion sizes and textures are age-appropriate.
Develop weekly and monthly menus that rotate seasonally, meet regulatory menu requirements, incorporate whole grains, fruits and vegetables, and align with the center’s dietary policies while documenting substitutions and justifications for audit purposes.
Prepare, cook and portion meals from scratch using safe food handling techniques and standardized recipes to maintain consistency, meet nutrient targets and optimize cost-per-meal within the center’s budget constraints.
Safely handle and prepare specialized infant feedings (bottles, purees, cereal) and toddler finger-food options; follow individualized feeding plans for children with developmental feeding plans or medical directives.
Screen menus and meal components for common allergens (milk, eggs, nuts, soy, wheat, fish) and implement strict cross-contact prevention practices, including separate prep areas, equipment labeling and staff training.
Maintain accurate and auditable meal counts, production records and CACFP documentation (meal benefit forms, daily meal service logs) in electronic or paper systems to support reimbursement and compliance reviews.
Control inventory by ordering food and kitchen supplies, rotating stock by FIFO (first in, first out), monitoring vendor deliveries, reconciling invoices and maintaining par levels to prevent shortages and reduce waste.
Monitor and document refrigerator, freezer and hot-holding temperatures multiple times per day; promptly dispose of food that falls outside safe temperature ranges and complete corrective action reports.
Follow HACCP-based food safety plans and sanitation schedules; conduct routine cleaning, sanitizing and inspection of kitchen surfaces, equipment, utensils and storage areas to prevent contamination and pests.
Train and supervise kitchen assistants, volunteers or substitute cooks, delegating prep, service and cleanup duties, modeling safe work practices and reviewing daily production checklists to ensure quality and timeliness.
Prepare allergen- and diet-specific meals as directed by parents and medical forms (e.g., gluten-free, dairy-free, texture-modified diets) and maintain confidential medical records and communication logs for staff and families.
Implement portion control and plating procedures to reduce food waste while ensuring children receive adequate nutrition; track waste trends and suggest menu or purchasing adjustments to improve efficiency.
Coordinate with teachers and classroom staff on meal and snack timing, teacher-assisted feeding routines, food-related classroom activities and strategies to support positive mealtime behaviors.
Communicate proactively with families about menu changes, ingredient lists, food-related incidents and recommended home practices for allergies and special diets; respond to parent questions with professional, empathetic guidance.
Participate in center licensing and health department inspections, prepare submission packets, respond to corrective actions and implement policy updates to maintain center compliance.
Maintain and perform basic troubleshooting or arrange service for kitchen equipment (ovens, refrigerators, mixers); keep maintenance logs and schedule preventative service to reduce downtime and ensure safe operation.
Prepare and package food for off-site events, field trips or pick-up programs in compliance with safety and portioning standards and arrange appropriate transportation and temperature control where required.
Design and lead simple nutrition education opportunities (taste-testing, fruit/vegetable exposures, kitchen safety demos) in partnership with teaching staff to reinforce healthy habits for different age groups.
Support program budgeting by tracking food costs, proposing menu cost savings, bidding and evaluating vendor proposals and documenting monthly food expense reports for management review.
Maintain confidentiality and comply with center policies on child health records, special diet plans and any child-specific feeding instructions; escalate medical or feeding concerns to center health personnel or supervisors immediately.
Ensure proper labeling and dating of prepared foods and leftovers, document shelf-life, and dispose of expired or suspect products in accordance with food safety policy.
Keep up to date with local and federal childcare nutrition regulations, best practices in early childhood nutrition and food safety certifications; attend continuing education as required by the center.

Secondary Functions

Assist with light classroom support during high-traffic transition periods (e.g., assisting with breakfast cleanup or snack distribution) while maintaining food safety standards.
Support emergency meal plans and provide backup food preparation during staff shortages or special events.
Help compile cafeteria or meal-related communications, newsletters and family-facing documentation to support enrollment and parent engagement.
Participate in center-wide safety and wellness committees and provide kitchen perspectives on overall child health initiatives.
Contribute to menu testing and pilot programs for new recipes to improve acceptability and nutritional quality across age groups.

Required Skills & Competencies

Hard Skills (Technical)

ServSafe certification or equivalent food handler and manager certification; knowledge of HACCP principles and local health code requirements.
Practical knowledge of CACFP meal patterns, documentation, reimbursement processes and record-keeping best practices.
Menu planning and recipe standardization for infants, toddlers and preschoolers including texture modifications and age-appropriate portioning.
Allergen management and ability to prepare separate meals for children with food allergies or medically prescribed diets (e.g., celiac, dairy allergy, PKU).
Cold and hot holding, thermal monitoring, and food storage best practices including use of thermometers and temperature logs.
Inventory management, vendor ordering, invoice reconciliation and basic cost-control techniques to manage kitchen budgets.
Ability to use kitchen equipment safely (convection ovens, steamers, food processors, mixers) and perform basic preventative maintenance checks.
Proficient in filling out daily production records, meal count sheets and basic digital or paper-based record-keeping systems; familiarity with Microsoft Excel or meal-service software is a plus.
Knowledge of sanitation standards, cleaning schedules and cross-contamination prevention methods.
Safe infant feeding experience, including bottle handling, formula preparation and knowledge of safe solid-food introduction protocols.

Soft Skills

Strong communication skills to collaborate with teachers, administrators and parents and to clearly explain allergy precautions and menu changes.
Attention to detail in recipe adherence, portioning, temperature monitoring and record documentation.
Time management and prioritization to deliver multiple meals/snacks on strict schedules.
Empathy and patience when working with young children, accommodating picky eaters and supporting positive mealtime behaviors.
Flexibility and adaptability to respond to last-minute menu changes, staffing variances or special events.
Team leadership and coaching ability to train kitchen aides and volunteers with a calm, safety-first approach.
Problem-solving skills to troubleshoot supply shortages, equipment failures or sudden dietary needs.
Professionalism and confidentiality when handling sensitive child health information.
Physical stamina for standing, lifting and repetitive tasks in a kitchen environment.
Cultural sensitivity and openness to diverse family food practices and dietary beliefs.

Education & Experience

Educational Background

Minimum Education:

High school diploma or GED; equivalent combination of education and relevant food service experience accepted.

Preferred Education:

Culinary certificate, associate degree in Culinary Arts, Nutrition, Food Service Management, or related field.
Additional certifications in pediatric nutrition or early childhood feeding preferred.

Relevant Fields of Study:

Culinary Arts
Nutrition / Dietetics
Food Service Management
Early Childhood Education (for integration with mealtime routines)

Experience Requirements

Typical Experience Range: 1–5 years of experience in institutional or childcare food service, school or daycare meal programs.

Preferred: 2+ years of direct experience preparing meals in a licensed childcare or CACFP-participating center, demonstrated familiarity with infant/toddler feeding protocols, and a clean record with local health inspections.